University of Sheffield is runner up for The Times’ University of the Year award

The University of Sheffield has been named the runner up for The Times and The Sunday Times’ University of the Year award.

As well as being judged as the runner up for the award, the University of Sheffield was ranked 14th in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide’s overall rankings, based on a number of factors.

Metrics that are used for the rankings include: Good honours (the percentage of students who achieve a First or a 2:1), graduate prospects (percentage of graduates who in high – skilled jobs or graduate – level study), and continuation rate (the percentage of first – year students projected to move onto their second year.)

For those categories, the University of Sheffield scored: 86.5 per cent, 82.9 per cent and 96.5 per cent respectively.

The university’s ranking of 14th represents a jump of four places from 18th, where Sheffield finished last year. This year’s top – ranked university is LSE, which was fourth last year. Last year’s top-ranked uni, St Andrews, is second in 2025, pushing Oxford and Cambridge to third and four respectively.

The Times and The Sunday Times’ rankings are some of the most trusted in the country, and is one of several league tables published by British newspapers.

In recent weeks, the Daily Mail, which published its table for only the second time, named the University of Sheffield as the best university in the north of England. The Guardian also scored the university highly in its rankings last week as well.

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These rankings, and those published in recent weeks, are part of a significant number of university rankings that are typically published in the summer months.The past few months have seen the release of a number of similar university league tables and rankings, painting a mixed and often contradictory picture.

Earlier this summer, the University of Sheffield was ranked first for the second year running in the National Student Survey, and was also ranked second nationwide in the Studentcrowd awards, both of which are based on the views of students.

However, in May, the university fell out of the world’s top 100 universities for the first time, according to the QS World University Rankings.

Helen Davies, editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said: “The best universities — whether they were founded in the 15th century or 2005 — are local and global powerhouses of intellectual thought and creativity, from the arts to science, that can power economic regeneration and lead the way to a better life. But what and where to study — and how to pay for it — has never been tougher. This is where our comprehensive guide can help.”

“This year we have tweaked our methodology to keep up with contemporary concerns around climate change and careers and have added in a sustainability metric, teaming up with People and Planet, and boosted the weighting of graduate prospects.”

“The higher education sector is facing unprecedented challenges from debates on free speech to financial stability, but it is important to remember the force for good that going to university can be. See how the universities compare subject by subject, a guide on campus life, and what scholarships and bursaries may be on offer online.”

Featured image via @steelcitysnaps on X before edits

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• University of Sheffield scores highly in The Guardian’s latest university rankings

• University of Sheffield drops out of the world’s top 100 universities for the first time

• University of Sheffield is the best university in the North of England, say new rankings