A highly ranked global university
Lancaster University is among the best in the UK. Top 10 in three major national league tables, we’re also highly ranked in international league tables such as the QS World Rankings.
Triple Top 10
League tables can't tell you everything about a university, but they're a good place to start. Out of over 120 UK Universities, we are consistently in the top ten in three main league tables.
3rd in the UK for graduate employment
We're 3rd in the UK for graduate prospects in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020 and Complete University Guide 2021 with 89% of Lancaster students going into professional work or further education after graduation.
Alastair McCall, editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said: “Graduate prospects are the best for any non-specialist university in the UK with employers falling over themselves to recruit Lancaster students."
Hello future
An award-winning university
Lancaster has recently won two major awards from The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide. We were named the International University of the Year in the 2020 guide, and the University of the Year in the 2018 edition.
Better than the Russell Group?
Lancaster University performs more strongly than most Russell Group universities on most objective measures of performance. We outrank the majority of Russell Group institutions in the three major UK league tables. Lancaster's performance in UK league tables compare favourably to many of our rivals:
| Times/Sunday Times 2021 | |
|---|---|
| Lancaster | = 10 |
| Warwick | = 10 |
| Exeter | 12 |
| Leeds | 15 |
| Manchester | 18 |
| York | 20 |
| Liverpool | 29 |
| Newcastle | 31 |
| Guardian University Guide 2021 | |
|---|---|
| Warwick | 8 |
| Lancaster | 10 |
| Exeter | = 16 |
| York | = 16 |
| Leeds | 18 |
| Manchester | 25 |
| Newcastle | 51 |
| Liverpool | 59 |
| Complete University Guide 2021 | |
|---|---|
| Lancaster | 8 |
| Warwick | 11 |
| Exeter | 12 |
| Leeds | 16 |
| Manchester | 17 |
| York | 22 |
| Newcastle | 23 |
| Liverpool | 33 |
World-class research at Lancaster
Lancaster is a research-intensive university, with 35% of our research classed as world-leading and 48% classed as internationally excellent in the UK Government's latest independent review, the 2014 Research Excellence Framework.
World university rankings
Lancaster is 135th out of more than 1,000 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2021, putting us in their top 14%. Lancaster is ranked 136th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021, up from 139th in 2020 making Lancaster 17th out of the 101 UK universities included in the table.
TEF Gold standard teaching
Lancaster University has been awarded the highest possible score in the UK government's 2017 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) ratings. Our TEF Gold rating is based on high-quality teaching, excellent teaching facilities and the good careers our graduates go into.
Satisfied students
The 2020 National Student Survey (NSS) reveals that 87% of Lancaster University students are satisfied overall with the quality of their course compared with a national average of 83%.
Award-winning accommodation
Our Accommodation has been named 'Best University Halls' for the eighth time since 2010 at the UK's prestigious National Student Housing Awards. We offer almost 7,000 bed spaces for undergraduates, postgraduates and families.
Further recent awards
7th for teaching excellence in Europe
Lancaster University is among the best universities for teaching excellence in the Times Higher Education (THE) Europe Teaching Rankings 2019. This is the first international university ranking focused entirely on teaching and learning.
A great student experience
In the Times Higher Education (THE) Student Experience Survey 2018 of over 20,000 full-time undergraduates in the UK, Lancaster was placed 1st for Accommodation, joint 3rd for Security and 6th for Facilities. Overall the University was placed 15th in UK universities, up from 21st in 2017 and also shared the top score for the quality of the library and library opening hours.
Everything you need on campus
Lancaster University has won the 'Campus Experience of the Year 2020' category in the College and University Business Officers Awards. The judges agreed that Lancaster University has a mission to make their campus an inspiring place with significant investment in sports facilities, while green initiatives including an onsite wind turbine.
