Bath Uni ranked as best in the South West

The University of Bath has beaten all other institutions to reach Number 5 in the 2024 Complete University Guide

Author: Oliver MorganPublished 7th Jun 2023
Last updated 15th Jun 2024

The Complete University Guide for 2024 is out - and Bath's come in at the top spot in the South West, at number 5 nationally.

Cambridge leapfrogged Oxford into 1st place with the LSE and St Andrews in 3rd and 4th.

Every year, the Complete University Guide releases UK university and subject league tables to support prospective students to make informed decisions about their future, with the regional stats used to help them get a better idea of the education on offer in more specific locations.

This status has reaffirmed the University's status as a leading institution renowned for its exceptional teaching and ground-breaking research.

In the overall league tables, the University of Bristol achieved an impressive 15th place nationally, reflecting its commitment to delivering a comprehensive and enriching educational experience.

This makes Bristol the 2nd highest placed university from the South West.

Alongside Bristol and Bath in the Top 20 nationally, the University of Exeter scored 18th place, whilst the University of the West of England (UWE) was put in 67th and Bath Spa University ranked 102 out of 130 institutions.

Other big movers in the South West were Bournemouth University (55th) up 17 and University of Falmouth (61st) up 9 places compared to its 2023 placement.

The Complete University Guide have revealed that within the South West region are pockets of subject-level excellence. They say institutions across our region 'continue to demonstrate their dedication to academic excellence, research innovation, and student satisfaction' - and 'further enhance' the reputation and appeal to study in our part of the world.

"The rankings show just how high the standards are"

Professor Amanda Chetwynd, Chair of the Complete University Guide Advisory Board, said: “Congratulations to the University of Bath for achieving a top position in this year’s Complete University Guide regional rankings. The rankings show just how high the standards are among the South West top universities.

“Many prospective students in the South West are keen to find the best university in the local area. Complete University Guide’s regional league tables are a valuable source of information to give local prospective students a greater understanding of what higher education options there are in the South West.”

Simon Emmett, Chief Executive Officer of IDP Connect, said: “With more and more students thinking about how they can make the most of their university experience, the 2024 Complete University Guide league tables will serve as an important guide. We know these rankings help them to make the right decisions about where and what to study as they take their first steps into higher education.”

“What makes the Complete University Guide special is its independence. Our expert board considers a whole array of information before producing our highly-regarded rankings. The tables’ independence from our other operations remains a crucial part of our organisation and ensures that students, parents, and advisors can trust the results and make informed choices based on them.”

“The Complete University Guide is exactly that. It is complete – as well as academic rankings, our guide covers the issues which parents and students also worry about such as cost of living and local crime rates. We know that when it comes to choosing where to study, the Complete University Guide has it all.”

You can find out more about the Complete University Guide, and this year's rankings, on their website.

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