St Andrews tops UK university rankings as Imperial beats Oxford and Cambridge for the FIRST TIME
From the Newshound archive · first published 19 September 2026.
Oxford fell to fifth place as Imperial College London swept University of the Year 2027 honours, including Medical School of the Year and Graduate Employment — the first such shut-out in the guide's 33-year history.
The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027 has crowned St Andrews as its top-ranked university, with Cambridge falling to fourth place and Oxford to fifth. Only once before in the guide's 33-year run have both ancient universities been absent from the top three. Imperial College London, climbing from sixth to third, was named University of the Year 2027 — the first time it has surpassed Oxbridge in the rankings. The London School of Economics came second, putting two London institutions alongside the Scottish university in the top three.
Both Oxford and Cambridge were pulled down by 'tepid' undergraduate feedback in the National Student Survey, pointing to broad student dissatisfaction.
Imperial also claimed Medical School of the Year and University of the Year for Graduate Employment honours, with 93 per cent of its graduates moving into high-skilled roles.
St Andrews principal Professor Dame Sally Mapstone said the result proves 'small is beautiful' and 'can be consistently sector-leading'.
