The Complete University Guide 2026 is out, and if you’re studying at a Scottish university, now is the time to check if your uni is soaring—or, erm, just vibing at the bottom of the league table.
While the UK as a whole got shuffled around the tuition changes and student satisfaction scores plummeting faster than your motivation in week five, Scotland is doing surprisingly well.
This year’s ranking looked at key factors like entry standards, student satisfaction, research quality, graduate prospects, and continuation rates. While England’s tuition fees continue to cause chaos, Scotland’s system remains slightly less soul-crushing. So how do our unis stack up?
Sure, St Andrews is still up top—because of course it is—but some lesser-hyped Scottish unis are climbing up the table, pulling impressive scores in areas like graduate outcomes and student satisfaction. So if your gran still thinks the only good unis are “the ones the royals went to,” now’s your moment.
Here’s every Scottish university ranked, based on the new data.
1. University of St Andrews
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- UK rank: Fourth
- Student satisfaction: 84 per cent
- Graduate prospects: 88 per cent
- Continuation rate: 97 per cent
- Entry standards: 224 UCAS points
St Andrews is basically in its own league. Often outperforming Oxbridge in student satisfaction, it’s still comfortably the top university in Scotland. The graduate prospects are elite, the entry standards are sky-high, and the town itself is full of old stone buildings, seagulls, and people wearing tweed unironically. Yes, it’s posh. Yes, it’s good. Yes, Will and Kate went here. We get it.
2. University of Edinburgh
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- UK rank: 18th
- Student satisfaction: 72 per cent
- Graduate prospects: 85 per cent
- Continuation rate: 96 per cent
- Entry standards: 214 UCAS points
Edinburgh holds onto second place in Scotland and reminds everyone it’s more than just the uni with TikTok-famous libraries and pricey oat milk lattes.
It’s got a gorgeous campus, a very high continuation rate, and the kind of academic prestige that makes your parents brag about you at every family gathering. Even if you’re still failing to get a seat in the library.
3. University of Glasgow
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- UK rank: 31st
- Student satisfaction: 76 per cent
- Graduate prospects: 82 per cent
- Continuation rate: 95 per cent
- Entry standards: 201 UCAS points
Glasgow continues to slay academically. Between its campus straight out of Hogwarts, massive course offerings, and iconic West End location, Glasgow Uni keeps its top three status in Scotland.
It’s the kind of place where someone will quote Foucault in a club toilet and then ask if you’re going to Hive after. Obsessed.
4. University of Strathclyde
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- UK rank: 38th
- Student satisfaction: 78 per cent
- Graduate prospects: 88 per cent
- Continuation rate: 92 per cent
- Entry standards: 164 UCAS points
Strathclyde has officially had the glow up of the year. Quietly climbing into the top five for Scotland, it proves you don’t need sandstone buildings to get results.
Graduate prospects are also a major highlight here too — better than a few Russell Group unis, actually—so it’s no wonder Strathclyde students are walking around with that confident, employable energy.
5. University of Aberdeen
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- UK rank: 30th
- Student satisfaction: 80 per cent
- Graduate prospects: 84 per cent
- Continuation rate: 94 per cent
- Entry standards: 173 UCAS points
Aberdeen is the definition of a solid, classic uni. It’s got that Hogwarts-like architecture, a great med school, and a surprisingly strong student satisfaction score.
Cold? Yes. Windy? Always. But you’ll graduate with a solid degree and probably a windproof jacket collection.
6. Heriot-Watt University
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- UK rank: 25th
- Student satisfaction: 76 per cent
- Graduate prospects: 86 per cent
- Continuation rate: 90 per cent
- Entry standards: 179 UCAS points
Don’t sleep on Heriot-Watt. Tucked just outside of Edinburgh, it’s a STEM and business powerhouse with a proper international campus network (they even have a Dubai campus).
Its grad outcomes are consistently high, and it ranks above many bigger names in research and employability. Library aesthetic? Not amazing. LinkedIn clout? Huge.
7. University of Dundee
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- UK rank: 47th
- Student satisfaction: 78 per cent
- Graduate prospects: 80 per cent
- Continuation rate: 93 per cent
- Entry standards: 166 UCAS points
Dundee keeps its place as a strong middle-tier uni, especially in medicine, life sciences, and design.
Student satisfaction is pretty high, and the campus sits right in the city centre. Dundee is also home to some of Scotland’s best indie cafés and the actual V&A. You can do worse.
8. University of Stirling
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- UK rank: 52nd
- Student satisfaction: 76 per cent
- Graduate prospects: 79 per cent
- Continuation rate: 91 per cent
- Entry standards: 149 UCAS points
Possibly the most Instagrammable campus in the UK. Stirling has mountains, lochs, a castle, and actual deer.
Its courses in environmental science, sport, and politics are well-regarded. While the uni sometimes gets overlooked, satisfaction scores are solid and it’s genuinely one of the nicest places to be a student.
9. Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU)
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- UK rank: 62nd
- Student satisfaction: 79 per cent
- Graduate prospects: 81 per cent
- Continuation rate: 91 per cent
- Entry standards: 147 UCAS points
GCU does not get the credit it deserves. The uni’s socially conscious branding (“The University for the Common Good”) is backed up by strong graduate outcomes and high satisfaction levels.
You won’t find Harry Potter architecture here, but you will find practical degrees and excellent links with employers.
10. Edinburgh Napier University
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- UK rank: 72nd
- Student satisfaction: 80 per cent
- Graduate prospects: 77 per cent
- Continuation rate: 90 per cent
- Entry standards: 142 UCAS points
Often dismissed as “the other one in Edinburgh,” Napier is actually thriving. Satisfaction is higher than at many so-called “better” unis, and it pulls serious weight in creative subjects and business.
Also, its Craiglockhart campus looks like a Bond villain’s hideout. In a good way.
11. Robert Gordon University (RGU)
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- UK rank: 76th
- Student satisfaction: 80 per cent
- Graduate prospects: 83 per cent
- Continuation rate: 90 per cent
- Entry standards: 132 UCAS points
Based in Aberdeen, RGU punches above its weight in employability and practical education. Known for strong courses in health, art and design, and architecture, it’s very career-oriented. Might not top the social scene, but you’ll probably have a job before your mates in Edinburgh.
12. Queen Margaret University
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- UK rank: 85th
- Student satisfaction: 78 per cent
- Graduate prospects: 76 per cent
- Continuation rate: 88 per cent
- Entry standards: 122 UCAS points
Small, specialised, and big on community. QMU focuses on healthcare, drama, and media studies, with strong student support and friendly vibes. Satisfaction scores are decent, and while it’s not flashy, it’s a hidden gem for the right subjects.
13. Abertay University
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- UK rank: 89th
- Student satisfaction: 81 per cent
- Graduate prospects: 74 per cent
- Continuation rate: 87 per cent
- Entry standards: 116 UCAS points
Abertay’s big claim to fame? It basically invented the UK’s first video game degree.
For niche but cutting-edge courses like game design and cyber security, Abertay is the place.
Despite sitting low in the overall table, it scores surprisingly high on student satisfaction. Gamers, rise up.
14. University of West Scotland (UWS)
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- UK rank: 115th
- Student satisfaction: 77 per cent
- Graduate prospects: 70 per cent
- Continuation rate: 85 per cent
- Entry standards: 112 UCAS points
Coming in last—but still serving decent stats—UWS remains one of Scotland’s most accessible and community-focused universities.
With campuses across Ayr, Paisley, Lanarkshire, and Dumfries, it caters to a wide range of students, and has some of the most passionate lecturers around. But, don’t let the rank fool you: For many, UWS is the right choice for cost, flexibility, and support.
Featured image via @edinburghnapier on Instagram/Canva
