Leeds University named best place to study in Yorkshire - and which universities join it in the Complete University Guide's national top 20

The university also improved its position in the overall rankings as it rose from 20th place nationally last year to 16th place, meaning it now sits just below the University of Bristol.

There are also pockets of subject-level excellence in the region, with some of the universities that sit outside the overall top 40 making their mark in certain disciplines.

Among them is Leeds Beckett University, which is ranked 106th overall but considered the eighth best place for studying information technology and systems as well as the ninth best for speech and language therapy.

Every year, the Complete University Guide releases UK university and subject league tables to support prospective students in making informed decisions about their future. The regional league tables help people find the right university for them in their area and are also informative for local employers to know what skills people are coming to the area to develop.

The Complete University Guide follows on from last month’s Whatuni Student Choice Awards, building on the information available to prospective students to help them make the right decisions as they consider their higher education options.

Professor Amanda Chetwynd, who chairs the Complete University Guide Advisory Board, said: “Congratulations to the University of Leeds for achieving the top position in this year’s Complete University Guide regional rankings. The tight rankings show just how high the standards are among Yorkshire and the Humber’s top universities.

“Many prospective students in Yorkshire and the Humber 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 Yorkshire and the Humber.”

While the University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett both rose four places in the rankings, Leeds Trinity University slipped three places to sit at 128th place out of 130 institutions.

In the separate arts, drama and music league table, Leeds Arts University is ranked 10th out of 13 institutions.

Simon Emmett, the chief executive of higher education enrolment specialists IDP Connect, added: “With more prospective students actively researching their options each year, the 2023 Complete University Guide league tables will serve as an important guide. We believe these rankings help them to make the right decisions as they consider their next steps into higher education.

“The independence of the Complete University Guide remains a critical part of our organisation. The tables’ independence from our other operations ensures that students, parents, and advisors can trust the results and make informed choices based on them.”

The top 20 UK universities according to the Complete University Guide

1. University of Oxford

2. University of Cambridge

3. London School of Economics

4. University of St Andrews

5. Imperial College London

6. Durham University

7. Loughborough University

8. University of Bath

9. University College London

10. University of Warwick

11. Lancaster University

12. University of Edinburgh

13. University of Southampton

14. University of Birmingham

15. University of Bristol

16. University of Leeds

17. The University of Manchester

18. University of Surrey

19. Joint place = University of York and University of Exeter