Sussex universities rank high in Sunday Times Good University Guide

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 named the University of Sussex the fifth best, the University of Chichester the ninth best and the University of Brighton the tenth best in the South East.

Nationally, the University of Sussex came 38th, the University of Chichester 62nd and the University of Brighton 71st.

This year has seen the University of Sussex rise ten place places up the national rankings, while Brighton rose 16 places.

Chichester dropped nine places.

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 provides what is seen as the definitive rankings for UK universities and the most comprehensive overview of higher education in Britain.

It includes the profiles of 134 universities, making use of the latest data published in the past two months.

Institutions are ranked on various factors, including graduate employment and teaching quality.

The University of Oxford is the number one university in the South East. It ranks third nationally, with the University of Cambridge in fourth place.

The London School of Economics and Political Science takes the top spot for the first time in the guide’s 31-year history of domestic UK university ranking, followed by the University of St Andrews. 

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.”