Welsh University of the Year 2026 revealed

The number one university in Wales according to The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026 has been revealed – with no Welsh institutions standing in the UK-wide top 20.

Cardiff University was named Welsh University of the Year 2026 and climbed four places in the national rankings, rising from 32nd last year to joint 28th, securing a place in the UK’s top 30 – an improvement from 2025, where the institution stood at number 32.

This is the latest achievement for Cardiff, which has also ranked highly in other league tables over the year. Cardiff saw a rise in the Complete University Guide, where it is ranked as one of top 25 institutions in the UK, and a climb to 181^st in the world in the influential QS World Rankings. It also came top for overall satisfaction in the 2025 Global Student Satisfaction Awards.

The Times and Sunday Times success comes in the same week that Cardiff also rose nine places in The Guardian University Guide 2026, to be ranked 37th in the UK.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wendy Larner, said: “This is a great news as we begin the new academic year.

“Cardiff is an excellent place to study, and coming top in Wales in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026 is testament to the brilliance and dedication of our staff.

“From delivering an outstanding educational experience for our students to pursuing research with real-world impact – our community is at the heart of our success.

Elsewhere in Wales, Swansea was named the 37th best university in the UK, while Aberystwyth also made the top 50, coming in at number 42 – another improvement on last year’s 48.

Bangor: 59

Cardiff Metropolitan: 71

University of South Wales: 82

Trinity Saint David: 99

Definitive rankings

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026 provides the definitive rankings for UK universities and the most comprehensive overview of higher education in Britain, making use of the latest data.

It provides prospective students and their families with essential information for making informed higher education choices, evaluating aspects from teaching quality and student experience to degree completion rates and graduate employment prospects.

The universities of Oxford and Cambridge have slipped out of the top three in prestigious university rankings for the first time.

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026 ranked London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) first for the second year in a row, followed by the University of St Andrews in second, and Durham University in third.

The University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge were joint fourth – the first time neither have held a place in the top three in the 32 years the Times guide has been running.

Last year Oxford was ranked third, and Cambridge had already been pushed to fourth. Both were pushed down last year when LSE moved up to first place from fourth, and St Andrews came second.

The guide named Durham as University of the Year 2026 after it climbed the rankings from fifth last year.

“Competitive”

Helen Davies, editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said: “In a very competitive top 10 Durham has climbed two places in a year, which is a significant achievement.

“In doing so it has outdone both Oxford and Cambridge, helping to push both of them out of the top three in our league table for the first time in the Good University Guide’s history.

“Its stellar academic performance was boosted this year by improvements in teaching quality and student experience.”

The Times and The Sunday Times have produced comprehensive university guides since 1993 and 1998 respectively. The list is based on analysis of student satisfaction with teaching quality and experience, entry standards, research quality, sustainability and graduate prospects.

In The Guardian University Guide 2026 published last week, Oxford was ranked first and Cambridge third.

LSE has also been awarded University of the Year for Academic Performance, Russell Group University of the Year, and joint runner-up for University of the Year for Graduate Employment.

The new league table ranks Imperial College London sixth, followed by the University of Bath, the University of Warwick, University College London and the University of Bristol.

“Competition to get a place at our top-ranked institutions continues to grow, leaving some lower-tariff universities with recruitment challenges,” added Ms Davies.

“Many more undergraduates are choosing to stay at home and commute. It is why this year we have an award for the top university in each region and the best for scholarships and bursaries.”

Full results 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.