Key Takeaways
- The new top of the 2027 table
- Imperial sweeps the titles
- What this ranking actually measures
- Three rankings, three verdicts
- What it changes for your application
- Let’s talk about your list
The Times and The Sunday Times published their Good University Guide 2027 on 18 September 2026, and the headline is remarkable: St Andrews takes back first place from LSE, Imperial completes the podium, and Oxford and Cambridge both sit outside the top three. Beyond the headlines, this ranking says something very concrete about how UK universities actually treat their students. Here is our reading, and what it changes (and does not change) for your application.
The new top of the 2027 table
Here are the leading positions of the Good University Guide 2027, as published on 18 September:
- 1. University of St Andrews
- 2. London School of Economics (LSE)
- 3. Imperial College London
- 4. University of Cambridge
- 5. University of Oxford
- 6. Durham University
- 7. University of Warwick
- 8. University of Bath
- 9. University of Strathclyde
Three universities finish ahead of Oxford and Cambridge this year. St Andrews claims first place for the third time in six years and is named Scottish University of the Year. The guide credits the small Scottish university’s exceptional student satisfaction, research quality, international outlook and graduate prospects. Five of its departments rank first in the UK in their subject (English, Modern Languages, History, Art History and Physics), and every subject it teaches sits in the national top six.
Imperial sweeps the titles
The other big winner of this edition is Imperial College London, 3rd overall and named University of the Year 2027. Imperial also collects Medical School of the Year and University of the Year for Graduate Employment, the title that rewards what happens to graduates after they leave. If you are aiming for science, engineering or medicine, this cluster of signals confirms what world rankings already show: Imperial is one of the safest bets in Europe right now.
Further down the table, a few movements deserve your attention. Warwick, 7th, is first in the Midlands and runner-up for the graduate employment title. Bath, 8th overall, ranks 5th in the UK for graduate prospects. Strathclyde enters the top 10, while Glasgow (15th, up seven places) and Edinburgh (17th, up eight places) both climb sharply.
What this ranking actually measures
The Good University Guide is not a world ranking: it compares UK universities with each other, on criteria that directly shape a student’s life. Student satisfaction, teaching quality, campus experience, entry standards, research quality and graduate outcomes make up most of the score. That is exactly why mid-sized, undergraduate-focused universities such as St Andrews and Durham shine here more than they do in international league tables, which primarily reward research volume and power. Our guide to world university rankings explains how each table builds its score.
So read this result for what it is: Oxford and Cambridge have not become worse universities in twelve months. But on the experience students actually report, national surveys currently favour other campuses. When you are deciding where to apply, that information is gold, as long as you cross-check it with other sources.
Three rankings, three verdicts
Just last week, the Guardian published its own 2027 guide with the podium reversed: Oxford 1st, Cambridge 2nd, LSE 3rd and St Andrews 4th. Days later, the Times puts St Andrews 1st and Oxford 5th. Same country, same universities, opposite verdicts: it all comes down to methodology and weighting. We analysed the Guardian table and what St Andrews requires from international applicants in our dedicated St Andrews article: the admission thresholds have not moved at all.
Our advice does not change from year to year. First, look at subject rankings rather than the overall table: a physics student and a history student do not experience the same university. Second, never build your UCAS list on a single league table: a strong list combines ambitious choices, realistic targets and safe options.
What it changes for your application
Concretely, this ranking will amplify a trend we already see every day: St Andrews’ popularity with international applicants is exploding, while the university remains one of the most demanding in the UK. A first place in the Times mechanically attracts more applications, which means more selectivity at the finish line. If St Andrews is on your list, your file needs to be ready early and your personal statement needs to be flawless.
The same logic applies to LSE, 2nd this year and still one of the most selective universities in the country relative to the number of places: our breakdown of LSE’s requirements for French Baccalauréat students gives you a precise idea of the level expected, and the logic is similar for other international qualifications.
The calendar, however, does not move. The UCAS deadline of 15 October 2026 at 6pm (UK time) covers Oxford, Cambridge and most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses, including medicine at St Andrews. For every other course, including all undergraduate degrees at St Andrews, LSE, Imperial, Warwick and Bath, the equal consideration deadline is 13 January 2027 at 6pm. Verified today on the official UCAS site. January feels far away; the strongest applications we support are nonetheless finished before the Christmas break.
Let’s talk about your list
Every year, we help students from all over the world win places at the universities in this top 10. University shortlist, application strategy, personal statement, test preparation: our team, rated 160+ Google reviews, builds an application with you that does not rely on luck. Book your strategy call to review your plan before this autumn’s deadlines. See our UCAS admissions coaching and, if Oxford or Cambridge are on your list, our Oxbridge admissions pack.
Author
With a Bachelor's (LLB) from UCL and Assas, and the Grande Ecole program at HEC Paris, Adam co-founded Your Dream School in 2018. Since then the company has coached more than 1,000 students through university admissions and interview preparation for top global institutions.
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