Lancaster has retained its top ten position in the Complete University Guide 2026.

The national league table confirms Lancaster is ranked tenth in the UK, and has also retained its spot as the top university in north-west England.

Lancaster University scored highly across a range of subject areas with 13 ranked among the top ten in the country, including Linguistics and Drama, Dance & Cinematics at Lancaster both being ranked as second best in the country.

Lancaster University subject areas to have been ranked in the top ten in the UK are:

Drama, Dance and Cinematics – ranked number 2

Linguistics – ranked number 2

Italian – ranked number 4

German – ranked number 5

Biomedical Sciences – ranked number 6

Creative Writing – ranked number 6

Social Work – ranked number 6

Art and Design – ranked number 7

Accounting and Finance – ranked number 8

Architecture – ranked number 8

Marketing – ranked number 8

Geography & Environmental Science – ranked number 9

Physics & Astronomy – ranked number 9

Professor Andy Schofield, the Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University, said: “It is great to see Lancaster retain its national top ten ranking, and highest ranked position in our region, within the latest Complete University Guide League Table.

“Lancaster prides itself on its world-class research and outstanding teaching that come together in a vibrant, collegiate environment that helps to enrich our students’ experience.”

Professor Amanda Chetwynd, Chair of the Complete University Guide Advisory Board, said: “Congratulations to Lancaster University for securing the top spot in this year’s North West Complete University Guide rankings and to all Universities in the region for supporting their students to achieve their ambitions. Our methodology draws on a range of trusted, independent measures that reflect the factors students care most about, including teaching quality, student satisfaction and graduate outcomes.

“Our regional tables show the strength and quality of Higher Education throughout the UK. Whether making early choices or preparing for Clearing, our university and subject league tables, along with regional insights, are here to help students navigate one of the most important decisions of their lives.”

The main Complete University Guide league table includes 130 institutions and is 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.

The subject tables are based on six measures (entry standards, student satisfaction, research quality, continuation, graduate prospects – outcomes and graduate prospects – on track) and include 155 universities, university colleges and specialist higher education institutions.

Find out more about courses available at Lancaster.