The Daily Mail has published its 2026 University Guide, an interactive ranking of 128 UK universities timed to coincide with GCSE results day and the run-up to A-level results and Clearing. The guide aims to help prospective students, particularly those roughly two years from applying, research institutions in depth by assessing performance across teaching quality, student experience, graduate employment prospects and future earnings, going beyond headline reputation to highlight which courses and universities offer the best value for the cost of study.

The rankings draw on 12 measures, including responses from 360,000 final-year students on teaching quality and support, graduate job outcomes, starting salaries, research quality, degree outcomes, entry qualifications, dropout rates and fair admissions records, alongside subject-specific tables covering 79 popular courses. Imperial College London tops the overall table for the fourth consecutive year, widening its lead over second place, while the University of Birmingham is named overall University of the Year and the University of Worcester wins the graduate jobs award; the guide notes several surprises, including some Russell Group universities ranking poorly for teaching, and Oxford and Cambridge not topping the table.