Oxford University has ranked fourth in The Times’s 2026 UK university rankings. This is the first year that Oxford has failed to secure a spot in the guide’s top three – having ranked third in the newspaper’s 2025 ranking and second in 2024.
In the latest guide, The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and the University of St Andrew’s topped the table for the second year running. Meanwhile, Durham University, which placed fifth in the 2025 guide, ranked third, beating both Oxford and Cambridge University.
Durham’s triumph marks the first time in 32 years that neither Oxford nor Cambridge have topped The Times’s ranking of UK universities.
Helen Davies, editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, told ITV News “in a very competitive top ten Durham has climbed two places in a year, which is a significant achievement”. Davies added that Durham’s “stellar academic performance was boosted this year by improvements in teaching quality and student experience”.
The Vice-Chancellor of Durham University, Professor Karen O’Brien, said: “Durham is an outstanding place to study. We ensure that every student can grow and thrive here. Our loyal, engaged alumni are testament to the impressive career prospects that await our graduates.”
The Times have produced an annual guide of UK universities since 1993, ranking universities based on factors such as student experience and employment prospects. Each university receives a total score and ranking based upon their overall performance.
Despite a poor national performance in The Times, Oxford ranked first as the newspaper’s regional university of the year for the South East.
Oxford also held on to first place in The Guardian’s 2026 UK university rankings, with Cambridge maintaining third place and Durham ranking fourth. Oxford’s differing performance in The Times and Guardian rankings is understood to be a consequence of the different metrics used by each table.
Cherwell has approached the University of Oxford for comment. The Oxford University Students Union (SU) declined to comment.
