Durham named The Times and The Sunday Times University of the Year 2026

Durham University has been named the UK’s University of the Year 2026 by The Times and The Sunday Times and ranked third in its Good University Guide league table. Durham’s excellence in preparing students for graduate careers also earned it joint runner-up University of the Year for Graduate Employment 2026.

Helen Davies, the editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said: “In a very competitive top ten Durham has climbed two places in a year, which is a significant achievement.

"In doing so it has outdone both Oxford and Cambridge, helping to push both of them out of the top three in our league table for the first time in the Good University Guide’s history.

"Its stellar academic performance was boosted this year by improvements in teaching quality, and student experience.” 

Durham University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Karen O’Brien, said: “Durham is an outstanding place to study.

"We ensure that every student can grow and thrive here.

"Our loyal, engaged alumni are testament to the impressive career prospects that await our graduates.

"As a diverse and global community, we are making progress in welcoming more under-represented students, including from our City and region.

"Through a range of scholarships and one of the most generous bursary schemes in the country, we are supporting students to come here and participate in the wider opportunities available to them at Durham.

"Every student can achieve remarkable things.”    

Exceptional opportunities for students 

The rankings highlight the exceptional opportunities afforded to Durham students thanks to the outstanding support they receive through teaching, bursaries, scholarships, and careers support.   

Universities are judged across a range of criteria including student experience, teaching quality, and graduate prospects.  

The University’s high score in the student experience category is testament to the huge range of opportunities open to students beyond academia, including 700 college sports teams, 80 music societies, and more than 300 student societies.  

In recent years Durham has seen an increase in positive responses via the National Student Survey, reflecting an ongoing focus on educational quality alongside a welcoming culture.  

Judges praised Durham’s teaching and research.

It also rated highly in sustainability - a category that has increasing importance for environmentally aware students.  

Its commitment to environmental sustainability has previously been recognised in the Green Gown Awards.

Durham won the ‘Nature Positive’ category in 2023, was highly commended in 2024 and is a finalist again in the 2025 awards.  

Raising aspirations 

While it is a global institution with a strong international outlook, Durham is also committed to raising aspirations in its City, County and region of North East England.

Its recently launched Access and Participation Plan details how it intends to attract more students from the local area and underrepresented groups to the University.  

It has strengthened ties with local further education colleges through the Durham Learning Alliance, already resulting in T-level placements leading to full-time University apprenticeships.   

Across the North East region, the University works closely with 400 primary schools, with 18 formal partnerships, and with 457 secondary schools, with 40 formal partnerships.   

The University recognises that finances can be a barrier for some students.   

This is why it offers a wide range of support packages, including the Durham Undergraduate Bursary (formerly known as the Durham Grant Scheme) which is among the most generous in the sector.  

There is also an array of targeted bursaries available to enable students to make the most of their time at Durham beyond their studies.   

These include the Durham Inspired North East Scholarships for students from lower income households, and the Fiona Hill Scholarship, supported by the University’s Chancellor.   

Some of the grants and scholarships on offer are generously supported by the University’s loyal and engaged alumni community.  

High-quality teaching, research, and student enterprise 

Teaching and research are at the core of Durham, and it outshone many Russell Group universities in this area in The Times and The Sunday Times ranking. 

The University added to its top-class teaching facilities in the past year with the official opening of a brand-new business school building, Waterside, in the heart of Durham City.  

Waterside offers world-class facilities including lecture theatres, a financial trading lab with Bloomberg terminals, study spaces and executive provision such as boardrooms and offices.  

Durham students studying business subjects and beyond are supported by enterprise initiatives such as Venture Lab which helps turn their entrepreneurial ideas into successful businesses.   

Supported by Durham alumnus Jonathan Hazan, this purpose-built space for entrepreneurship has helped create 140 new start-ups in the past five years.  

This innovative attitude is also reflected in Durham University-linked companies twice making the finals of the global Earthshot Prize launched by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales in 2020 to find solutions to protect our planet.   

Durham alumnus Sam Cooper’s ENSO was shortlisted for the 2023 prize Spin-out firm. Low Carbon Materials was shortlisted in 2022. 

Durham University’s success in The Times and The Sunday Times rankings reinforces its position as a globally competitive university. 

Durham is in the world top 100 in the QS World University Rankings 2026 and top five for all three major UK rankings: The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, the Guardian University Guide, and the Complete University Guide.