A UK top 5 University

Durham rises in Complete University Guide 2026

We are delighted to announce that Durham University has secured the 5th position in the Complete University Guide 2026, rising two places from last year. 

This achievement reaffirms Durham's standing as one of the leading universities in the United Kingdom and is a testament to the dedication of our students, faculty, and staff who contribute to our ongoing success. 

This follows on from our top 5 result in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 last autumn. We were also ranked 6th in the Guardian University Guide 2025.

In the individual subject rankings, we have two subjects ranked first this year - Music (up from 3rd last year) and Theology and Religious Studies (up from 4th last year). Overall, we have 19 subjects in the top 5 and 28 subjects in the top 10.

The Complete University Guide assesses institutions based on ten measures: entry standards, student satisfaction, research quality, research intensity, academic services spend, spending on student facilities, continuation, student-staff ratio, graduate prospects – outcomes, and graduate prospects – on track. It includes 130 institutions.

Our graduates are among the most sought after internationally, equipped with knowledge, skills and experience developed through excellent teaching, world-leading research and outstanding student support. We work closely with graduate employers around the world to help our students build the skills and confidence they need to succeed in a changing, global job market. We have a world-class reputation with employers, being ranked 65th for employer reputation in the QS World University Rankings 2025.