The Daily Mail has launched the fourth edition of its University Guide, an annual ranking designed to help prospective students and their parents choose a university and course as tuition fees and student debt continue to rise. Editor Alastair McCall argues that with average student debt now at £47,900 and graduate job prospects increasingly uncertain, choosing carefully has become essential, echoing warnings from Skills Minister Jacqui Smith that not all degrees offer equal value.

The guide ranks UK universities using 12 measures covering job prospects, graduate salaries, teaching quality, student support and overall experience, alongside 79 subject-specific tables topped by 38 different institutions. It notes that students starting courses in September 2027 will be the first to pay over £10,000 a year in fees, and offers an interactive University Finder tool plus profiles covering financial support, admissions and accommodation costs.