Lancaster is the top university in the north west in new Times rankings

The university has also been given a national ranking of 14th in the latest guide, which is featured in this Sunday's nespaper.

The University of Manchester was ranked second in the north west, followed by the University of Liverpool.

The University of Cumbria was placed 12th, and 129th nationally.

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 provides the definitive rankings for UK universities and the most comprehensive overview of higher education in Britain. It includes profiles on 134 universities, making use of the latest data.

A fully searchable website with 70 subject tables, full interactive tables and additional features is online on The Times and The Sunday Times at https://www.thetimes.co.uk/uk-university-rankings

The guide provides prospective students and their families with the right information to make an informed choice about their higher education, evaluating everything from satisfaction with teaching quality and the student experience through to degree completion rates and graduate employment prospects.

New to the guide this year is a ranking from People and Planet (https://peopleandplanet.org) that assesses the environmental and ethical standards of each UK university, as well as guides on scholarships and bursaries available at each university and student wellbeing and sports facilities on campus.

A 96-page supplement will be published with The Sunday Times on September 17.

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

"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.

“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.

"It’s where this guide — our 30th edition — is here to help. Our online version has so much more on how the universities compare subject by subject, a guide on campus life, and what scholarships and bursaries may be on offer.

“We are here to champion the ambitious work of our first class universities, and the aspirations of any student of any age who wants to keep on learning.”