The best three UK unis for each subject, according to the Guardian University Guide 2026

The Guardian University Guide 2026 is here, so you can see exactly how your uni stacks up against other people’s and brag about this accordingly. This includes detailed rankings of UK unis for subject. To save you from scrolling through the whole Guardian University Guide 2026, we’ve listed the best three UK unis for each subject.

Even though Oxbridge slayed in the overall league table in the Guardian University Guide 2026, the Uni of Cambridge and the University of Oxford aren’t top for as many subjects as you might think. This is because Oxbridge only really offer very traditional and academic degrees. So, lesser-known UK unis tend to do way better in the league tables for more modern or practical degrees, such as film production, or paramedic science.

So, here are the best three UK unis for each subject right now, according to the Guardian University Guide 2026.

Accounting and finance

1. London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

2. University of Warwick

3. Durham University

Aerospace engineering

1. Imperial College London

2. University of Sheffield

3. University of Bath

Anatomy and physiology

1. UWE Bristol (University of the West of England)

2. Manchester Metropolitan University

3. University of Essex

Animal science and agriculture

Can you do a whole degree on alpacas? Asking for a friend…

1. University of Bristol

2. University of Lincoln

3. University of Nottingham

Animation and game design

1. University of Hertfordshire

2. University of Dundee

3. Sheffield Hallam University

Anthropology and archaeology

1. University of Cambridge

2. University of Oxford

3. University of St Andrews

Architecture

1. University College London (UCL)

2. Loughborough University

3. University of Dundee

Biology

1. University of Cambridge

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2. Durham University

3. University of Greenwich

Greenwich being ranked above Oxford for biology was not on my bingo card

Biomedical science

1. University of Oxford

2. Teesside University

3. University of Sunderland

Business and management

1. University of Oxford

2. University of St Andrews

3. University of Warwick

Chemical engineering

1. University of Cambridge

2. Heriot-Watt University

3. University of Edinburgh

Chemistry

1. University of Strathclyde

2. University of Leicester

3. University of St Andrews

Children’s nursing

1. Northumbria University

2. Oxford Brookes University

3. Cardiff University

Civil engineering

1. Imperial College London

2. University of Southampton

3. University of Bristol

Classics and ancient history

If you study Classics at Cambridge, you legit get taught in a room that looks like this

1. University of Cambridge

2. University of Oxford

3. University of St Andrews

Computer science and information systems

1. University of Oxford

2. University of Cambridge

3. University of St Andrews

Construction, surveying and planning

1. University College London (UCL)

2. University of Cambridge

3. University of Sheffield

Creative writing

1. University of Lincoln

2. University of Chichester

3. Lancaster University

Criminology

1. University College London (UCL)

2. Loughborough University

3. Durham University

Dentistry

1. Queen’s University Belfast

2. University of Bristol

3. University of Dundee

Drama and Dance

Cambridge student theatre is really something else (and I don’t mean that as a complement)

1. University of Essex

2. Guildhall School of Music and Drama

3. University of Lancashire (previously known as the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan))

Earth and marine sciences

1. University of Cambridge

2. University of Oxford

3. University of St Andrews

Economics

1. University of Oxford

2. University of St Andrews

3. University of Cambridge

Education

1. University of Cambridge

2. University of Bath

3. University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI)

I’m obsessed with how this uni’s name rhymes
(Credit: John Allan)

Electrical and electronic engineering

1. University of Edinburgh

2. University of Exeter

3. University of Southampton

English

1. University of Oxford

2. Durham University

3. University of St Andrews

Fashion and textiles

1. University of Lancashire

2. University of Edinburgh

3. University of the Arts London (UAL)

Film production and photography

1. University of Wales Trinity St David (UWTSD)

2. London Metropolitan University

3. University of Sunderland

Fine art

1. University College London (UCL)

2. Newcastle University

3. University of Oxford

Forensic science

1. Nottingham Trent University

2. University of Lancashire

3. Keele University

General engineering

1. University of Cambridge

2. University of Oxford

3. University of Bristol

General nursing

1. University of Edinburgh

2. Northumbria University

3. Oxford Brookes University

Geography

All geography students can navigate without Google Maps… right?

1. University of Oxford

2. University of St Andrews

3. University of Cambridge

Graphic design

1. Teesside University

2. Loughborough University

3. University of Lancashire

Health professions

1. Swansea University

2. University of South Wales

3. University of Northampton

History

1. University of St Andrews

2. University of Oxford

3. University of Cambridge

History of art

1. University of St Andrews

2. University of Glasgow

3. University of Cambridge

Hospitality, event management and tourism

1. Falmouth University

2. University of Lancashire

3. Ulster University

Interior design

1. University of East London

2. London Metropolitan University

3. Sheffield Hallam University

International relations

1. University of St Andrews

2. London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

3. Keele University

Journalism

Clearly, the only degree worth your time

1. Leeds Trinity University

2. University of Sunderland

3. University of Staffordshire

Languages and linguistics

1. University of Oxford

2. University of St Andrews

3. University of Cambridge

Law

1. London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

=2. University of Oxford

=2. University of Cambridge

Marketing and public relations

1. University of Plymouth

2. University of Derby

3. Durham University

Mathematics

1. University of St Andrews

2. University of Oxford

3. University of Cambridge

Mechanical engineering

1. Imperial College London

2. University of Edinburgh

3. University of Bath

Media and film studies

Thankfully you don’t need to be a film student to watch lots of films at uni

1. University of Warwick

2. University of St Andrews

3. Coventry University

Medicine

1. University of Oxford

2. Imperial College London

3. Hull York Medical School

Mental health nursing

1. University of Bedfordshire

2. Kingston University

3. Coventry University

Midwifery

1. University of South Wales

2. Oxford Brookes University

3. University of Southampton

Music

1. University of Wales Trinity St David (UWTSD)

2. University of Bristol

3. University of Surrey

Nutrition and food science

1. Ulster University

2. Bath Spa University

3. University of Reading

Paramedic science

1. Swansea University

2. Edge Hill University

3. Bradford University

Pharmacy and pharmacology

1. University of Sunderland

2. Queen’s University Belfast

3. University of Dundee

Philosophy

Perhaps the scenery helps Oxford students to think philosophical thoughts?!

1. University of Oxford

2. UWE Bristol (University of the West of England)

3. University of St Andrews

Physics

1. University of Oxford

2. University of Cambridge

3. University of St Andrews

Physiotherapy

1. Robert Gordon University

2. University of Salford

3. Keele University

Politics

1. University of Oxford

2. University of Cambridge

3. London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

Product design

1. Bangor University

2. University of Strathclyde

3. University of Dundee

Psychology

1. University of Cambridge

2. University of St Andrews

3. University of Oxford

Social work

Behold, London South Bank University
(Credit: Jwslubbock)

1. London South Bank University

2. University of Salford

3. University of Sussex

Sociology and social policy

1. London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

2. University of Cambridge

3. King’s College London (KCL)

Sports science

1. University of Bath

2. Swansea University

3. University of Strathclyde

Veterinary science

1. University of Cambridge

2. University of Edinburgh

3. University of Liverpool

Zoology

1. University of Glasgow

2. University of Bristol

3. University of the West of Scotland (UWS)

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