University of Exeter Ranks Second in New Top UK Universities List

• Upcoming students have until 25th January 2023 to complete their UCAS application

• A new data index reveals the top UK universities based on a range of factors including student satisfaction, graduate prospects, accommodation costs and more

• The index reveals University of Exeter to be second in the UK

With the UCAS deadline of 25 January drawing near and Google searches for ‘how to choose a university’ increasing by 69% in the last month, a big decision looms for young people across the country.

To help steer students in the right direction, the online student job board, RateMyPlacement, reveals the top universities in the UK by ranking The Times' Top 100 universities based on the most important criteria including student satisfaction, graduate prospects, accommodation costs and, perhaps even more importantly in some cases, costs of food and drink, local transport and the local nightlife.

The University of Exeter was ranked second in the index, with a notable score for its 95 point rating. So, where did it stand compared to the rest?

Top 10 Universities in the UK

Overall, St Andrews in Scotland is ranked the best UK university, scoring full marks across the board.  This was followed by the University of Exeter and the University of Leeds. Across the individual categories, St Andrews scored the best for student satisfaction and the general level of crime. 

Not shockingly, London proved the best location for graduate prospects, the top university for such being St George’s University which scored full points. This was followed by Imperial College London (96.84) and the London School of Economics (94.74). 

Cost-Focused Rankings

For those looking to save money on accommodation, whether that’s for a rainy day or their next night out, Staffordshire University, in Stoke-on-Trent, has the most affordable accommodation - costing an average of £80 per week. This is followed by the University of Huddersfield (£81 per week) and Teesside University (£88 per week). 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the top two most expensive universities for accommodation were based in London. LSE was the most expensive at £261 per week, followed by the University of Greenwich (£238 per week) and then Edinburgh (£222 per week).

Lifestyle Rankings

The reality of university is it’s a choice which impacts much more than just your studies. 

Beyond campus life, the index indicates that the cheapest pint of beer can be found in Derby, Hull and Edge Hill at £3. Whilst, the most expensive pint can be found at London universities at £6.

For fitness-minded students, the University of Stirling has the most affordable monthly fitness membership at £16.99 per month - followed by Chichester at £19.99 and Bangor at £20.33. Harper Adams has the most pricey monthly fitness membership at £53.75.

Warwick has the most expensive local transport, with the price of a one-way ticket standing at £7 - followed by Durham (£5), and Lincoln (£4.75). The most affordable is the University of Stirling at £1.40 - followed by our two Surrey universities (University for the Creative Arts and University of Surrey) at £1.50. 

Co-founder of RateMyPlacement, Oliver Sidwell, comments, “The looming UCAS deadline on the 25th of January adds extra pressure to young people as their new year comes with big, new decisions. With contradicting articles and advice, it can be difficult for students to find the university that best suits them. 

This index helps take all factors into account to help inform applicants' decisions impartially whether they’re prioritising their studies, budgets or their extracurricular activities, there’s a university to meet their needs in this list. It’s crucial applicants take all factors into account to consider where they’re choosing to relocate to.”

For more information on the best UK universities based on differing priorities view the full table here.