Methodology: How we compiled our ranking for the Daily Mail Clearing Guide 2026

By ALASTAIR MCCALL - UNIVERSITY GUIDE EDTIOR Published: 17:59, 12 August 2026 | Updated: 17:59, 12 August 2026 The Daily Mail Clearing Guide’s institutional ranking measures UK universities on their performance across 12 indicators, making it the broadest-based of its kind. Our subject rankings use five measures – covering student satisfaction with teaching quality, the support they receive and their university experience plus two elements focused on graduate job outcomes – to rank universities across 80 subject areas. The rankings analyse material gathered from key higher education datasets relevant to student experience, including the National Student Survey (NSS), the Research Excellence Framework (REF) and the Graduate Outcomes Survey (GOS). Further material is sourced from the Higher Education Statistics Agency, compiled to bespoke specifications for the Mail. The data sources and analysis conducted for each of the measures are detailed below, together with their weightings and contributions to the overall rankings. Taken from the 2026 NSS published in July, this measure focuses on final-year student responses to the nine questions in the survey’s first two sections: ‘teaching on my course’ and ‘learning opportunities’. The percentage of all undergraduates recording positive scores using a four-point scale across all nine questions is averaged to produce the overall score for teaching excellence. This year’s survey was completed by more than 360,000 final-year students – a response rate of 71.8 per cent, making the survey the largest of its kind. Source: NSS 2026, all undergraduates by teaching provider Contribution to ranking: 100pts, 10 per cent This is another indicator based on the NSS responses of more than 360,000 final-year students. This analyses positive responses to the seven questions in the sections of the survey covering assessment and feedback and academic support, together with an eighth question on how well information was communicated about support services for mental wellbeing. The percentage of all undergraduates recording positive scores using a four-point scale across all eight questions is averaged to produce the overall score for student support. Source: NSS 2026, all undergraduates by teaching provider Contribution to ranking: 100pts, 10 per cent The third indicator in the ranking drawn from the NSS, this measure is based on student responses to nine individual questions in three sections of the survey: ‘organisation and management’, ‘learning resources’, and ‘student voice’. The percentage of all undergraduates recording positive scores using a four-point scale across all nine questions is averaged to produce the overall score for student experience. Source: NSS 2026, all undergraduates by teaching provider Contribution to ranking: 50pts, 5% The number of UK-domiciled undergraduate students whose parents did not attend university. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa), Student Record, undergraduate UK students, 2024-25. University of Buckingham data, Hesa, Student Record, undergraduate UK students, 2021-22 Contribution to ranking: 100pts, 10% The proportion of first-degree, UK-domiciled graduates in highly skilled employment as defined by the Standard Occupational Classification, SOC2020, 15 months after leaving university. Highly skilled roles are defined as: managers, directors and senior officials; professional occupations; and associate professional occupations. Almost 354,000 graduates took part in the survey – a response rate of close to 35%. Source: Hesa, GOS, 2023-24, published in June 2026 Contribution to ranking: 150pts, 15% The median salary of first-degree, UK-domiciled graduates in full-time paid UK employment 15 months after leaving university. Points awarded are based on the proportion of the largest salary (£39,000 at Imperial College London) represented by an institution’s own median salary. Imperial earned a maximum 50pts, so a median salary of £26,000 would earn 33.3pts (66.7% of the total points available) in line with £26,000 being 66.7% of the largest salary of £39,000. Source: Hesa, GOS, 2023-24, published in June 2026 Contribution to ranking: 50pts, 5% A third measure taken from the latest GOS based on graduate responses on a five-point scale 15 months after leaving university as to whether they felt that their early stage careers were on track and in line with their expectations: ‘My current work/activity fits with my future plans.’ Source: Hesa, GOS, 2023-24, published in June 2026 Contribution to ranking: 50pts, 5 per cent Based on performance in the REF 2021, published in May 2022. The percentage is based on the maximum possible score had all research been given the top four* (world-leading) rating. A Grade Point Average has been produced based on the volume of work graded four* (world-leading), three* (internationally excellent), two* (internationally recognised) and one* (nationally recognised) which has then been converted into a percentage. Source: REF 2021, except University of Buckingham, which does not enter REF as it is a private institution, and Arts University Plymouth, which had no research function at the time of REF 2021. (Buckingham, which is research-active, has a proxy score of 71.2% based on its average attainment across the other 11 performance indicators. Arts University Plymouth, which is not research active has a proxy score of 66.7% based on its average attainment across the other 11 performance indicators. Neither score represents actual performance.) Contribution to ranking: 100pts, 10% The figure shown is a per capita measure of research grants and contracts based on data in ‘income analysed by source’, collected by Hesa and published in its annual dataset on university finances: hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/finances/income. The staffing figure used for the calculation is the total number of staff whose academic employment function is listed as research-only, or teaching and research, in Table 7 of Hesa’s 2024-25 dataset on university staffing: hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/staff/table-7. Points awarded are based on the proportion of the largest per capita sum (£119,053 at Bristol) represented by an institution’s own per capita research income figure. Bristol earned a maximum 50pts, so a per capita sum of £59,526 would earn 25pts (50% of the total points available) in line with £59,526 being 50% of the largest per capita sum of £119,053. Source: Research income – Hesa, 2024-25. Staffing numbers – Hesa, 2024-25, the latest available at time of going to press. Brunel University of London; Kent; Nottingham; Southampton Solent, research income and staffing data, 2023-24. Dundee, research income and staffing data, 2022-23. Buckingham, institution-supplied staffing data, 2024-25 Contribution to ranking: 50pts, 5% The proportion of 2025 first-degree graduates who gained either first-class or 2:1 classifications. The following degree outcomes are excluded from the calculations: ordinary, general, unclassified honours, aegrotat, merit, commendation, distinction and pass (except for pass degrees awarded without honours following an honours course, which are included in the calculation). Source: Hesa, Student Record, first degree qualifiers, 2024-25 Contribution to ranking: 100pts, 10% The proportion of full-time, first-degree, first-year students who remain enrolled at their original university or who have transferred to another higher education institution a year after their original registration. Source: Hesa, Student Record, full-time, first degree UK students, 2024-25 Contribution to ranking: 100pts, 10% The mean number of Ucas points held by first-year undergraduate UK-domiciled students gaining a place at university in 2024-25. League table points awarded are based on the proportion of the largest mean number of points (210 at St Andrews) represented by an institution’s own points figure. Glasgow earned a maximum 50pts, so a tariff points mean of 105 would earn 25pts (50% of the total points available) in line with 105 tariff points being 50% of the largest mean tariff points total of 210. Source: Hesa, Student Record, new entrant UK undergraduates, 2024-25. Except Manchester Metropolitan, institution-supplied data, 2024-25 Contribution to ranking: 50pts, 5% Our 79 subject rankings are based on a selection of five indicators that are also used in the institutional ranking. The weightings are adjusted, with 40% of the total ranking derived from 2026 NSS results and 60% from the 2023-24 GOS results, published in June 2026. Subject areas are determined by Common Aggregation Hierarchy (CAH) definitions. All subjects are derived from subject areas at CAH level 3 (CAH3) with the exception of the following 14 subjects: agriculture, food and related studies; architecture, building and planning; Celtic studies; chemistry; economics; general, applied and forensic sciences; law; mathematical sciences; materials and technology; nursing and midwifery; physics and astronomy; politics; psychology; and sport and exercise sciences, which are all CAH level 2 (CAH2). Two subjects – geography, earth and environmental studies (natural sciences) and geography, earth and environmental studies (social sciences) are derived from CAH level 1 (CAH1) subject areas. Some universities will offer subjects but not be included in these tables. This is due to insufficient students responding to either the NSS or GOS. To be represented in the tables, 50% of the students taking the subject had to respond to the NSS at the appropriate CAH level (CAH3 in all cases bar the 16 subjects listed above where CAH2 or CAH1 applied). NSS results are suppressed where fewer than 50% of students respond to the survey, leading to exclusion from the relevant subject ranking. Where NSS results were available, these were combined with GOS results compiled on the same basis at CAH3, CAH2 and CAH1. If CAH3 results (or, where applicable, CAH2 for 14 subjects) were unavailable in the GOS due to insufficient respondents, results were taken from the more broadly defined level above – CAH2 (or, where applicable, CAH1). CAH2 contains a wider sweep of subjects, which includes the original subject at CAH3. So French studies at CAH3 would also be included in languages and cultures at CAH2 alongside Italian studies, Iberian studies etc. These wider subject configurations achieve the 50% participation threshold (which also applies to GOS results) with greater frequency. The full list of CAH mappings can be viewed here: hesa.ac.uk/collection/coding-manual-tools/hecoscahdata/cah Where NSS results for a subject at a particular institution are available, but there are no GOS results available at either CAH3 or CAH2 (or, for 16 subjects, at CAH2 and CAH1), then the subject will not appear in the relevant ranking, even though it is taught at the university in question. This will be the primary reason for a university’s absence from a subject ranking in which readers might expect it to appear. Only universities with results in all five performance indicators (teaching excellence, student support, student experience, high-skilled jobs and career on track) are included in our subject rankings. Derived from the 2026 NSS published in July, this measure focuses on final-year student responses to the nine individual questions in the first two sections of the survey: ‘teaching on my course’ and ‘learning opportunities’. The percentage of all undergraduates recording positive scores using a four-point scale across all nine questions is averaged to produce the overall score for teaching excellence. This year’s survey was completed by more than 360,000 final-year students – a response rate of 71.8%. Source: NSS 2026, all undergraduates by teaching provider Contribution to ranking: 160pts, 16% This is another indicator based on the responses of more than 360,000 final-year students to this year’s NSS. This analyses positive responses to the seven individual questions in the sections of the survey covering assessment and feedback and academic support, together with an eighth question on how well information was communicated about support services for mental wellbeing. The percentage of all undergraduates recording positive scores using a four-point scale across all eight questions is averaged to produce the overall score for student support. Source: NSS 2026, all undergraduates by teaching provider Contribution to ranking: 160pts, 16% This is the third indicator in the ranking drawn from the annual NSS. This measure is based on student responses to nine individual questions in three sections of the survey: organisation and management, learning resources, and student voice. The percentage of all undergraduates recording positive scores using a four-point scale across all nine questions is averaged to produce the overall score for student experience. Source: NSS 2026, all undergraduates by teaching provider Contribution to ranking: 80pts, 8% The proportion of first-degree, UK-domiciled graduates in highly skilled employment as defined by the Standard Occupational Classification, SOC2020, 15 months after leaving university. Highly skilled roles are defined as: managers, directors and senior officials; professional occupations; and associate professional occupations. Almost 354,000 graduates took part in the survey – a response rate of about 35%. Source: Hesa, GOS, 2023-24, published in June 2026 Contribution to ranking: 400pts, 40% Also derived from the latest GOS, based on graduate responses on a five-point scale 15 months after leaving university as to whether they felt that their early stage careers were on track and in line with their expectations: 'My current work/activity fits with my future plans'. Source: Hesa, GOS, 2023-24, published in June 2026 Contribution to ranking: 200pts, 20% Falmouth University (which most recently ranked 111th= in 2023), Leeds Arts University (126th, 2023), Leeds Trinity University (127th, 2023), Ravensbourne University London, and University College Birmingham either withheld their data from analysis or declined to complete a Daily Mail survey document for this publication. All five institutions do not feature in the rankings and are not profiled. We are grateful to all other institutions for their generosity and commitment to providing relevant information for prospective students and their families through this guide. Single-subject universities (eg Royal Veterinary College) are not included in the rankings as it is not possible to compare single-subject and multi-faculty institutions on a fair basis. University profiles contain further data, which does not form part of the institutional ranking, gathered from the following sources: Undergraduate and postgraduate students The number of full and part-time students at each university. Source: Hesa Student Record, 2024-25 The domicile of students at each university split between UK, EU and overseas. Source: Hesa Student Record, 2024-25 The last educational provider attended by UK-domiciled first-year undergraduate students split between non-selective state schools (excluding the 163 English grammar schools and selective grammar schools in Northern Ireland), grammar schools and independent schools. Source: Hesa Student Record, new entrant UK undergraduates, 2024-25 Students classified as being in black, Asian, mixed or other ethnic groupings. Source: UCAS, UCAS undergraduate end of cycle data resources, 2025 entry Students aged 21 or over at enrolment. Source: All accepted applicants, UCAS undergraduate end of cycle data resources, 2025 entry The number of main scheme applications and the number of accepted applicants. Source: UCAS undergraduate end of cycle data resources, 2025 entry The offer rate to 18-year-old (school leaver) applicants. Source: UCAS undergraduate end of cycle data resources, 2025 entry Ranking in the overall British Universities and Colleges Sport institutional ranking, 2025-26. bucs.org.uk/bucs-points/overall.html Ranking in the QS World University Rankings, 2027. topuniversities.com/qs-world-university-rankings The sum spent by universities in 2024-25 on bursaries, scholarships and hardship support. Source: Daily Mail University Guide 2027 survey (completed by universities in March-July 2026) The minimum and maximum price of university-owned or managed accommodation in 2026-27 (or 2025-26 if latest data unavailable). Source: Daily Mail University Guide 2027 survey (completed by universities in March-July 2026) Rent as a proportion of student loan This is the minimum and maximum prices for university-owned or managed accommodation as a proportion of the maximum student maintenance loan available. The loan sum used for the calculation varies between locations and countries. We have used the maximum loan sum available to Scottish students for Scottish universities, English students for English universities etc. Maximum loan values are as follows: England (London) – £14,135; Wales – £12,590; Scotland – £11,400; England (outside of London) – £10,830; Northern Ireland – £8,352. Source: Daily Mail University Guide 2027 survey (completed by universities in March-July 2026) for accommodation prices; national student finance bodies for maximum loan sums  Read our rankings of every university HERE The Daily Mail University Guide 2027 contains Higher Education Statistics Agency data. Copyright Jisc [2026 for 2024-25 data, 2025 for 2023-24 data, 2022-23 and 2021-22 data]. Jisc cannot accept responsibility for any inferences and conclusions derived by third parties from its data.