Cardiff University has risen 11 places in the Guardian University Guide 2026.
This year, four out of the six Welsh universities ranked higher than they did in 2025.
The rankings saw Cardiff Uni previously positioned at 46th, but it’s now 37th on the table.
Alongside the uni’s overall place, Cardiff received an 86 per cent student satisfaction rating for teaching, as well as a 74.8 per cent rating for students’ satisfaction with feedback.
South Wales, Aberystwyth and Bangor Uni are among the Welsh Universities which also rose up the table.
Aberystwyth University is now placed 62nd, having risen four spots from last year’s 58th position.
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Bangor Uni ranked 11 places higher than 2025, also coming in at 62nd alongside Aberystwyth.
At the higher end of the table, the University of South Wales climbed eight places, coming in at 43rd. This is eight spots higher than 2025’s 51st position.
However, Swansea University has since fallen three places to 32nd, as well as Cardiff Met which dropped five places. It ranked 87th in the Guardian’s guide.
The three top universities were Oxford, St. Andrews, and Cambridge, which all maintained their 2025 spots. Oxford received a flawless score of 100/100, with St Andrews following closely behind at 98.3.
Coming in 4th was London School of Economics, before Durham (5th), Imperial College London (6th), Warwick (7th), Bath (8th), University of the Arts London (9th), and University College London (10th).
The Guardian University Guide 2026 offers students a detailed overview and ranking of UK Universities.
It uses a comprehensive system with measures such as teaching and feedback satisfaction rates, student-to-staff ratios, spend per student out of 10, the students most likely to have a career after 15 months, student continuation rates, average tariff entry, and a value added score out of 10.
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