Two London universities have outranked both Oxford and Cambridge in a new league table.

Imperial College London was named The Times and The Sunday Times University of the Year 2027, and also claimed the University of the Year for Graduate Employment 2027 and the Medical School of the Year 2027.

In the main academic rankings, Imperial rose three places from sixth to third, just behind the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in second place.

That means Imperial overtook the University of Cambridge and University of Oxford in the rankings for the very first time.

It is just the second time that Cambridge and Oxford are out of the top three in the guide’s 33-year history, as they came fourth and fifth respectively.

Imperial, located in South Kensington, was also named Highly Commended Russell Group University of the Year 2027 and Runner-up London University of the Year 2027.

In the main rankings, the University of St Andrews was ranked as the top university in the UK.

St Andrews was also awarded Scottish University of the Year 2027 and Runner-up University of the Year for Teaching Quality 2027.

Helen Davies, the editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said: “Intellectual vigour, innovation, inspiration and ambition are alive and well on university campuses across the UK. As I edit this guide, I never fail to be energised by the optimism, scholarship and cutting-edge discoveries that burnish our leading higher education institutions.

“What shines through more than ever this year is an emphasis on preparing students for future careers. Universities have tailored their campuses to suit hands-on learning with mock court rooms, simulations of clinical settings — some even serve the public — and trading floors.

“But, for this next generation of students and the higher education sector at large, this is a challenging time with institutions struggling with their own finances, and the toughest graduate jobs market in more than a decade. There are hard questions to ask: can I afford it? What will I get from a degree? Is it worth it?

“This is where our guide comes in. We are here to help, whether it is about deciding what subject to study, where to go, or how student loans really work.”