Rankings

We are highly ranked in the UK and world league tables, and are recognised internationally for our research, teaching and outreach.

A group of female students celebrating at a graduation ceremony

University league table rankings


World rankings

QS World Rankings


Global Student Satisfaction Award winners – Student Diversity

We’re thrilled to have won the award for Student Diversity at the 2021 Global Student Satisfaction Awards.

This category asked students how friendly the atmosphere at their university was for people from diverse background – including different countries, cultures, religions, age, gender, and special needs.

Our ambitious internationalisation strategy seeks to be inclusive and encourage a diverse student body, and this award is recognition of that diversity.


Research Excellence Framework (REF)

Sussex is a leading research university, as reflected in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF).

For REF 2021, 89% of the research we submitted was categorised ‘world-leading’ (40.6%) or ‘internationally excellent’ (48.4%).

In addition, 93% of our research impact was assessed to be ‘outstanding’ or ‘very considerable’ – up from 80.7% in 2014.

View all our REF results and learn more about REF 2021.


Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)

The Teaching Excellence Framework is a government-run exercise to evaluate the quality of the undergraduate student experience in higher education institutions in the UK.

Find out more about TEF on the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) website.

We were awarded a silver rating in the 2017 TEF submission, and as part of our submission, Sussex was strongly praised by HEFCE for:

  • our outstanding employment strategy, with the proportion of Sussex graduates in highly-skilled jobs or further study 12 per cent above benchmark expectations
  • the very high proportion of Sussex students from all backgrounds who complete their course and go on to highly-skilled employment or further study.

As well as our employment strategy and the performance of under-represented groups in our student body, the TEF panel assessors said our submission reflects:

  • our culture that values excellent teaching through career progression, professional development and teaching awards
  • the significant investment in the University estate and high-quality physical and digital resources that aids student learning
  • our students’ consistent and frequent exposure to, and engagement in, cutting-edge research
  • optimum levels of student engagement and commitment to learning, secured through excellent teaching and assessment practices.

Read our full TEF submission.

TEF Silver logo


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