Rankings
We are highly ranked in the UK and world league tables, and are recognised internationally for our research, teaching and outreach.
University league table rankings
- 41st in the UK: The Complete University Guide (CUG) 2023
- 50th in the UK: The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023 [subscription only]
- 66th in the UK: The Guardian University league tables 2023
- Joint 29th out of 103 UK institutions in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2023
World rankings
- Joint 15th in the world: Times Higher Education (THE) “Golden Age” ranking (for universities established between 1945 and 1967)
- =37th in the world: Times Higher Education (THE) World Impact Rankings 2022
- 201-250th in the world: The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2023
- 8th in the world: World’s Universities with Real Impact (WURI) Ranking 2021 – Student Mobility and Openness
- 22nd in the UK, 67th in Europe and 175th in the world: US News Best Global Universities
QS World Rankings
- 1st in the world for Development Studies: QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022
- 3rd in the UK for sustainable institutions: QS World University Rankings by Sustainablility 2023
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.
