Prospective undergraduates’ use of league tables and metrics

Prospective undergraduates’ use of league tables and metrics Methodology: Online survey to 2024 and 2025 entry prospective undergraduates Fieldwork: 3rd – 6th November 2023 Base: 699 responses

University information sources Respondents were most likely to have found university websites (71%), the UCAS website (57%) and open days (52%) useful for finding out about universities.

More than two fifths (41%) found university league tables useful for finding out about universities, the same proportion who found friends and family members (41%) and social media (41%) useful. At this stage, 2024 entry respondents were more likely to have found league tables useful (48%) than 2025 entry (36%).

Q: Which, if any, of the following have you found useful when finding out about universities? (Multiple response)

UCAS 71%

57%

52%

University’s own website

44%

UCAS website

Attending open days

Online forums (e.g., The Student Room)

41%

41%

41%

40%

Social media

Friends/family members

University league tables

Comparison sites (e.g., The Uni Guide)

40%

36%

32%

30%

University prospectuses

School guidance (e.g., careers advisor, teacher)

Reading student reviews

Current or previous students at the universities I’m considering

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League tables / metrics used Overall, more than three quarters (77%) of 2024 entry respondents had used at least one league table or metric when deciding which universities to apply to, compared to 57% of 2025 entry respondents. Of those who used league tables / metrics, each used an average of around 2 tables/metrics each.

Almost one quarter (23%) of 2024 entry respondents, and more than two fifths (43%) of 2025 entry respondents said they hadn’t used any at this stage in their decision making.

Respondents from both years of entry were most likely to use The Complete University Guide and The Guardian University Guide.

Q: Which, if any, of the following league tables / metrics have you used when deciding which universities to apply to? (Multiple response) By year of entry.

49%

The Complete University Guide

31% 43%

The Guardian University Guide

28%

THE (Times Higher Education) World University Rankings

QS University Rankings

25% 20%

24% 14%

Whatuni Student Choice Awards

15% 8%

NSS (National Student Survey)

11% 14% 7% 5% 3% 6% 3% 4%

TEF (Teaching Excellence Framework) Student Crowd University Awards REF (Research Excellence Framework)

Another league table / metric None of the above

2024 2025

1% 0% 23% 43%

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