How Lancashire's universities fare in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027

This morning, The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027 was released and for the first time in 19 years, a Lancashire university has not come out on top in the North West.

Having previously held the North West number 1 spot since 2007, Lancaster University has been named as the third best university in the North West in the latest guide.

Overtaken by both the first place University of Liverpool and second place University of Manchester, third place Lancaster now sits at number 26 in the national ranking, down 11 places from 15 in 2026.

Lancaster University’s 2026 accolade of ‘University of the Year in the Northwest’ was instead given to the University of Manchester this year, with the University of Liverpool being named runner-up.

Manchester Metropolitan University meanwhile, sitting just behind Lancaster in the North West rankings, was named The Times and The Sunday Times Modern University of the Year 2027 and University of the Year for Scholarships and Bursaries 2027.

Elsewhere in Lancashire, Ormskirk based Edge Hill University retains its 2026 position as 6th best in the North West but falls seven places nationally from 63 to 70.

The University of Lancashire, which has campuses in Preston and Burnley, has dropped from 9th best in the North West in 2026 to 10th best in 2027.

Nationally, it too has fallen from 93 to 100.

What are the full North West rankings?

What’s the national picture?

For the second time in the guide's 33-year history both the University of Cambridge and University of Oxford have dropped out of the top three, ranking fourth and fifth respectively.

The University of St Andrews is the number 1 university in the UK in the main rankings, and has been awarded Scottish University of the Year 2027 and Runner-up University of the Year for Teaching Quality 2027.

Last year’s number 1 university, London School of Economics and Political Science, comes in second place.

In third place is Imperial College London which has climed three plcaes from sixth, overtaking the University of Cambridge and University of Oxford for the first time.

Imperial College London has also been named The Times and The Sunday Times University of the Year 2027, University of the Year for Graduate Employment 2027 and Medical School of the Year 2027.

What has been said about the guide?

Helen Davies, the editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said: “Intellectual vigour, innovation, inspiration and ambition are alive and well on university campuses across the UK. As I edit this guide, I never fail to be energised by the optimism, scholarship and cutting-edge discoveries that burnish our leading higher education institutions.

“What shines through more than ever this year is an emphasis on preparing students for future careers. Universities have tailored their campuses to suit hands-on learning with mock court rooms, simulations of clinical settings — some even serve the public — and trading floors.

“But, for this next generation of students and the higher education sector at large, this is a challenging time with institutions struggling with their own finances, and the toughest graduate jobs market in more than a decade. There are hard questions to ask: can I afford it? What will I get from a degree? Is it worth it?

“This is where our guide comes in. We are here to help, whether it is about deciding what subject to study, where to go, or how student loans really work.”

What is The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide?

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027 provides the definitive rankings for UK universities and the most comprehensive overview of higher education in Britain, making use of the latest data*.

It features everything you need to know about applying to university and detailed online profiles for 133 universities, covering research reputation, campus facilities, scholarships and bursaries, and nightlife.

The guide provides prospective students and their families with the information to make an informed choice about their higher education, evaluating everything from satisfaction with teaching quality and the student experience to degree continuation rates and graduate employment prospects.

A fully searchable website with 70 subject tables, full interactive tables and additional features launches on Friday, September 18: thetimes.com/gooduniversityguide

A 96-page supplement will be published with The Sunday Times on September 20.

*The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027 used 2024-25 data for entry standards, firsts and 2:1s, continuation rate, and inclusive of overall satisfaction for all UK universities. In consultation with the steering group, it was decided to re-use Graduate Prospects data due to deadlines. The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027 has used NSS 2026 data, inclusive of overall satisfaction for all UK universities and People & Planet league table 2025 (peopleandplanet.org).