Rankings

• In the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings we are ranked 32nd in the UK for international outlook and 5th in the UK for Citations.
• We are ranked as one of the top 20 universities for improving student’s social mobility in the 2024 Social Mobility Index published by the Higher Education Policy Institute.
• In the 2023 Whatuni Student Choice Awards we are ranked:
  • 15th for University of the Year
  • 18th for Career Prospects
  • 6th for Postgraduate
  • 22nd for Student Life
  • 9th for Student Support
  • 8th for Students’ Union
• We are ranked the 38th best university in England in the 2023 Uni Compare ranking and 25th in the UK for best university accommodation
• Leicester is ranked the cheapest city in the UK for students to live in Unifresher’s 2023 listing.

• The University of Leicester is top 30 in the UK for overall positivity in the 2024 National Student Survey according to analysis by the Times Higher Education.
• This year’s National Student Survey results show a strong performance for the University of Leicester in Student Voice, Organisation and Management.
• Success in Organisation and Management shows our degree programmes are coherent, consistent and clearly communicated to students.
• Feedback on Student Voice shows that as Citizens of Change student feedback is at the heart of everything we do as we strive to provide the best experience

The University of Leicester has been awarded gold in the 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).

This means that typically, the experience students have at the University of Leicester and the outcomes it leads to are outstanding.

• Our student experience rating is Silver, which means the student academic experience is typically very high quality.
• Our student outcomes rating is Gold, which means student outcomes are typically outstanding.

Find out more about our TEF rating.

The University of Leicester has been named as one of the world’s top universities for the study of 25 subjects in the 2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject, including Archaeology which is ranked 40th in the world.

The University was ranked 30th in the Times Higher Education analysis of the REF 2021 results, up 23 places from the previous Research Excellence Framework in 2014.

This is our best-ever performance in a national research assessment exercise and recognises the world-changing impact and quality of the research which takes place at Leicester.

Other highlights of the REF 2021 include:

• Our research in Clinical Medicine, History, and Sports and Exercise Science is 2nd in the UK, Museum Studies 3rd, Archaeology 5th, Media 7th and English 11th
• Leicester’s Archaeology and Biological Sciences research is top in the UK for impact, with Clinical Medicine, Sports Science and Sociology all top for research outputs
• More than 89% of our research is classed as ‘world-leading’ (4*) or ‘internationally excellent’ (3*)
• More than half (52%) of Leicester research is assessed as ‘world-leading’ (4*) for its impact.
• 100% of Chemistry research classed as ‘world-leading’ (4*) or ‘internationally excellent’ (3*)

Read more about our REF 2021 results.

• In the Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings 2024 we ranked:
  • 1st in the UK for SDG Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• In the QS Sustainability Rankings 2024 we are ranked 37th in the UK (185th in the world)

• Shortlisted for Best University Employability Strategy – National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2023
• The Leicester Graduate City Project (LGCP) – a coalition between the University of Leicester, De Montfort University and Leicester City Council won the top prize in the East Midlands Best Future Ready category at the Local Government Awards
• Shortlisted for Best Work Experience Programme at the Institute of Student Employers Awards in 2020
• We are a top 20 University for Career Prospects (WhatUni Student Choice Awards 2023)
• 90% of our students are either working or continuing their studies within three years of graduating
• 11th best university in the UK for producing CEOs (Business leader 2021)
• Top 25 university targeted by employers (Times Higher Education 2021)

Awards

• We have won Times Higher Education's University of the Year 2008 and were shortlisted for Times Higher Education's University of the Year 2024.
• Leicester has been awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education on three occasions - the highest form of national recognition open to a UK academic or vocational institution.
• In August 2015, HSBC announced for the second year running that the University of Leicester is the most affordable destination in Britain for both first and second-year students, according to their research.
• In 2013 our Students' Union was named HE Students' Union of the Year in the NUS Awards.

Accreditations

• The Athena SWAN (Scientific Women's Academic Network) Charter celebrates a commitment to advancing women’s careers in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine in higher education and research. In 2006, we signed up to the charter for women in science. In 2008 we were awarded with a bronze Athena SWAN award and this was renewed in 2011, 2012 and 2013. In 2018, we achieved our first institutional Silver award and this was renewed in 2024.
• We are proud to be recognised as a top 100 employer in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index, which showcases the most inclusive UK workplaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender staff.

Learn more about our charter marks and accreditations

Our School of Business is proud of its many accreditations including:

• Association of MBAs (AMBA) - the global standard for all MBA, DBA and Master's degrees. The Leicester MBA was one of the first distance learning MBAs to achieve AMBA accreditation and has held this for 25 years. Our Management MSc and International Management MSc are also AMBA-accredited.
• The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) - Our Economics and Accounting BSc, Accounting and Finance BSc and Accounting BSc programmes are ACCA accredited.

The School of Business is a member of the following professional bodies:

• Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS)
• UN Principles for Responsible Management Education
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACS)
• European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD)
• Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
• Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
• Chartered Financial Analysis Institute
• Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)
• Institute of Risk Management (IRM)
• Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM)

The School of Business also holds a prestigious Small Business Charter Award for our role in helping to kick start British enterprise.