Key Summary
FAQs
Which university is number one in the alternative university league table?
Bangor University ranks first in this Unifresher alternative university league table with a total score of 539. Cardiff Metropolitan University is second, Newcastle University third, the University of Plymouth fourth and Northumbria University fifth. The table focuses on student lifestyle measures rather than academic performance, so it answers a very different question from a traditional league table.
What are the top five universities in the alternative league table?
The top five are Bangor University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Newcastle University, the University of Plymouth and Northumbria University. Swansea University follows in sixth, Portsmouth seventh, Aberystwyth eighth, Cardiff University ninth and the University of Leeds tenth. The ordering reflects the article's combined lifestyle score rather than conventional measures such as research or entry standards.
What does the alternative university league table measure?
The table compares seven lifestyle measures: pint price, social life score, sustainability, McMeal price, crime rate, Uber price and cinema ticket price. It then gives each university a total score. This makes affordability and day-to-day student lifestyle central to the ranking instead of academic prestige, research performance or graduate outcomes.
How was the alternative university ranking calculated?
The article combines the listed lifestyle measures into a total score, but the page does not clearly publish a full reproducible weighting formula explaining exactly how every raw value becomes points. Students should therefore treat the final order as an editorial composite. The underlying columns remain useful for comparing individual priorities even if you disagree with the overall score.
Why does Bangor University rank first?
Bangor performs strongly across the combination used by the table rather than needing to win every individual category. The article lists a £3.85 pint, £5.30 McMeal, crime score of 24.66, £11 Uber and 70.3% sustainability figure alongside its social-life score. Together, those measures produce the highest composite total of 539.
Does the alternative league table show which university is best academically?
No. The table does not rank teaching quality, research, entry standards, continuation or graduate outcomes. A university can therefore perform brilliantly here while sitting much lower in a conventional academic table, or the reverse. Use this ranking to compare lifestyle factors, then use subject and university data separately when judging the actual degree.
How reliable are the prices in the alternative university table?
Treat prices as snapshots because pints, fast food, cinema tickets and ride costs can change quickly and vary by venue, time and demand. An Uber figure is especially sensitive to route and surge pricing. Use the table for broad comparison, but check current local prices before basing a university budget on a single number.
Does the crime rate show how safe a university campus is?
No. A location-level crime score cannot establish the safety of a specific campus, accommodation block or walking route. Universities can also have their own security arrangements. Treat the crime column as broad local context and check more detailed neighbourhood information before choosing accommodation rather than assuming one city score describes every student's personal risk.
Should I choose a university based on the alternative league table?
Use it as one lifestyle comparison, not the final decision. The table is useful if affordability, social life and city experience matter strongly to you, but it does not tell you whether the course is good. Compare modules, accreditation, placements, graduate outcomes and accommodation alongside the specific lifestyle columns that genuinely affect your priorities.
| Rank | University | Pint | Social Life | Sustainability | McMeal | Crime Rate | Price of an Uber | Cinema Ticket | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bangor University | £3.85 | 3.93 | 70.30% | £5.30 | 24.66 | £11.00 | £10.00 | 539 |
| 2 | Cardiff Metropolitan University | £4.00 | 4.44 | 82.30% | £6.95 | 37.73 | £13.00 | £6.00 | 464 |
| 3 | Newcastle University | £3.70 | 4.54 | 64.40% | £6.50 | 38.4 | £15.00 | £12.00 | 455 |
| 4 | University of Plymouth | £3.50 | 4.33 | 61.80% | £5.50 | 40.1 | £19.00 | £10.00 | 454 |
| 5 | Northumbria University, Newcastle | £3.70 | 4.56 | 66.80% | £6.50 | 38.4 | £20.00 | £10.00 | 432 |
| 6 | Swansea University | £4.00 | 4.38 | 68.40% | £7.50 | 35.46 | £13.00 | £10.00 | 431 |
| 7 | University of Portsmouth | £4.50 | 4.33 | 48.60% | £5.89 | 45.44 | £12.00 | £7.50 | 427 |
| 8 | Aberystwyth University | £3.60 | 4.10 | 31.00% | £6.25 | 32.44 | £12.00 | £12.25 | 423 |
| 9 | Cardiff University | £4.00 | 4.57 | 49.40% | £6.95 | 37.73 | £15.00 | £10.00 | 415 |
| 10 | University of Leeds | £4.30 | 4.58 | 49.70% | £7.00 | 43.34 | £11.00 | £10.00 | 413 |
| 11 | University of Gloucestershire | £4.50 | 3.94 | 34.50% | £5.50 | 37.05 | £7.00 | £12.50 | 406 |
| 12 | Nottingham Trent University | £4.00 | 4.59 | 69.80% | £6.00 | 50.5 | £12.00 | £10.00 | 404 |
| 13 | University of Derby | £3.00 | 3.82 | 47.30% | £6.00 | 43.97 | £11.00 | £6.00 | 402 |
| 14 | University of Exeter | £4.25 | 4.27 | 72.20% | £6.95 | 34.55 | £16.00 | £7.50 | 401 |
| 15 | University of Reading | £4.00 | 4.23 | 75.80% | £6.00 | 43.74 | £22.00 | £7.95 | 400 |
| 16 | University of Bristol | £4.67 | 4.43 | 66.10% | £6.50 | 41.72 | £15.00 | £10.00 | 398 |
| 17 | Bristol, University of the West of ... | £4.67 | 4.25 | 64.10% | £6.50 | 41.72 | £14.00 | £10.00 | 388 |
| 18 | Leeds Beckett University | £4.30 | 4.41 | 47.20% | £7.00 | 43.34 | £12.00 | £12.00 | 383 |
| 19 | Durham University | £3.70 | 3.95 | 56.00% | £6.50 | 23.31 | £20.00 | £10.00 | 381 |
| 20 | University of York | £5.50 | 4.35 | 44.10% | £6.00 | 27.64 | £10.00 | £10.00 | 378 |
| 21 | Bournemouth University | £4.00 | 4.40 | 64.70% | £6.00 | 41.09 | £16.00 | £6.00 | 375 |
| 22 | University of Worcester | £4.00 | 3.96 | 66.90% | £6.25 | 40.74 | £15.00 | £10.00 | 371 |
| 23 | Brunel University London | £4.00 | 4.00 | 56.10% | £6.00 | 54.17 | £12.00 | £10.00 | 368 |
| 24 | University of Central Lancashire | £3.85 | 4.04 | 54.20% | £5.37 | 67.64 | £10.00 | £9.50 | 366 |
| 25 | University of Sheffield | £4.00 | 4.63 | 41.70% | £6.50 | 42.48 | £11.00 | £10.00 | 364 |
| 26 | University of Sunderland | £3.50 | 3.72 | 4.80% | £5.99 | 46.1 | £12.00 | £15.00 | 363 |
| 27 | University of Liverpool | £4.38 | 4.69 | 50.90% | £6.00 | 47.89 | £13.00 | £10.00 | 363 |
| 28 | Keele University | £3.70 | 4.02 | 50.50% | £6.50 | 38.4 | £19.00 | £10.00 | 359 |
| 29 | University of Bolton | £3.10 | 3.92 | 10.50% | £5.37 | 63.71 | £10.00 | £7.00 | 358 |
| 30 | University of Nottingham | £4.00 | 4.44 | 36.10% | £6.00 | 50.5 | £9.00 | £8.00 | 356 |
| 31 | University of Chester | £3.95 | 4.06 | 42.50% | £6.50 | 20.97 | £12.00 | £9.00 | 356 |
| 32 | Edinburgh Napier University | £5.00 | 4.14 | 56.10% | £6.50 | 31.37 | £11.00 | £10.00 | 356 |
| 33 | Manchester Metropolitan University | £4.65 | 4.30 | 79.90% | £6.79 | 55.14 | £13.00 | £10.00 | 354 |
| 34 | Liverpool John Moores University | £4.38 | 4.44 | 55.10% | £6.00 | 47.89 | £14.00 | £8.00 | 352 |
| 35 | University of Salford | £3.40 | 4.04 | 70.60% | £6.00 | 55.14 | £16.00 | £12.00 | 344 |
| 36 | University of East Anglia UEA | £5.00 | 4.12 | 47.70% | £6.50 | 26.12 | £18.00 | £12.50 | 339 |
| 37 | Sheffield Hallam University | £4.00 | 4.36 | 52.40% | £6.50 | 42.48 | £15.00 | £6.50 | 338 |
| 38 | York St John University | £5.50 | 4.36 | 39.00% | £6.00 | 27.64 | £13.00 | £10.00 | 336 |
| 39 | Leeds Art University | £4.30 | 4.13 | 20.60% | £7.00 | 43.34 | £10.00 | £10.00 | 329 |
| 40 | Birmingham City University | £4.00 | 4.14 | 62.00% | £6.00 | 62.58 | £12.00 | £10.00 | 329 |
| 41 | De Montfort University | £4.00 | 4.10 | 64.70% | £7.00 | 46.41 | £12.00 | £6.50 | 325 |
| 42 | Falmouth University | £4.00 | 3.78 | 33.40% | £6.50 | 16.18 | £14.00 | £10.00 | 324 |
| 43 | University of Huddersfield | £4.00 | 3.93 | 48.50% | £6.50 | 60.44 | £11.00 | £8.00 | 316 |
| 44 | Lancaster University | £4.50 | 3.84 | 46.10% | £9.00 | 47.32 | £9.00 | £9.50 | 313 |
| 45 | Aston University, Birmingham | £4.00 | 4.35 | 59.40% | £6.00 | 62.58 | £16.00 | £10.00 | 311 |
| 46 | University of Strathclyde | £4.00 | 4.23 | 35.30% | £6.00 | 45.79 | £13.00 | £12.50 | 310 |
| 47 | University of Glasgow | £4.00 | 4.40 | 42.80% | £6.00 | 45.79 | £18.00 | £8.25 | 309 |
| 48 | University of Manchester | £4.65 | 4.32 | 47.80% | £6.79 | 55.14 | £14.00 | £8.50 | 309 |
| 49 | Arts University Bournemouth | £4.00 | 3.76 | 44.10% | £6.00 | 41.09 | £12.00 | £10.00 | 304 |
| 50 | University of Surrey | £4.00 | 4.05 | 32.10% | £6.00 | 26.52 | £16.00 | £10.00 | 301 |
| 51 | Ulster University | £5.20 | 4.22 | 43.60% | £6.50 | 45.21 | £15.00 | £10.00 | 301 |
| 52 | Bath Spa University | £4.65 | 4.03 | 64.80% | £6.50 | 26.38 | £16.00 | £8.00 | 301 |
| 53 | Glasgow Caledonian University | £4.00 | 3.84 | 49.30% | £6.00 | 45.79 | £13.00 | £10.00 | 300 |
| 54 | The University of Edinburgh | £5.00 | 4.33 | 42.20% | £6.50 | 31.37 | £15.00 | £12.50 | 299 |
| 55 | Staffordshire University | £3.50 | 3.79 | 37.20% | £6.00 | 47.01 | £13.00 | £9.00 | 297 |
| 56 | University of Lincoln | £4.50 | 4.21 | 35.40% | £7.50 | 26.62 | £9.00 | £9.00 | 296 |
| 57 | Solent University (Southampton) | £4.00 | 4.35 | 42.80% | £6.00 | 51.93 | £18.00 | £10.00 | 290 |
| 58 | University of St Andrews | £3.75 | 3.74 | 37.90% | £7.00 | 17.03 | £29.00 | £8.00 | 287 |
| 59 | Anglia Ruskin University | £5.00 | 4.21 | 44.60% | £6.00 | 28.69 | £18.00 | £8.00 | 287 |
| 60 | University of Oxford | £5.00 | 4.15 | 54.10% | £7.00 | 34.75 | £17.00 | £10.00 | 283 |
| 61 | University of Leicester | £4.00 | 4.12 | 43.30% | £7.00 | 46.41 | £13.00 | £10.00 | 279 |
| 62 | Oxford Brookes University | £5.00 | 4.01 | 57.00% | £7.00 | 34.75 | £15.00 | £8.00 | 279 |
| 63 | Queen's University Belfast | £5.20 | 4.15 | 36.40% | £6.50 | 45.21 | £15.00 | £10.00 | 278 |
| 64 | Edge Hill University | £4.38 | 4.03 | 21.20% | £6.00 | 47.89 | £11.00 | £12.00 | 276 |
| 65 | University of Sussex | £5.10 | 4.46 | 38.60% | £6.00 | 38.05 | £18.00 | £9.00 | 276 |
| 66 | Coventry University | £3.50 | 3.78 | 62.60% | £6.00 | 62.73 | £15.00 | £8.00 | 276 |
| 67 | Liverpool Hope University | £4.38 | 4.18 | 31.30% | £6.00 | 47.89 | £14.00 | £10.00 | 273 |
| 68 | University of Warwick | £3.50 | 3.74 | 49.20% | £6.00 | 52.45 | £15.00 | £12.00 | 272 |
| 69 | University of Brighton | £5.10 | 4.22 | 43.60% | £6.00 | 38.05 | £17.00 | £9.00 | 271 |
| 70 | University of Southampton | £4.00 | 4.10 | 28.90% | £6.00 | 51.93 | £13.00 | £9.50 | 269 |
| 71 | Loughborough University | £4.00 | 4.23 | 42.70% | £7.00 | 46.41 | £16.00 | £13.50 | 263 |
| 72 | Newman University, Birmingham | £4.00 | 4.04 | 21.50% | £6.00 | 62.58 | £11.00 | £9.00 | 262 |
| 73 | University of Kent | £5.00 | 4.01 | 59.90% | £6.00 | 32.75 | £20.00 | £10.00 | 262 |
| 74 | University of Birmingham | £4.00 | 4.41 | 15.40% | £6.00 | 62.58 | £15.00 | £10.50 | 260 |
| 75 | University of Bath | £4.65 | 3.98 | 32.90% | £6.50 | 26.38 | £13.00 | £10.00 | 252 |
| 76 | University of Essex | £3.67 | 4.02 | 58.90% | £8.00 | 46.45 | £19.00 | £12.50 | 251 |
| 77 | University College Birmingham | £4.00 | 4.07 | 6.90% | £6.00 | 62.58 | £12.00 | £8.00 | 250 |
| 78 | University of Hertfordshire | £2.00 | 3.72 | 42.50% | £8.00 | 23.39 | £19.00 | £9.00 | 246 |
| 79 | Middlesex University | £3.00 | 4.02 | 46.40% | £7.50 | 73.24 | £15.00 | £15.00 | 230 |
| 80 | University of Cambridge | £5.00 | 3.78 | 40.70% | £6.00 | 28.69 | £19.00 | £12.00 | 213 |
| 81 | Kingston University | £5.50 | 3.80 | 43.00% | £6.00 | 25.19 | £24.00 | £7.00 | 210 |
| 82 | University of Greenwich | £6.00 | 3.84 | 70.70% | £7.50 | 32.75 | £22.00 | £12.00 | 198 |
| 83 | King's College London, University o... | £6.00 | 4.27 | 69.70% | £7.50 | 53.81 | £22.00 | £12.00 | 187 |
| 84 | UCL (University College London) | £6.00 | 4.18 | 71.80% | £7.50 | 53.81 | £22.00 | £9.25 | 182 |
| 85 | Queen Mary University of London | £6.00 | 4.00 | 56.90% | £7.50 | 53.81 | £17.00 | £10.50 | 159 |
| 86 | St Mary's University, Twickenham | £6.00 | 3.77 | 35.10% | £7.50 | 25.88 | £18.00 | £15.00 | 151 |
| 87 | University of Chichester | £5.00 | 3.66 | 35.50% | £6.00 | 83.97 | £19.00 | £9.00 | 140 |
| 88 | SOAS University of London | £6.00 | 3.99 | 44.40% | £7.50 | 53.81 | £25.00 | £12.00 | 108 |
| 89 | University of Westminster, London | £6.00 | 3.96 | 42.30% | £7.50 | 53.81 | £21.00 | £12.00 | 99 |
| 90 | London Metropolitan University | £6.00 | 3.82 | 42.00% | £7.50 | 53.81 | £19.00 | £12.00 | 90 |
| 91 | University of Roehampton | £6.00 | 3.97 | 13.60% | £7.50 | 53.81 | £19.00 | £15.00 | 77 |
| 92 | Royal Holloway, University of Londo... | £6.00 | 3.75 | 33.60% | £7.50 | 53.81 | £18.00 | £7.00 | 76 |
| 93 | London South Bank University | £6.00 | 3.94 | 30.40% | £7.50 | 53.81 | £20.00 | £12.00 | 75 |
| 94 | Goldsmiths, University of London | £6.00 | 3.93 | 27.20% | £7.50 | 53.81 | £23.00 | £8.50 | 64 |