Choosing a university is a big deal, right? The whole process can feel like navigating through a maze of choices. One thing that often stands out in this complex journey is the well-known UK university league tables or rankings. But to what extent do they shape student decision-making? 

Why are university rankings important?

UK university league tables rank universities on a range of criteria. This is true of the Complete University Guide, the Times and the Guardian. The criteria might include entry standards, research output, student satisfaction, and graduate prospects. League tables aim to give an insight into each university's strengths and weaknesses.

That said, even though the Complete University Guide is the country's leading university ranking site, we know there is more to choosing a university than where it sits in our annual UK rankings.  

Positive impact on decision-making

Prestige and reputation 

Ever heard people say, "I want to go to a top-ranking university"? That's the influence of league tables. Students often assume a higher-ranking university will provide the best uni experience. It may lead them to favour only universities at the top of the tables. 

But the Complete University Guide goes further. Use our tables to identify which university ranks top for each subject or region. You can easily see which unis do well for measures like student satisfaction and graduate outcomes. This helps you to find the best university for you, not just one that's high up in our main league table.  

Employability and career prospects 

Our graduate prospects measures show how well recent graduates do in the jobs market. We use two such measures to give a broader viewpoint. Graduate prospects 'Outcomes' counts the number in high-skilled employment or taking postgrad qualifications. 'On track' shows the number who agree their current work fits with their future career goals.

University applicants can use the graduate prospects measures as indicators of a uni’s ability to prepare them for the job market.

But your employability will also depend on the course you take, the university’s links with industry, and the soft skills you will gain at uni. So we also show graduate prospects for different subjects. View course details to see if the uni says how it'll prepare you for your future career. And see our university profiles for career support, placements, and extracurricular activities that can build your skills. 

Compare universities 

League tables offer a convenient way for students to compare how universities measure up. They help students to find unis that align with their academic and personal preferences. 

The Complete University Guide also offers Uniselect. Students can use Uniselect to compare universities by their chosen measures to help create their university shortlist.  

Criticisms of university league tables

Not a complete picture 

Critics argue that league tables focus on a narrow set of metrics or measures. They don't tell you about other important aspects of university life. Such as, what the campus is like, or the extracurricular activities offered. 

That’s why we promote more than just our rankings. We publish a list of hidden gem universities who are top in certain subjects, despite being lower down the main league table. Students can also use our website to explore university profiles, order prospectuses and book open days. 

Impact on university priorities 

Some say the pressure to top the tables makes universities focus on the things that boost their ranking, maybe at the expense of a well-rounded education. However, in a (published in Times Higher Education in 2021), nearly 80% of vice chancellors prioritised student satisfaction over league table rankings.