United Kingdom

In total, 16 UK universities appear in the Global University Employability Ranking 2026, designed by the HR consultancy Emerging and published exclusively by Times Higher Education. The ranking reveals the 250 universities that recruiters at top companies think are best at preparing students for the workplace.

Four of these are London-based institutions; the rest are spread across the UK.

Top universities in the UK 2026

So you have collected your results and you haven’t done as well as you had hoped. What do you do next?

The first thing to do is to take a deep breath and relax. By the end of August last year more than 50,000 people had found a university through the Ucas clearing process, so you are not alone.

Most prestigious universities in the world 2025

Scroll down to see the top 50 ranked universities

When you think about classic, beautiful university buildings, the UK will usually be one of the first countries you think of. Home to some of the oldest universities in the world, many of its universities have been used as filming locations for period dramas and epic films. 

Here at Times Higher Education Student we have thought long and hard about which universities are deemed the most beautiful in the UK, with rolling green spaces, and Gothic and modern buildings. 

Top five universities in London 2025

Scroll down for the full list of universities in London

Do bankers deserve the pay they receive?

Your answer to this question may not actually cut any bankers’ bonuses, but it could secure you a place at one of the best universities in the world. 

The University of Oxford interview process is often perceived as a way to catch prospective students out, but this isn't actually the case. Instead the aim of the interview is to determine how students approach questions in their chosen field of study and how they think critically about the answers.