University of the Year 2026

Durham is University of the Year 2026

We are The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide University of the Year 2026.

We are also joint runner-up University of the Year for Graduate Employment and ranked third overall, up two places from last year.

The prestigious rankings are widely regarded as the definitive guide to UK universities. We score highly across the board in the areas that matter to students, including teaching and graduate outcomes. We are now in the top five for all three major UK rankings for 2026.

In The Guardian University Guide 2026, we are fifth, up one place from last year.  In The Guardian’s individual subject rankings, we rank first for Theology & Religious Studies, second for Biology and English, and third for Accounting & Finance, Marketing & Public Relations, and Criminology.

We also performed strongly in the Complete University Guide 2026, rising two places to fifth position.

Our outstanding achievements across these national rankings, and our year-on-year increases, reaffirm our position as one of the UK’s leading universities. It reflects how our students are equipped with a unique blend of knowledge, skills and experience developed through first-class teaching, world-leading research and our transformative wider student experience.

Durham graduates are highly sought-after internationally. We work closely with global employers to help our students build the skills and confidence they need to stand out and succeed. 

We have a world-class reputation with employers, being ranked 64th for employer reputation in the QS World University Rankings 2026.

Our success in the 2026 UK rankings reinforces our position as a leading university which welcomes talented students from all backgrounds to apply and thrive with us.