Pretty much every UK uni student contemplates dropping out at some point – whether it’s because they’re struggling with uni work, or because they will go to any lengths to avoid a rugby boy they committed flatcest with in Fresher’s Week. But each year, thousands of UK students really do discontinue with university. And students are way more likely to dropout of some UK unis than others.
The 2025 edition of The Complete University Guide reveals the continuation rates for different unis – that’s the proportion of first year students who either continue to second year, leave with a qualification, or continue their studies at a different uni.
The UK uni where the most freshers give up on their degrees is the University of the West of Scotland. The University of Bedfordshire wasn’t too far behind. At both these unis, more than a fifth of first-year students quit.
For context, the at the UK uni with the lowest dropout rate – the University of Cambridge – only 1.6 per cent of students don’t continue to second year.
So, here are the UK unis with the worst dropout rates in 2025, according to The Complete University Guide:
20. Anglia Ruskin University – 15.1 per cent
19. Goldsmiths, University of London – 15.2 per cent drop out
18. Teeside University – 15.3 per cent drop out
17. London South Bank University – 15.5 per cent drop out
16. University of Wolverhampton – 15.5 per cent
Behold, the University of Wolverhampton
(Credit: Gordon Griffiths)
15. University of Northampton – 15.6 per cent
14. University of Buckingham – 16.8 per cent drop out
13. London Metropolitan University – 17.0 per cent drop out
12. Canterbury Christ Church University – 17.2 per cent
11. University of Greater Manchester – 17.3 per cent
10. University of Suffolk – 17.6 per cent
=8. Buckinghamshire New University – 18.1 per cent
=8. University for the Creative Arts – 18.1 per cent
7. Middlesex University – 18.3 per cent
Middlesex Uni is in Hendon, fyi
(Credit: Steve Cadman)
6. Leeds Trinity University – 18.5 per cent
5. University of East London – 18.6 per cent drop out
4. Coventry University – 18.9 per cent drop out
3. Wrexham University – 19.3 per cent drop out
2. University of Bedfordshire – 20.4 per cent drop out
1. University of the West of Scotland – 22.3 per cent drop out
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Featured image of Coventry University by Keith Williams.
