Aberystwyth University has dropped more than 20 places in the latest national rankings, falling to 63rd overall in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027 and losing its place among the top three Welsh institutions.
Shift in standings after a strong recent run
The move represents a significant reversal after a period of improvement: the institution was ranked 42nd in last year’s guide and had risen from 48th the year before. In the 2025 edition the university was placed 39th, meaning the 2027 position is a fall of 22 places from last year and 24 places from 2025.
Within Wales, the change has seen Aberystwyth slip from third to fourth place. Cardiff University remains the highest-ranked Welsh university, followed by Swansea, while Bangor has surged into third and has been named the overall Welsh University of the Year for 2027.
"Aberystwyth University has slipped more than 20 places down the UK rankings in the latest edition of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide."
What the guide measures and local consequences
The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide draws on a wide range of data to assess universities, including research reputation, student satisfaction with teaching, degree continuation rates, graduate employment prospects, campus facilities and support such as scholarships and bursaries. The guide is widely used by prospective students and their families when choosing where to study, and shifts in position can influence application choices and, over time, the makeup of the student body.
For Aberystwyth — a town whose economy and cultural life are closely tied to the university — a fall in the rankings has practical consequences. Local businesses reliant on student custom, accommodation providers and community organisations that work with students could all feel the knock-on effects if the university attracts fewer applicants or sees changes in its intake profile. Staff recruitment and retention, and the university’s standing when bidding for research funding, may also be affected if perceptions of institutional strength change.
- 2025 ranking: 39th in UK
- 2026 ranking: 42nd in UK
- 2027 ranking: 63rd in UK; slipped from 3rd to 4th among Welsh universities
Loss of sustainability accolade and local reaction
The guide also highlights named awards. Bangor University has been named University of the Year, and picked up the title of University of the Year for Sustainability 2027 — an award Aberystwyth won in the previous year. Those shifts underline changing perceptions across the sector, particularly around sustainability initiatives where universities increasingly compete to demonstrate environmental leadership.
Local reaction is likely to be mixed. Current students and staff often point to high-quality teaching, a tight-knit campus community and the unique cultural setting on the Cardigan Bay coast. At the same time, university leaders will face fresh pressure to explain the fall and set out clear plans for improvement to reassure pupils choosing their A-level options, parents weighing university choices and local employers dependent on a steady stream of graduates.
| Year | UK ranking | Welsh position |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 39 | Third (implicit) |
| 2026 | 42 | Third |
| 2027 | 63 | Fourth |
University spokespeople often point out that league tables capture only some aspects of institutional life and that day-to-day experience, research strengths and long-term strategic plans are not always reflected directly by a single ranking. The full 96-page supplement from The Sunday Times, published on 20 September, includes more detailed profiles and data that applicants and local stakeholders can use to review performance across specific metrics.
For Aberystwyth, the priority now will be to engage with students, staff and the town’s wider community to explain the causes of the decline and to show how the institution intends to respond. The town’s fortunes have been intertwined with its university for more than a century; preserving that bond and ensuring the campus remains a draw for students will be central to Aberystwyth’s social and economic health in the years ahead.
(Reporting from Aberystwyth.)
