The 17 UK universities with the highest entry standards
Students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland finally received their A Levels results this week, while their Scottish counterparts found out how they did in their Highers qualifications earlier in the month. Those with university aspirations will have also found out whether they have met the requirements for any conditional university offers they had waiting – while others will now be navigating the Clearing process.
With this in mind, we've taken a look at the UK universities with the highest entry standards for new students, according to the Complete University Guide's new 2026 league table. This comprehensive annual ranking compares some 130 universities across the country across a variety of metrics, including the proportion of students who stay on after their first year, student satisfaction ratings, research quality, student-to-staff ratio, and more.
It also compares universities based on the average of the total number of UCAS tariff points held by new undergraduate students entering the university, using the most recent available data - currently for the 2022/23 academic year. These are points awarded based on the different qualifications and grades a prospective student has earned, which allow candidates' performances to be compared even if they sat different qualifications.
The Complete University Guide says in its guidance that it ranks them this way because it's a more accurate reflection of a university's academic standards than average entry requirements. 'Two universities may have similar entry requirements, but the students taking the places may well have exceeded those requirements.'
Many of the universities on this list still have spots available via Clearing, so are well worth considering for students who achieved excellent grades on results day. A lot of universities in Scotland ranked particularly highly, although prospective students shouldn't let this put them off – Scottish students often earn more UCAS tariff points overall due to the way their secondary school qualification system is structured.
Our list only includes universities where the average UCAS tariff points of the students they accepted as undergraduates exceeded 170. Here were the 17 UK universities that topped the entry standards chart:
1 . University of St Andrews
This prestigious Scottish university is based in St Andrews, Fife, and came in 4th overall in the Complete University Guide's 2026 ranking. The average UCAS tariff score of all new students entering the university was 215, the Guide said, from the most recent data available. | Peter Thompson/Photo Sales
2 . University of Glasgow
Another well-regarded Scottish institution, Glasgow's namesake university is next. It came in 31st in the overall national ranking. According to the Complete University Guide, the average UCAS tariff score of all new students entering the university was also 215. | Google Photo Sales
3 . University of Cambridge
One half of the acclaimed Oxbridge duo, this well-known university in Cambridge, in the East of England, ranked 1st in the overall national ranking. According to the Complete University Guide, the average UCAS tariff score of all new students entering the university was 206. | JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images Photo Sales
4 . University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde is also based in Glasgow, Scotland. It came in 38th in the overall national ranking. According to the Complete University Guide, the average UCAS tariff score of all new students entering the university was 203. | Adobe Stock Photo Sales
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Scotsman
9 hours ago
- Scotsman
The 17 UK universities with the highest entry standards
Many of this year's secondary school leavers will now be turning their eyes towards university – and will likely be considering which one will be the best choice that their grades allow them. Students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland finally received their A Levels results this week, while their Scottish counterparts found out how they did in their Highers qualifications earlier in the month. Those with university aspirations will have also found out whether they have met the requirements for any conditional university offers they had waiting – while others will now be navigating the Clearing process. With this in mind, we've taken a look at the UK universities with the highest entry standards for new students, according to the Complete University Guide's new 2026 league table. This comprehensive annual ranking compares some 130 universities across the country across a variety of metrics, including the proportion of students who stay on after their first year, student satisfaction ratings, research quality, student-to-staff ratio, and more. It also compares universities based on the average of the total number of UCAS tariff points held by new undergraduate students entering the university, using the most recent available data - currently for the 2022/23 academic year. These are points awarded based on the different qualifications and grades a prospective student has earned, which allow candidates' performances to be compared even if they sat different qualifications. The Complete University Guide says in its guidance that it ranks them this way because it's a more accurate reflection of a university's academic standards than average entry requirements. 'Two universities may have similar entry requirements, but the students taking the places may well have exceeded those requirements.' Many of the universities on this list still have spots available via Clearing, so are well worth considering for students who achieved excellent grades on results day. A lot of universities in Scotland ranked particularly highly, although prospective students shouldn't let this put them off – Scottish students often earn more UCAS tariff points overall due to the way their secondary school qualification system is structured. Our list only includes universities where the average UCAS tariff points of the students they accepted as undergraduates exceeded 170. Here were the 17 UK universities that topped the entry standards chart: 1 . University of St Andrews This prestigious Scottish university is based in St Andrews, Fife, and came in 4th overall in the Complete University Guide's 2026 ranking. The average UCAS tariff score of all new students entering the university was 215, the Guide said, from the most recent data available. | Peter Thompson/Photo Sales 2 . University of Glasgow Another well-regarded Scottish institution, Glasgow's namesake university is next. It came in 31st in the overall national ranking. According to the Complete University Guide, the average UCAS tariff score of all new students entering the university was also 215. | Google Photo Sales 3 . University of Cambridge One half of the acclaimed Oxbridge duo, this well-known university in Cambridge, in the East of England, ranked 1st in the overall national ranking. According to the Complete University Guide, the average UCAS tariff score of all new students entering the university was 206. | JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images Photo Sales 4 . University of Strathclyde The University of Strathclyde is also based in Glasgow, Scotland. It came in 38th in the overall national ranking. According to the Complete University Guide, the average UCAS tariff score of all new students entering the university was 203. | Adobe Stock Photo Sales Related topics: UniversitiesStudentsClearingBoost
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- The Herald Scotland
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Scotsman
a day ago
- Scotsman
17.5 million salmon died prematurely in Scottish fish farms in a year. Here's what we need to do
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scotland is one of the largest producers of farmed salmon in the world, exporting a product that is consumed globally and often marketed as a hallmark of quality. It is one I have enjoyed myself, many times. But behind this booming industry lies a reality that many find hard to stomach: the staggering scale of welfare issues and the lack of clear, enforceable welfare standards to prevent those issues. 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Our changing climate results in destructive events and jellyfish blooms as the water warms, and unpredictable weather events are becoming more and more extreme. However, that does not mean that more can't be done to protect these animals. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Farmed fish do have some minimal protections under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006. This legislation protects them from unnecessary suffering and requires that their welfare needs are met, for example the need for a suitable environment in which to live. READ MORE: How Scottish businesses are crying out for better trade deal with EU These are the same protections that are applied to animals like pigs and chickens. I've seen these protections printed and hung on the walls of fish farm offices; but when I asked the workers what a suitable environment for a fish is, what implementing this act looks like in the context of a fish farm, and how to tell whether a fish is happy, they – understandably – can't say. Because, unlike pigs and chickens, fish do not benefit from formal government-issued guidance to help producers and regulators understand what the law means and what they should do to meet these obligations. Instead, the sector relies on the industry-authored code of good practice, a voluntary framework that – while it contains some useful standards – is neither legally enforceable nor comprehensive. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Fish can feel pain This is where the problem becomes a Catch-22. When campaigners raise concerns about fish welfare, the Scottish Government defers to the industry's code of good practice. But when asked to ensure that this code is enforced, it claims it can't – because it's not the government's code. Accountability is denied and millions of fish suffer as a result. This legal ambiguity benefits no one – not the farmers, who are left without clear rules; not you and me, who want assurance that the animals are treated humanely; and certainly not the fish, who – as scientific evidence shows – are capable of experiencing pain. As a member of the Scottish Parliament's Rural Affairs and Islands Committee, I recently took part in an inquiry into salmon farming in this country. One of the clearest conclusions we reached was that we are failing to uphold the welfare of farmed fish due to the absence of official government guidance. In fact, despite years of documented concerns, there has never been a single prosecution or formal notice issued relating to fish welfare on Scottish farms. This lack of enforcement speaks volumes. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The solution is simple and achievable. The Scottish Government must issue official guidance. This would provide the clarity needed to interpret the law, set a clear baseline for welfare standards, and ensure that they are properly enforced. It would also close the loophole that currently allows welfare breaches to go unpunished simply because no one understands them. Farmers committed to high standards The Scottish Government's "Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture' strategy has prompted the introduction of mandatory reporting on mortality and sea lice numbers, which is a useful start. However, the path forward is still murky. The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission, in its detailed report on fish sentience, specifically recommended that the government issue official guidance to make the law meaningful in practice. This is about more than just data collection: it is about creating a clear framework that supports everyone involved. I've spoken with farmers who are committed to high standards but find it challenging to know what is legally expected of them without this kind of guidance. Providing clear, government-backed standards would create a level playing field, ensuring that good practice is the norm, and not the exception. This is a chance for Scotland to lead on animal welfare, and official guidance is the crucial next step. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This view is shared by expert lawyers at the Animal Law Foundation, which continues to push for the law that protects fish to mean something in practice and sees official guidance as one of the key ways of achieving this. We cannot allow fish welfare to be compromised. Industry-led codes – regardless of how well-intentioned they are – are no substitute for government responsibility and legal clarity. Scotland must commit to and take pride in standing by high standards of animal welfare – and that includes fish. It's time to break the cycle. It's time to get farmed salmon out of this Catch-22.
