St Andrews takes the crown as the best university in Scotland

 The University of St Andrews has taken the crown as the Complete University Guide’s best higher education institution in Scotland. 

Some institutions in Scotland have had a stable year in the Complete University Guide’s rankings with notable universities holding their rankings from previous years. These include St Andrews holding its position in 4th place and the University of Edinburgh holding its 12th place for another year.

In the overall league tables, the University of St Andrews is 4th sitting just below the London School of Economics. Naturally, within the region St Andrews came top for Student Satisfaction, Academic Services Spend and Graduate Prospects.

Within Scotland, there are pockets of subject-level excellence. Despite the following universities performing below 40th in the overall table, there are some examples of high-quality subject rankings reinforcing the importance of looking below the overall ranking. The University of Dundee (49th) ranks 1st nationally for Forensic Science as well as 2nd for Medical Technology & Bioengineering and Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh (93rd) ranks 1st for Complementary Medicine. 

Every year the Complete University Guide releases UK university and subject league tables to support prospective students in making informed decisions about their future. The regional league tables help people find the right university for them in their area and are also informative for local employers to know what skills people are coming to the area to develop.

The Complete University Guide follows on from last month’s Whatuni Student Choice Awards, building on the information available to prospective students to help them make the right decisions as they consider their higher education options. 

Having eight of the nation’s universities ranking in the UK’s top 50 in this year’s Complete University Guide demonstrates how the area is on track for another year of high-quality education and training provision for students and employers alike. The University of Edinburgh and University of Glasgow join St Andrews in the UK’s top 25 universities. 

Professor Amanda Chetwynd, Chair of the Complete University Guide Advisory Board, said: “Congratulations to the University of St Andrews for achieving the top position in this year’s Complete University Guide regional rankings. The tight rankings show just how high the standards are among Scotland’s top universities.

“Many prospective students in Scotland are keen to find the best university in the local area. Complete University Guide’s regional league tables are a valuable source of information to give local prospective students a greater understanding of what higher education options there are in Scotland.”

Simon Emmett, Chief Executive Officer of IDP Connect, said: “With more prospective students actively researching their options each year, the 2023 Complete University Guide league tables will serve as an important guide. We believe these rankings help them to make the right decisions as they consider their next steps into higher education.

“The independence of the Complete University Guide remains a critical part of our organisation. The tables’ independence from our other operations ensures that students, parents, and advisors can trust the results and make informed choices based on them.”