Highlights
- Named the University of the Year by The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023
- Ranked 8th best university in the UK by The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023
- Ranked 7th best university in the UK, and 5th for career prospects after 15 months, by the Guardian University Guide 2023
- Ranked 5th best university in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2024
- Ranked 9th in The Times Higher Education 'Table of Tables' 2022
- Ranked in the top 150 universities in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2024
- Placed in the Top 100 of the international QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022
- 86% for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2022. This means we're ranked 1st in England and 3rd in the UK when comparing institutions listed in the Guardian University Guide.
- Ranked 4th in the UK in The Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2018
Guides and rankings
| Guide | Year | Ranking | Institutions ranked | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide | 2023 | 8 | 135 | National |
| The Guardian University Guide | 2023 | 7 | 121 | National |
| The Complete University Guide | 2024 | 5 | 130 | National |
| Whatuni Student Choice Awards | 2020 | 46 | 131 | National |
| QS World University Rankings | 2024 | 148 | 1,499 | International |
| Times Higher Education World University Rankings | 2022 | 201-250 | over 1,600 | International |
| Leiden Ranking | 2021 | 134 | 1,225 | International |
National rankings
The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide
The University of Bath has been named the University of the Year by The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023. The accolade reflects a strong performance across the board, ranking us fourth in the UK for undergraduate university experience and fifth for graduate prospects.
Nationally, The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023 places us 8th out of 135 institutions and we're the highest ranked university in the South West.
As well as the overall ranking, 15 subjects are in the top ten by subject ranking, including Social Policy and Criminology which are ranked as the best in the country.
The Guardian University Guide
We are 7th in the Guardian University Guide 2023, with 11 subjects in the top ten, including ranking 2nd for Civil engineering, Mechanical engineering, Psychology, and Sports science.
The guide also places us 5th for career, with 90% of graduates in graduate-level jobs or further study at professional or HE level after 15 months.
The guide ranks universities in key areas, including course satisfaction, student-to-staff ratio, and graduate prospects.
Complete University Guide
We are ranked 5th out of 130 UK universities in the Complete University Guide 2024.
We are ranked 4th for graduate prospects.
We've also ranked the number one university in the South West for eight years in a row.
The guide uses ten factors to score each university. It also publishes individual subject rankings based on:
- student satisfaction
- research quality
- entry standards
- graduate prospects
The Complete University guide ranks 27 of our subjects in the top ten. We are ranked as the number one place to study Marketing in the UK.
Bath was ranked the 2nd safest university town or city in England and Wales in 2023 by the Complete University Guide.
Whatuni Student Choice Awards
We're ranked 15th for Graduate prospects and 11th for Societies and Sports, in the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2020.
These awards are based on reviews submitted by more than 41,000 students across the UK.
International rankings
QS World University Rankings
In the QS World University Rankings 2024 we have an overall ranking of 148 out of 1,499 universities around the world.
We're also ranked equal 7th in the world for Sports-related subjects in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023.
The University of Bath has made QS’ top 100 for six subject areas. These include:
- Architecture & Built Environment (51-100)
- Business & Management Studies (78=)
- Development Studies (51-100)
- Psychology (97=)
- Social Policy & Administration (45)
- Sports-related subjects (7=)
Times Higher Education
In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022 we have an overall ranking of 201-250 out of over 1,600 universities across 99 countries and territories.
Leiden Ranking
In the 2021 Leiden Ranking, we are 134th in the world for the proportion of our publications that were in the top 10% most frequently cited, compared with other publications in the same field and year.
The Leiden Ranking measures the scientific performance of 1,225 universities worldwide. Using a sophisticated set of bibliometric indicators, the ranking aims to provide highly accurate measurements of the scientific impact of universities and their involvement in scientific collaboration.
The ranking is based on over 25 years' bibliometric experience at the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) of Leiden University.
Awards and ratings
QS Graduate Employability Rankings
We are placed in the top 100 in the world of the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022. Placing 93rd in the ranking marks us out as one of the best places to study globally in terms of students’ onward prospects.
The University of Bath was rated particularly strongly in terms of its partnerships and its reputation among employers, with a graduate employment rate of 95.6% 12 months after graduation.
National Student Survey
Our students continue to be among the most satisfied in the UK, according to the 2022 National Student Survey (NSS). Our overall student satisfaction rate is 86%. This means we're ranked 1st in England and 3rd in the UK when comparing institutions listed in the Guardian University Guide.
Nine of our courses received satisfaction ratings of 100% with a further 19 receiving satisfaction ratings of 90% or above.
Our courses that scored 100% were:
- BSc (Hons) International Management and Modern Languages (German) with Year Abroad
- BSc (Hons) Management
- BSc (Hons) Mathematics and Statistics with Year long work placement
- MEng (Hons) Civil and Architectural Engineering
- MEng (Hons) Civil and Architectural Engineering with Year long work placement
- MEng (Hons) Integrated Design Engineering with Year long work placement
- MEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing and Management with Year long work placement
- MPharmacol (Hons) Pharmacology with Year long work placement
- MSci (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science with Professional Placement
Our departments that scored over 90% for student satisfaction were:
- Pharmacy and Pharmacology
- Architecture and Civil Engineering
- Biology and Biochemistry
- Cross-faculty (IMML courses)
- Health
- Mathematical Sciences
- Mechanical Engineering
Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey
We are ranked 4th in the UK in The Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2018.
Around 330,000 students took part in the survey. Survey questions covered all areas of academic life, including the quality of teaching, feedback on work, and learning resources.
Research Excellence Framework (REF)
The results of the REF 2021 confirm the excellence of the research carried out at Bath.
92% of University of Bath research submitted to the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 achieved the two highest classifications of ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent'.
Find out about the research behind our REF 2021 submission.
Queen’s Anniversary Prizes
We have been awarded two Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education. This is the country's most prestigious national recognition for a UK academic or vocational institution.
In 2011, we received the Queen's award for our Department of Social & Policy Sciences' 'Influential research into child poverty and support for vulnerable people'.
We were also awarded the prize in 2000 to recognise the 'invaluable services to industrial and scientific communities' of the Centre for Power Transmission & Motion Control.