These are the Russell Group universities where you are most likely to get a first

Want to get a first? It might just be as simple as living in London, new data analysed by The Tab suggests.

Last year, Imperial College London, UCL and Queen Mary handed out more firsts to their students than any other Russell Group university.

In fact, at Imperial College London almost half of last year’s graduates (48.5 per cent) got a first. The figure was 47 per cent at UCL and 41.2 per cent at Queen Mary.

Nationally, the percentage of students graduating with first class honours stood at 32 per cent. Whilst this represents the lowest figure in three years, it’s five per cent higher than pre-pandemic figures when 28 per cent of students graduated with a first in 2018/19.

Across the board, it’s good news if you go to a Russell Group university. 16 out of the 24 institutions all handed out more firsts than the national average.

Four out of ten students from Leeds and Manchester walked away from uni with a first last year. So if you’re hanging out of your arse on Chestnut Avenue in Hyde Park right now, don’t worry. Roll yourself a cig, chill out, the first is still in the bag.

Things equally look good for Durham students (40.3 per cent awarded firsts), King’s (38.1 per cent) and Edinburgh (37.3 per cent).

Deciding between whether Oxford or Cambridge is the superior university is something which 99 per cent of us don’t care about but makes for endless cannon fodder for Oxfess and Camfess posts. With that in mind, Cambridge students, you can take pleasure in knowing a first is perhaps more prestigious from Cambridge given 29.4 per cent of students were awarded firsts last year compared to the 32.4 per cent of Oxford students.

Back in the real world, spare a thought though for Cardiff students. Just 27.3 per cent graduated with a first last year and it’s equally bleak in Newcastle where 28.2 per cent were given top marks.

Check out the full table below:

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