14 Scottish universities ranked from best to worst in Complete University Guide 2026
Every year, the respected guide publishes its UK university and subject league tables to help prospective students make informed choices.
The main league table is based on ten measures: entry standards, student satisfaction, research quality, research intensity, academic services spend, spending on student facilities, continuation, student-staff ratio, graduate prospects – outcomes, and graduate prospects – on track.
Take a look through our photo gallery to see Scotland's 14 universities ranked from best to worst – and find out how they rank compared to unis across the UK.
1 . 14 Scottish universities ranked from best to worst
Take a look through our gallery to see 14 Scottish universities ranked from best to worst, according to the Complete University Guide 2026. Photo: Pixabay Photo: Pixabay Photo Sales
2 . The University of St Andrews
Scotland rank: 1. UK rank: 4. Seven centuries of history link the students with the town, leading to the ancient and yet modern institution apparent today. Photo: Third Party Photo Sales
3 . University of Edinburgh
Scotland rank: 2. UK rank: 18. From Nobel laureates and Olympic champions to space explorers and prime ministers, the University of Edinburgh has been influencing history since it opened the gates to its first students in 1583. Photo: Third Party Photo Sales
4 . Heriot-Watt University
Scotland rank: 3. UK rank: 25. It was established in 1821 as the School of Arts of Edinburgh, the world's first mechanics' institute, and subsequently granted university status by royal charter in 1966. Heriot-Watt University is the eighth-oldest higher education institute in the UK. Photo: Third Party Photo Sales
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Scotland's 14 universities ranked best to worst in Complete Univerisity's Guide 2026 league table
The Complete University Guide has published its latest UK university league tables – and we've studied the data to compile a list of Scotland's best unis. Each year, the respected guide publishes its UK university and subject league tables to help would-be students make informed choices. The main league table is based on ten measures: entry standards, student satisfaction, research quality, research intensity, academic services spend, spending on student facilities, continuation, student-staff ratio, graduate prospects – outcomes, and graduate prospects – on track. Scroll through our picture gallery to see Scotland's 14 universities ranked from best to worst – and see how they compare to unis across the UK. 1 . Scotland's 14 universities ranked from best to worst Scroll through our picture gallery to see Scotland's 14 universities ranked from best to worst – and see how they compare to unis across the UK. Photo: Pixabay Photo Sales 2 . The University of St Andrews Scotland rank: 1. UK rank: 4. Seven centuries of history link the students with the town, leading to the ancient and yet modern institution apparent today. Photo: Third Party Photo Sales 3 . University of Edinburgh Scotland rank: 2. UK rank: 18. From Nobel laureates and Olympic champions to space explorers and prime ministers, the University of Edinburgh has been influencing history since it opened the gates to its first students in 1583. Photo: Third Party Photo Sales 4 . Heriot-Watt University Scotland rank: 3. UK rank: 25. It was established in 1821 as the School of Arts of Edinburgh, the world's first mechanics' institute, and subsequently granted university status by royal charter in 1966. Heriot-Watt University is the eighth-oldest higher education institute in the UK. Photo: Third Party Photo Sales Related topics: Scotland
