About UniversityRanking.co.uk

Real Students. Real Rankings.

UniversityRanking.co.uk exists for one reason: to put the student voice first. Unlike traditional league tables that blend research income and corporate metrics, our rankings are 100% based on the National Student Survey — data from over 300,000 real students each year.

We believe that if you're about to invest £27,000 (or more) into your future, the opinions of actual students matter more than institutional spin.

Who’s Behind the Site?

Hi, I’m Adam Finkel-Gates — former university lecturer, and the creator of UniversityRanking.co.uk.

Over the past decade, I’ve taught at Russell Group universities, designed national-level assessments, and was awarded the University of Edinburgh Principal’s Medal for Excellence in recognition of my work supporting students. I believe that a university education should lead to a graduate-level job — a proper career that’s only accessible through higher education. But I’ve also seen first-hand how some universities sell a polished image that doesn’t always match students' real experiences or their parents' expectations.

Why This Site Exists

Too often, the big league tables — like The Guardian and The Complete University Guide — include measures that distract from what makes a degree worth studying. Research quality, while important for some areas, often has little to do with the student experience on most undergraduate degrees. Entry standards don’t reflect the reality on UCAS, where contextual offers and clearing places mean published thresholds are often misleading. Staff-to-student ratios sound reassuring but tell you nothing about how many of your lectures will be in rooms of 150+.

This site is my response. UniversityRanking.co.uk is the only ranking based 100% on what past students thought of their course. It was created to be a student-first alternative: no gimmicks, no marketing fluff — just data-driven insight you can trust.

How the Rankings Work

We use the UK Government's open-source NSS data, broken down by subject and institution. You can compare entire universities, deep-dive into individual courses, or even customise the rankings based on what matters most to you (like teaching quality, feedback, mental health support, or resources).

Every chart and table on the site is generated from live code, not copy-paste spreadsheets. This means you’re always seeing the freshest data in a format that’s fast, mobile-friendly, and transparent.

Independent and Transparent

UniversityRanking.co.uk is not affiliated with any university. We don't accept sponsorship to influence rankings. Any advertising revenue in future will be clearly marked, and we’ll never sell your data or spam your inbox.

If you’re a school advisor, student, or curious parent, we hope the site helps you make smarter choices about higher education.

Get in Touch

Got a question, found an error, or want to suggest a new feature?
Email us at hello@universityranking.co.uk