The University of St Andrews has taken the top spot in a national league table, beating Oxford and Cambridge.

St Andrews has been placed higher than the elite Oxbridge institutions for only the second time in the 30-year history of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide.

The rankings show that Oxford fell from first to second place with Cambridge remaining in third place.

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 said St Andrews won due to improved results in graduate prospects and its student-to-staff ratio (11.9 to one).

The university’s high proportion of students gaining first and 2:1 degrees, as well as high Ucas entry standards, also helped it top the league table.

It is more competitive to get a place at many of our top institutions; the cost of attending university has soared, leaving graduates with extraordinary debt; and in many cases campus life still bears the scars of the pandemic

University College London (UCL) won the guide’s University of the Year 2024 award having moved up to sixth place in the league table this year.

The guide said its performance has improved in many measures in the past year – including graduate prospects and honours degrees awarded.

Helen Davies, editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said: “The higher education landscape has never been tougher.

“It is more competitive to get a place at many of our top institutions; the cost of attending university has soared, leaving graduates with extraordinary debt; and in many cases campus life still bears the scars of the pandemic. Meanwhile lecturers are on strike and the marking crisis is a running scandal.

“It means any prospective student, parent or carer needs to think hard about whether university is the right choice, and then where to study and what subject.”

On UCL being named University of the Year, she added: “Almost two centuries since its founding, in 1826, UCL continues to challenge its students, raises the bar for research and provokes global debate on everything from detecting cancers to legal action on behalf of those affected by climate change.

“The expansion of its curriculum, and its campus into east London, is visionary.”

Michael Spence, president and provost of UCL, said: “Our high-achieving, curious students learn from and work alongside world-leading academics, getting directly involved in research that breaks boundaries and tackles global challenges.

“Being named The Sunday Times University of the Year is a testament to the dynamic and diverse community of students and staff who make UCL such an extraordinary place.”

The rankings can be found at https://www.thetimes.co.uk/uk-university-rankings and the full results will also be published in the 96-page guide on Sunday.