The prestigious guide provides rankings for all UK universities using data published in the previous two months, and an overview of higher education in Britain. It includes profiles on 135 universities. We’ve looked at the data available to create a Scottish version of the league table, which you can see by scrolling through our photo gallery.
In top spot for the UK is the London School of Economics and Political Science, but no fewer than five Scottish universities have claimed places in the Top 20.
Helen Davies, editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said: “The best universities — whether they were founded in the 15th century or 2005 — are local and global powerhouses of intellectual thought and creativity, from the arts to science, that can power economic regeneration and lead the way to a better life. But what and where to study — and how to pay for it — has never been tougher. This is where our comprehensive guide can help.
“This year we have tweaked our methodology to keep up with contemporary concerns around climate change and careers and have added in a sustainability metric, teaming up with People & Planet, and boosted the weighting of graduate prospects.
“The higher education sector is facing unprecedented challenges from debates on free speech to financial stability, but it is important to remember the force for good that going to university can be. See how the universities compare subject by subject, a guide on campus life, and what scholarships and bursaries may be on offer online.”
Scroll through our picture gallery to see Scottish version of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 league table, ranking the country’s 14 universities from best to worst.
1. The Good University Guide 2025 league table - Scotland
Scroll through our gallery to see Scottish version of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 league table, ranking the country’s 14 universities from best to worst. Photo: Pixabay Photo: Pixabay
2. The University of St Andrews
Scotland Ranking - 1. National Ranking - 2. University of St Andrews is the number one university in Scotland, according to The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025. Despite slipping one spot in the institutional rankings, surpassed by the London School of Economics and Political Science, St Andrews has once again outperformed both the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge for the third time in the guide’s 31-year history of domestic UK university ranking, The University of St Andrews has been named the Scottish University of the Year 2025 and it took the title of University of the Year for Student Experience 2025. Photo: Third Party
3. University of Aberdeen
Scotland Ranking - 2. National Ranking - 15. The University of Aberdeen is a UK Top 20 and World Top 200 University with outstanding levels of student satisfaction. Photo: Third Party
4. University of Glasgow
Scotland Ranking -3. National Ranking - 16. The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world - and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Photo: Third Party