The university league tables rank the best universities in the UK. Users can filter the league table by subject, region, or university group.

METRICS FOR LEAGUE TABLES:

Entry Standards – weight 1.0

The average UCAS tariff score of new undergraduate students. Each student’s exam results were converted to a numerical score and added up to give a score total. HESA then calculated an average for all students at the university. The results were then adjusted to take account of the subject mix at the university.

Student satisfaction – weight 1.5

A measure of student views of the teaching quality at the university expressed in the National Student Survey – NSS.

Research quality – weight 1.0

It is a measure of the quality of the research undertaken in the university. Each university department entered in the assessment exercise achieved a quality profile that gave the proportion of research in each of four categories from 4* to 1*. These categories 4* to 1* were given a numerical value of 4 to 1 and an overall average was then calculated (weighted according to the number of staff in each department). 

Research intensity – weight 0.5

The proportion of staff involved in research.

Graduate prospects – outcomes – weight 0.67

A measure of the success in employability or further study of graduates completing their first degree. The number of graduates who take up employment or further study was divided by the total number of graduates with a known destination, before being expressed as a percentage. Only highly-skilled employment was included. The results were then adjusted to take account of the subject mix at the university. 

Graduate prospects – on track – weight 0.33

The proportion of graduates who agree that their activity is on track with their future plans.

Student-staff ratio – weight 1.0

The total number of undergraduate and postgraduate students divided by the number of academic staff with the results adjusted for subject mix.

Academic services spending – weight 0.5

The expenditure on library and computing facilities (staff, books, journals, computer hardware and software, but not buildings) plus museums, galleries and observatories was divided by the number of full-time equivalent students in the latest year. Expenditure over three years was averaged to allow for uneven expenditure.

Facilities spending – weight 0.5

The expenditure on student facilities (e.g. sports, careers services, health, counselling) was divided by the number of full-time equivalent students in the latest year. Expenditure over three years was averaged to allow for uneven expenditure.

Continuation – weight 1.0

Continuation measures the proportion of students who continue in their studies after their first year. (The number of first-year students who continued to the next year, left with a qualification or transferred to another university was divided by the total number of first-year students.) 

Degree completion – weight 1.0

The completion rate of first-degree undergraduates studying at the university. 

METRICS FOR SUBJECT TABLES:

The measures for the subject tables are the same as for the main university league table, except only six measures are used: entry standards, student satisfaction, research quality, continuation, graduate prospects – outcomes and graduate prospects – on track.