August 16, 2023
Why Should You Know about Guardian UK University Rankings 2023 before You Choose UK as Your Study Destination?
by Arunachalam

Universities in the UK have some of the highest academic standards in the world. When you study in the UK, you will find that practical knowledge is favoured over textbook learning. This will enable you to develop critical thinking, analytical and creative skills in your chosen discipline.
Any course or degree from a UK university will add value to your CV. Universities in the UK use a blend of theoretical and practical teaching methods. The combination of your education, experience and exposure to the business world gives you a competitive edge that demonstrates your ability to function in any environment anywhere in the world.
Employers in your home country already know that you have thrived in a vibrant cultural environment and value hard work when you return home with an international degree or stay in the UK itself. This makes you more attractive to the employers and allows you to jump the queue. If you choose to work elsewhere, your degree will already show that you have the skills to adapt to a different culture and way of life.
The UK is also favoured because of its superior career prospects, education system and skills. Therefore, students are looking for post-study work opportunities to extend their stay in the UK.
The Guardian University Rankings are one of the most well-known and respected annual university rankings. They help students evaluate and compare institutions based on a variety of characteristics such as teaching quality, student satisfaction and graduation results.
How does the Guardian rank universities?
The Guardian league tables are different because, while other league tables focus on academic research, the Guardian league tables focus on the student experience. It rates universities on nine factors, which are combined to give each university an overall score out of 100. It accurately blends scores for the nine components of university life that concerns most for the students, for example teaching quality, course satisfaction, university spending per student and the percentage of students who find work within six months of graduation.
Entry standards
This looks at the grades of students who are likely to be enrolled in their course. It's not an eligibility criterion for admission to the course of your choice but is intended to give prospective students a fair idea of the average grades required to enter the university's department.
Student
Staff Ratio, another factor taken into account is the level of staff commitment that a student can expect during their course. This is calculated by dividing the total number of students taking modules in a subject by the number of staff available to teach them. A lower ratio indicates a higher number of teachers available per student, which implies a higher quality of education.
Expenditure per student
This parameter takes into account the academic resources available per student enrolled in a given department. The total expenditure in each subject area is divided by the total number of students in that subject.
Continuation
This indicator assesses the support provided by the institution to students who drop out in the middle of their studies but wish to continue at a later stage.
Student satisfaction
This is measured on the basis of three sub-factors:
- Quality of teaching
- Student feedback
- Overall Satisfaction
Value-Added Scores
This takes into account the initiatives taken by each department at the University to help its students achieve good grades.
Career Prospects
This takes into account the employment or further education opportunities offered by the University after graduation. The number of students who obtain graduate-level employment in professional, managerial or technical fields and those who choose to go on to further study are used to calculate this score.
The Guardian subject league tables
To find out which universities excel at teaching your subject, the Guardian University League Table lists 54 subjects. This is important to consider as University A may have a higher league table ranking than University B, while University B may have better teachers in your subject. So, you need to look at both the subject and the league table to make an informed decision.
Top 20 UK universities in the 2023 Guardian University Rankings
Here are some of institutions ranked in the top 20 in the Guardian University Rankings 2023.
University | University Guardian rankings |
---|---|
St. Andrews | 1 |
Oxford | 2 |
Cambridge | 3 |
London School of Economics | 4 |
Imperial College | 5 |
Durham | 6 |
Bath | 7 |
Warwick | 8 |
UCL | 9 |
Loughborough | 10 |
Glasgow | 11 |
Edinburgh | 12 |
Aberdeen | 13 |
Lancaster | 14 |
Exeter | 15 |
Southampton | 16 |
Bristol | 17 |
Strathclyde | 18 |
University of the Arts London | 19 |
Leeds | 20 |
The next Guardian University Rankings will be published in September 2024.
If you want to study in the UK, get in touch with our overseas education experts at MWT Education Consultancy. They will not only help you choose a course and university, but also guide you through the entire admission process.
Good luck with your chosen education journey!

Written by
Arunachalam
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