LSE has been named the best university in the UK by The Times and Sunday Times

The London School of Economics (LSE) has topped The Times and The Sunday Times’ Good University Guide for the first time in the league table’s history.

And if you think that’s good, it has also been named the guide’s University of the Year 2025. Can’t really say we blame them.

LSE had taken the fourth spot in the previous year but in the 2025 rankings, it managed to push St Andrew’s, Oxford, and Cambridge out of the way to secure the top spot.

Imperial College London also scored well coming sixth. As did University College London (UCL) which came seventh in the rankings, both falling one spot since last year.

On average, LSE also had lower UCAS entry requirements than five other top unis and it also came second in graduate prospects, losing out only to fellow London uni Imperial.

The win for LSE was due to the improved graduate prospects, student satisfaction and teaching quality. The London uni also came third for research, continuation rate and the proportion of students achieving a First or 2:1.

On the award, Professor Larry Kramer, president and vice-chancellor of the London School of Economics and Political Science said: “This award is a tribute to LSE’s outstanding faculty and students, and global community. As someone still relatively new to LSE, I can genuinely say it is a university unlike any other.

“LSE’s combination of world-leading academics and motivated students, dedication to the social sciences, and international focus, while still being firmly rooted in London, makes it a very special place.”

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The editor of The Times and The Sunday Times’ Good University Guide, Helen Davies 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.”

The capital’s unis topped other rankings by The Times including Specialist University of the Year, won by University of the Arts, London with second place going to St George’s University.

University of East London was also named as University of the Year for Teaching Quality.

A great ranking all round for London.

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