Ranked: The best (and absolute worst) Russell Group unis for law in 2026

Ranking season is back ahead of the 2026 uni intake, with the Complete University Guide not long ago publishing its annual rankings of 130 universities from across the UK.

Universities are given a total score (displayed as a percentage) based on the difficulty of their entrance standards, student satisfaction rates, research quality and graduate prospects.

From Sussex, to Belfast, and all the way up the Edinburgh, there are plenty of options for the next generation of Jessica Pearson’s and Lewis Litt’s. I wouldn’t, however, recommend the Mike Ross route.

With that in mind, here’s where the 23 Russell Group unis that offer a degree in law have ranked in this year’s CUG.

28. Newcastle

A rough start for the Northerners. While exceeding in graduate prospects (86 per cent), the Toon has one of the lowest entrance standards rates at 67 per cent.

Whether or not this is something you should take into account when planning your path into law is up to personal preference, as the score is only a measure of the average UCAS tariff score of students entering the university, attempting to measure the standard of successful applicants.

A common pitfall of various Russell Group unis is their student satisfaction scores: Newcastle is no different, sitting on 73 per cent, while research quality ranked at 76 per cent, giving it a total score of 91 per cent.

24. University of Manchester

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Heading to the West coast, Manchester scored a 93 per cent overall, similarly being held down by comparatively lackluster student satisfaction scores, entry standards, and research quality, but being redeemed by strong graduate prospects.

21. University of Liverpool

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The standard of the average Liverpool student (based on their UCAS tariff score) is the unis most notable limiter, scoring below Newcastle on 65 per cent.

Its student satisfaction rates lingers in the mid 70s, but its research quality and graduate prospects both breaking the 80 per cent mark helps to lift them above its northern competitors.

It’s not looking great for the northern unis, but top 30 of over 150 universities will always make any uni on this list a good choice.

20. University of Southampton

Southampton really shone in its graduate prospects, achieving 89 per cent, higher than only five unis on the list, but were let down by its average results in other categories, particularly entry standards.

It starts a chain of seven unis all scoring 94 per cent overall.

19. University of Birmingham

Brummie combined Southampton’s strong graduate prospects with impressive research quality, but its middling student satisfaction and entry standards hampered its score. It has risen four places since last year though.

18. University of Leeds

There’s a common theme emerging: Despite research quality (88 per cent) and graduate prospects (83 per cent) performing well, student satisfaction (71 per cent) and entry standards (74 per cent) weigh the score down.

17. Cardiff University

Nearly identical to Leeds, even Wales can’t escape the student satisfaction and entry standards trap.

16. University of York

If there was a category for “pretty buildings”, maybe York would escape mid table. Alas, 16th.

15. University of Nottingham

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Notts has dropped five places from last year, but still possess solid enough scores across the board, but unlike some previous entries it doesn’t excel in any one area.

14. University of Exeter

Similar to Notts, except bumping its score up with 88 per cent in graduate prospects

13. The University of Edinburgh

So Harry Potter core

Finally, a 95 per cent. Edinburgh boasts impressive scores, but with one obvious outlier.

87 per cent for entry standards, 86 per cent in research quality and 88 per cent in graduate prospects only leaves student satisfaction, down at 72 per cent. Maybe time to the alpacas back out.

12. University of Sheffield

Sheff is the first uni to break a 90 per cent mark on any one indicator, hitting 91 per cent for graduate prospects. Its downfall? Entry standards on 67 per cent, with student satisfaction nothing the write home about on 78 per cent while research quality sits at 84 per cent.

11. University of Warwick

Warwick continues the upper-mid table standards with solid scores all above 70 per cent, with impressive research quality and graduate prospects being evened out by slightly lower student satisfaction and entry standards.

10. Queen Mary University of London

Starting the top 10 with London’s first uni on the list.

Queen Mary’s continues the upward trajectory with its scores evening out at a high standard, entry standards and student satisfaction on 76 per cent, research on 84 per cent, and prospects on 87 per cent.

9. Queen’s University Belfast

Two queen’s next to each other. Cute x

8. University of Glasgow

Its official: Scotland hosts the first 100 per cent score. The weegies achieved a 100 per cent entry standard, but the rain is probably a contributing issue causing its student satisfaction to disappoint at 74 per cent. Impressive research and prospects though.

7. University of Bristol

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Bristol has moved up one place and occupies the only 96 per spot.

6. Kings College London

Similarly, one place down, but on 97 per cent – safe to say it’s one of the stronger Russell Group unis for law.

5. LSE

The first 98 per cent of the list goes to LSE, despite only scoring 77 per cent for student satisfaction and 84 per cent for graduate prospects.

4. University of Oxford

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Oxford makes its mark with its 91 per cent for graduate prospects being let down by 74 per cent satisfaction rates.

3. Durham University

Clearly the Oxbridge rejects can’t complain too much, beating Oxford out thanks to its superior research quality and student satisfaction rates. It also climbed three places this year, fair play.

2.UCL

Beating out its London rivals, UCL is the first 100 per cent option thanks to its superb grad prospects and research quality.

1.University of Cambridge

Very anticlimactic, Cambridge scoops the prize once again with 96 per cent graduate prospects, 84 per cent for research quality and 85 per cent for entry standards. Student satisfaction remains an issue however sitting at 79 per cent, but it’s still pretty slay to be one of the best Russell Group unis for law.

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Featured image via Google Maps