There are loads of factors to consider when choosing a university, and since it can be hard to know where to begin, checking the university rankings can be a helpful starting point.
Updated: 17 Mar 2025
University rankings reveal who is the cream of the crop and who are bottom of the pile when it comes to certain things. You can find university rankings in official league tables, of which there is several, each focusing on different elements.
On our site we use The Complete University Guide rankings, as they offer a comprehensive overall view of UK universities.
Different league tables will reveal different things about each university. This could include:
This shows how students rate their university experience, but these scores can be affected by individual university issues, which won’t necessarily affect you or your chosen subject.
These numbers are a good indicator of how much a university invests in its staffing, but bear in mind the numbers may vary across departments and so may not be an accurate reflection on the staff contact you’d personally receive.
These figures show you how many graduates have gone on to find employment or further study after university. Although bear in mind that their employment may not necessarily be relevant to the subjects they studied.
Entry grades can have a big impact on university rankings and often the higher the entry requirements, the more prestigious a university is perceived to be.
However, many would argue that a mark of a good university is how well students do while studying there, rather than the scores they started with.
Right here on Whatuni! We now host Complete University Guide’s university rankings for each university.
Overall university rankings are good for a broad picture of a particular institution, but it’s important that you look at subject specific rankings, too. Some university courses are very highly regarded by employers even if the university features lower down an overall league table.
You may have the grades to go to a top university, but if the specific course you choose has a mediocre rating you might be better off looking slightly further down the list at an institution that offers greater excellence in your specific field.
If you plan on studying abroad during your degree, look at which international universities your potential UK universities have links with. If you’re stuck between several options, look at global rankings to see which universities abroad you’ll have the chance of studying at. If you can’t choose between two UK institutions, the chance to study at a higher ranking international university might help you make your mind up.
Choosing a university is already a big decision, but consider whether or not you might want to study at a postgraduate level later on. If you do, it’s good to look at which universities are producing the best research, and again, a high research score can negate a lower overall university ranking.
Of course, you don’t have to stay at your undergraduate institution for postgrad study, but after three or four years there you might not want to leave!
For a really rounded view of a university, use league tables and rankings as just one source of information for your research – don’t rely on them completely. Just because a university is at the top of a league table doesn’t mean it’s right for you.
It’s more important that you choose a university based on your personal priorities. It might be that the course content is the most important aspect of your degree, or the distance from home, the entry requirements or the long-term employment possibilities. For some, it’s the quality of the student experience that matters most, rather than a university’s academic reputation.
Make a shortlist of your key priorities and use league tables to see how each university stacks up.
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