Oxford and Cambridge fall to fourth in Times Good University Guide 2026 as LSE leads

London's London School of Economics and Political Science reclaimed the top spot in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026, holding the No. 1 position for a second consecutive year. The ranking lists LSE first, followed by the University of St Andrews in Scotland in second place and Durham University in third. Oxford University and the University of Cambridge share fourth place for the first time in the guide's 32-year history. The top three is historically stable, but the drop of Oxford and Cambridge from the podium reflects shifting perceptions of prestige in a highly competitive landscape.

The Times and The Sunday Times guide evaluates universities on a mix of teaching quality and student experience, entry standards, research quality, sustainability and graduate prospects. The result underscores a broader transformation in higher education, where elite institutions are facing renewed pressure to widen access while maintaining academic standards. The guide notes that LSE’s sustained performance reflects strong performance across teaching quality and graduate outcomes, while St Andrews and Durham also posted strong results across multiple dimensions. Oxford and Cambridge have been prominent in public discussions about access and admissions reform, particularly as governments press universities to widen entry for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Durham University was named University of the Year 2026 after climbing from fifth place last year to third in the guide. Editor Helen Davies said that in a very competitive top ten, Durham had “climbed two places in a year, which is a significant achievement,” and that its ascent was driven by improvements in teaching quality and student experience. Durham’s vice-chancellor, Professor Karen O’Brien, welcomed the recognition, saying the university strives to create an environment where every student can grow and thrive and that alumni success attests to strong career prospects for graduates.

Beyond the podium positions, the guide’s broader context has been shaped by policy debates over access and the use of contextual information in admissions. Universities UK, the sector group representing campus leaders including Oxford and Cambridge, has promoted an action plan aimed at boosting access for disadvantaged groups. The plan encourages more universities to adopt contextual offers, which lower entry grades for applicants who have faced barriers such as growing up in care, attending underperforming schools or coming from low-income families. In some cases, offers could be up to three grades lower than the standard requirement, even in competitive disciplines like medicine. The policy move has sparked commentary from education experts; Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at Buckingham University, told the Daily Mail that it represented a “very unfortunate political decision” to insist on considering social circumstances in admissions. He argued that while schools and universities must provide high-quality education, admission decisions should reflect intrinsic ability and the quality of schooling that students received, rather than attempting to reflect population demographics in outcomes. Critics caution that funding pressures could push institutions toward policies aimed at aligning admissions with population characteristics, potentially affecting a university’s perceived performance in rankings.

The Times’ league table published in its 96-page supplement with The Sunday Times on September 21 highlights Imperial College London at sixth place, followed by University College London and the University of Bristol in the top ten, with the University of Bath, Warwick and other universities also appearing prominently. The guide also recognizes regional patterns, naming the University of the Year for each region: LSE as regional University of the Year in London, Durham in the North and North East, Cambridge in the East, Warwick in the Midlands, Bath in the South West, Oxford in the South East, and Queen’s University Belfast as Northern Ireland’s regional standout. The editor noted that competition for places at top-ranked institutions remains intense and that many undergraduates are choosing to stay at home and commute, reflecting broader trends in recruitment and access.

Durham’s Davies also noted that the university’s climb benefited from continued investments in teaching quality and student experience, a point echoed by staff and students who described a supportive campus culture and strong links to industry and research networks. The Times and The Sunday Times emphasized that the ranking’s aim is to provide a comprehensive snapshot of performance across a range of factors that matter to students, universities and employers, rather than to measure prestige alone.

Full results of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026 will be published in a 96-page supplement with The Sunday Times on September 21. The rankings can be found at thetimes.com/uk-university-rankings.