best russell group university ranking 2022 league table

These 20 Russell Group universities are officially the best in the UK right now

Brb applying to Edinburgh x

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When you’re in year 13 you spend your life pouring over uni league tables, trying to make sure you get into the best one. Once you’re in, they’re still great material for bragging rights over being at a uni precisely one spot higher than your best mate.

The Times Higher Education World University Ranking has just been released, which ranks almost 1,800 unis from over 100 countries around the world, and it shows the best UK universities in 2022 – surprise surprise, all but one of the top 20 in the country is a Russell Group. But where exactly does your uni place? (If you’re not on this list, soz hun <3)

Here are of the 20 best unis (including loads of the Russell Group) in the country right now in 2022, according to the World University Ranking 2023:

=20. Newcastle

Newcastle is officially the joint 20th best uni in the UK, holding its position in the country from 20th last year too. When you look at the global numbers the uni has risen seven places, to 139th.

=20. York

Probably the most wholesome of all the Russell Group unis, York is tied with Newcastle for the spot of joint 20th best uni in the country. The uni achieved an overall score of 58.4 and has risen a whopping 30 places since the last ranking.

19. Exeter

Up six places globally since last year is Exeter, coming in at 137th this year with a score of 58.5. It is 19th in the UK, which I’m sure is great news to anyone destined for Exeter who is currently “finding themselves” on a gap yah.

18. Nottingham

Coming in at number 18 in the country is Nottingham. The uni has improved a lot since last year, rising from 158th to 141st in the world right now, with an overall 59.6.

17. Leeds

Dropping just one place since last year is Leeds, which is now the 128th best uni in the world. It is also 17th best in the UK and has an overall score of 59.8. Leeds students will be pleased to know the uni did considerably better than its neighbouring Leeds Beckett, which is ranked 801-1,000 in the world. Rough x

16. Queen Mary, London

Queen Mary University of London has fallen down the ranking, from 117th in the world last year to 124th this year. This made it the 16th best uni in the UK.

15. Lancaster

As the 15th best university in the UK according to the World Ranking, Lancaster is the only non Russell Group uni on this list. Lancs scored 60.8 and was ranked 122nd globally.

14. Sheffield

And 14th is Sheffield, which was also 114th in the world and given an overall score of 61.7. This included 43.6 for teaching, 46.4 for research, and 88.5 for international outlook.

=12. Birmingham

University of Birmingham is joint 108th in the world and 12th in the UK. The uni was given an overall score of 62.6 and is the 59th best place in the world to study law, someone better tell Elle Woods.

=12. Southampton

Also joint 12th in the country and 108th in the world is Southampton. The uni is on the way up, improving considerably from 124th in the world last year.

11. Warwick

In number 11 in the UK is Warwick, which was 104th globally – plummeting down the league table from 78th last year and 77th in both 2020 and 2021.

best russell group university ranking 2022 league table

10. Glasgow

Rounding out the top 10 in the UK is Glasgow, which is the second-best university in Scotland and 82nd in the world.

9. Bristol

Next up is Bristol, home of the siggie ring and flared trousers. Ninth best in the country and a casual 76th in the world, going up a whopping 16 places since last year. Bristol was given an overall score of 66.5. – that’s a 2:1, not bad. It’s also the 43rd place in the world to study law.

8. Manchester

Fallowfield’s finest, the University of Manchester is the eighth best uni in the UK according to the World Ranking, and 54th globally. It’s dropped slightly since last year, where the uni placed 50th in the world.

7. LSE

London School of Economics and Political Science is the first of four London universities in the UK top 10. The Russell Group uni has considerably fallen in the World University Ranking since last year, when it was 27th, to now in 2022 where it is 37th.

6. King’s

Another London uni! King’s is 35th overall in the world, exactly the same position as it was in last year. Strong and stable x

best russell group university ranking 2022 league table

5. Edinburgh

The best university in Scotland is officially Edinburgh! It is also 29th in the world, considerably higher than other popular Scottish unis, with Russell Group university St Andrews not even making the top 200 in the World Ranking.

4. UCL

Next up we have University College London, which is the 22nd best uni in the world. UCL has just 10.4 students for every member of staff, and considerably more female than male students, with a 59:41 ratio.

3. Imperial

Imperial College London beats UCL to be the best uni in London, as well as third in the country and 10th in the world. It’s moved up two places since last year. 60 per cent of the uni’s students are boys, and 61 per cent of students are international.

2. Cambridge

Cambridge just missed out on the top spot and is the second best university in the country – third best in the world, a jump up from fifth in the world last year. Cambridge was given an overall score of 94.8.

1. Oxford

You knew this was coming – Oxford is officially in the top spot of the ranking, as the best university in not just the Russell Group, not just the UK, but the whole world. The uni has been best in the world every year since 2017, and it is the best university in the world right now for studying social sciences.

All Russell Group uni ranking 2022 data via Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023, which you can see here.

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