We are delighted to report that the University has been ranked 49th out of 130 UK universities in the Complete University Guide league table 2026 – a rise of three places from last year.
This latest good news comes at the end of a strong academic year for Kent with the University having placed 40th in The Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 – one of the biggest risers in the Guide, with a leap of 12 places from the previous year.
Kent was also shortlisted for ‘Higher Education Institution of the Year’ at the National Education Opportunities Network Awards 2025, and University of the Year at the inaugural Academic Employability Awards. The latter was for our ground breaking work through Education Modernisation 2025, which is transforming the student experience by placing employability at the heart of academic life. The University also climbed 11 places to 33rd in RateMyPlacement’s Best Universities for Work Experience table 2025-2026, reflecting the wide range of opportunities available to Kent students to gain real-world experience, develop key skills, and enhance their employability.
Other recent achievements include a Teaching Innovation Award for microbiologists Dr Emma Hargreaves and Dr Alexandra Moores from the School of Natural Sciences, who were awarded a prestigious 2025 Teaching Innovation Award for their work in supporting students’ transition to university and enhancing numeracy skills through targeted interventions.