The University of Exeter has risen to its highest ranking in over five years,, according to the 2026 Complete University Guide.
This means the university sits in 11th place, an increase of three spots since last year.
This marks a continued upward trend for Exeter, which placed 19th in 2023, 15th in 2024, and 14th in 2025. Now just outside the top 10, the uni ranks ahead of major Russell Group rivals including UCL, Bristol, and Edinburgh.
The Complete University Guide ranks UK universities annually based on 10 factors such as entry standards, student satisfaction, research quality and more. It’s considered one of the most influential university ranking systems in the UK and is widely used by prospective students to compare universities across the country.
The top three universities, Cambridge, Oxford, and LSE, held their spots again this year, a line-up which remains mostly unchanged in this last decade.
Exeter averaged an overall 79 per cent and scored particularly well in research quality (84 per cent) and graduate prospects (81 per cent).
20 subjects at Exeter also placed in the UK top 10, including English, classics, business and management, and sports science, helping Exeter stand out in both humanities and sciences.
With rankings continuing to rise year on year, Exeter is well on track to break into the top 10 in the incoming year’s rankings. It’s definitely nice to know the £9,250 a year is paying off at Exeter Uni.
