There is not long to go until this year’s university-bound school leavers leave behind the peace and freedom of the summer, and depart for their new lives on campus.
Some 400 thousand students found out that they had landed a spot in a UK university on the respective A Level and Scottish Qualification Authority results days last month, with four out of five immediately getting into their first choice university. Others have managed to make their university match via the Clearing process, connecting them up to tertiary institutions with open places across the country.
Many of these students are currently navigating moving away from home for what is likely the first time, with orientation weeks - sometimes fondly known as ‘Freshers’ week’ - at most UK universities set to kick off in late September. But not all universities are made equal, and many might be wondering how their school of choice stacks up with others they might have chosen this year.
Luckily, the Complete University Guide has created an in-depth league table for UK universities to shine some light on this, taking into account a wide range of factors. These include student satisfaction scores, average grades of students they have allowed in, and the quality of research and studies published by the university. They also consider some more practical features, like the ratio of students to staff, how much the university invests in support services like healthcare and sports facilities, and even graduate’s job prospects.
Here were the 21 universities from across the UK that came out on top:
21. University of East Anglia
Rounding out the list is the University of East Anglia, based just outside Norwich in the East of England. It has an overall score of 77%, and also spends a considerably high amount on support facilities - like sportsgrounds and health services. East Anglia has seven top-ten subjects, which include American studies, creative writing, and sports science. As of the time of writing, some places are still available via Clearing. | Google