Cardiff is first in Wales with Swansea runner-up while Aberysytwyth and the University of Wales Trinity St David both got awards in The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2026
Cardiff University has been crowned the number one university in Wales in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026. It also wins Welsh University of the Year in the ranking.
The Russell Group university, beset by controversy over job losses and cuts, has climbed four places in the list, climbing from 32nd last year to joint-28th, securing a place in the UK’s top 30.
Swansea University is named runner-up Welsh University of the year. Other winners in Wales include the University of Wales Trinity St David, named University of the Year for Teaching, while Aberysywyth University is is named as Sustainable University of the Year 2026. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here.
For the first time in The Times and The Sunday Times league table of universities both the University of Cambridge and University of Oxford have fallen out of the top three in the national rankings and are joint-fourth.
The London School of Economics (LSE) is ranked number one university for a second year in a row while the University of St Andrews retains its second place.
Durham University moves up from fifth place to third and as a result has been named The Times and The Sunday Times University of the Year 2026.
The guide’s editor Helen Davies said: “Competition to get a place at our top-ranked institutions continues to grow, leaving some lower-tariff universities with recruitment challenges.
“It is exciting to see universities across the UK working to deliver extraordinary medical and technical breakthroughs, lead economic regeneration, and inspire.
“New degrees are launching to meet the interests of today’s students and equip the next generation to power industry and progress positive change such as programmes in electrical and electronic engineering with robotics and AI and public policy.
“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.”
Welsh university rankings according to The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026
Welsh ranking
National ranking
University
1
28=
Cardiff University
2
37
Swansea University
3
42
Aberystwyth University
4
59
Bangor University
5
71
Cardiff Metropolitan University
6
82
University of South Wales
7
99
University of Wales Trinity Saint David
8
122
Wrexham University
Read more: “Confusion” over exam subject in Wales needs “urgently addressing”
Read more: ‘Real danger a university in Wales could collapse’ union warns
The full list of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026 award winners:
University of the Year 2026
Durham University
Runner-up University of the Year 2026
University of Strathclyde
Highly Commended University of the Year 2026
University of Bath
Highly Commended University of the Year 2026
University of Birmingham
University of the Year for Academic Performance 2026
London School of Economics and Political Science
Russell Group University of the Year 2026
London School of Economics and Political Science
Highly Commended Russell Group University of the Year 2026
University of Warwick
Modern University of the Year 2026
Manchester Metropolitan University
Runner-up Modern University of the Year 2026
Glasgow Caledonian University
University of the Year for Graduate Employment 2026
Imperial College London
Joint Runners-up University of the Year for Graduate Employment 2026
London School of Economics and Political Science, Durham University
University of the Year for Scholarships and Bursaries 2026
University of Reading
Runner-up University of the Year for Scholarships and Bursaries 2026
University of Cambridge
Medical School of the Year 2026
University of Oxford
Scottish University of the Year 2026
University of Strathclyde
Runner-up Scottish University of the Year 2026
Heriot-Watt University
Welsh University of the Year 2026
Runner-up Welsh University of the Year 2026
Swansea University
Sports University of the Year 2026
University of Bath
Runner-up Sports University of the Year 2026
Loughborough University
Specialist University of the Year 2026
Hartpury University
Runner-up Specialist University of the Year 2026
Arts Bournemouth University
University of the Year for Student Experience 2026
University of Sheffield
Runner-up of the Year for Student Experience 2026
University of Suffolk
University of the Year for Teaching Quality 2026
University of Wales Trinity Saint David
Runner-up of the Year for Teaching Quality 2026
University of Suffolk
University of the Year for Sustainability 2026
Aberystwyth University
Runner-up University of the Year for Sustainable 2026
University of Exeter
University of the Year for Social Inclusion 2026
Birmingham Newman University
Runner-up University of the Year for Social Inclusion 2026
London Metropolitan University
Highly Commended University of the Year for Social Inclusion 2026
University College London
Scottish University of the Year for Social Inclusion 2026
University of the West of Scotland
University of the Year in the East 2026
University of Cambridge
University of the Year in London 2026
London School of Economics and Political Science
University of the Year in the Midlands 2026
University of Warwick
University of the Year in the North and Northeast 2026
Durham University
University of the Year in Northern Ireland 2026
Queen’s Belfast University
University of the Year in the Northwest 2026
Lancaster University
University of the Year in the Southeast 2026
University of Oxford
University of the Year in the Southwest 2026
University of Bath
The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026 claims to be “the definitive rankings for UK universities and the most comprehensive overview of higher education in Britain”. It looks at everything from applying to university and detailed online profiles for 133 universities covering research reputation, campus facilities, scholarships and bursaries, and nightlife.
The guide provides prospective students and others with the information to help make choices about their higher education evaluating everything from satisfaction with teaching quality and the student experience to degree continuation rates and graduate employment prospects.
A 96-page supplement will be published with The Sunday Times on Sunday, September 21.
A fully searchable website with 70 subject tables, full interactive tables, and additional features launches online on Friday, September 19 here.
