Every year over 30,000 students trust Ulster University to help them reach their career goals.
We are proud to be consistently recognised for teaching quality, research impact, and student experience. Explore the awards and accolades that demonstrate why Ulster is trusted by students, partners, and communities worldwide.
Ulster University Excellence in Action
Ulster University, our research, education quality, and student experience is continuously recognised by UK, International and Global bodies, and institutions.
Winner of the
University of the Year
Times Higher Education Awards (2024)
Ulster University has over 30,000 students
HESA (2023/24)
Welcoming students from 70+ Countries
QS Stars (2026)
5 Stars for Excellence across Ulster
- Rated 5 Stars: Excellent Overall
- Rated 5 Stars: Excellent for Employability
- Rated 5 Stars: Excellent for Teaching
- Rated 5 Stars: Excellent for Facilities
- Rated 5 Stars: Excellent for Research
- Rated 5 Stars: Excellent for Global Engagement
- Rated 5 Stars: Excellent for Good Governance
- Rated 5 Stars: Excellent for Diversity Equality and Inclusion
- Rated 5 Stars: Excellent for Environmental Impact
Times/Sunday Times University Guide (2026)
49th in the UK Overall
Subject Excellence
- 4th in the UK - Information Systems and Management
- 6th in the UK - Land and Property Management
- 7th in the UK - Pharmacology and Pharmacy
- 7th in the UK - Physiotherapy
- 8th in the UK - Food Science
- 9th in the UK (Joint) - Building
- 9th in the UK - Radiography
- 13th in the UK (Joint) - Town and Country Planning and Landscape
- 16th in the UK (Joint) - Civil Engineering
- 16th in the UK - Cultural Studies
- 17th in the UK - Chemical Engineering
- 17th in the UK (Joint) - Nursing
- 18th in the UK - Architecture
- 18th in the UK - General Engineering
- 19th in the UK (Joint) - Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering
- 20th in the UK - Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering
- 20th in the UK - Law
Guardian University Guide (2026)
52nd in the UK Overall (Joint)
Subject Excellence
- 1st in the UK - Nutrition and Food Science
- 2nd in the UK - Hospitality, Event Management and Tourism
- 6th in the UK - Pharmacy & Pharmacology
- 9th in the UK - General Nursing
- 10th in the UK - Civil Engineering
- 12th in the UK - Psychology
- 13th in the UK - Journalism
- 14th in the UK - General Engineering
- 15th in the UK - Electrical & Electronic Engineering
- 19th in the UK - Biomedical Science
Complete University Guide (2026)
54th in the UK Overall
Subject Excellence
- 1st in the UK - Optometry, Ophthalmics and Orthoptics
- 2nd in the UK - Pharmacology and Pharmacy
- 3rd in the UK - Land and Property Management
- 4th in the UK - Building
- 6th in the UK - Food Science
- 6th in the UK - Health Studies
- 9th in the UK - Counselling, Psychotherapy and Occupational Therapy
- 9th in the UK - Information Technology and Systems
- 12th in the UK - Speech and Language Therapy
- 13th in the UK - Town and Country Planning and Landscape Design
- 14th in the UK - Paramedic Science
- 15th in the UK - General Engineering
- 16th in the UK - Manufacturing and Production Engineering
- 16th in the UK - Tourism, Transport, Travel and Heritage Studies
- 18th in the UK - Marketing
- 18th in the UK - Physiotherapy
Daily Mail University Guide (2027)
39th in the UK Overall
Subject Excellence
- 2nd in the UK - Environmental and Public Health
- 3rd in the UK - Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology
- 6th in the UK - Social Work
- 8th in the UK - Chemical, Process and Energy Engineering
- 10th in the UK - Architecture, Building and Planning
National Student Survey - NSS (2026)
Overall Student Satisfaction by Undergraduate Degree Programme
- 100% Overall Student Satisfaction -BSc Hons Podiatry
- 100% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Civil Engineering
- 100% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Radiotherapy & Oncology
- 100% Overall Student Satisfaction - BA Hons History
- 100% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons International Hospitality Management
- 100% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Building Survey
- 100% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Communications, Advertising and Marketing
- 100% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Marine Science
- 100% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Food Business and Innovation
- 100% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Community Youth Work
- 100% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Games Design and Development
- 100% Overall Student Satisfaction - MEng Mechanical Engineering
- 100% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Geography
- 100% Overall Student Satisfaction - BEng Hons Computer Science
- 97% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Social Work (2 year)
- 96% Overall Student Satisfaction - MPharm Pharmacy
- 96% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Business Economics
- 96% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Social Work
- 95% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Nursing (Mental Health)
- 94% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Community Youth Work
- 93% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Diagnostic Radiography and Imaging
- 93% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Personalised Medicine
- 93% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Real Estate
- 93% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Environmental Health
- 92% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Human Nutrition
- 92% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Accounting (Pathways)
- 92% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Energy
- 92% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Environmental Science
- 92% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Economics
- 92% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Sociology
- 92% Overall Student Satisfaction - MEng Hons Biomedical Engineer
- 92% Overall Student Satisfaction - Journalism (Single Hons & Combined Honours)
- 92% Overall Student Satisfaction - Journalism with English
- 92% Overall Student Satisfaction - Journalism with Education
- 92% Overall Student Satisfaction - Journalism with History
- 91% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Sociology with Criminology
- 91% Overall Student Satisfaction - MBBS Medicine
- 91% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Politics & International Studies with Criminology
- 90% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Biomedical Science
- 90% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Biomedical Science (Life Sciences)
- 90% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Computing Systems
- 90% Overall Student Satisfaction - BSc Hons Construction Engineering & Management
Student Crowd University Awards (2026)
See how Ulster University performs against the categories that matter most.
- Voted 13th UK University Overall
- Voted 1st in the UK for Job Prospects for the 4th consecutive year
- Voted 1st in the UK for Teaching Quality for the 3rd consecutive year
- Voted 1st in the UK for Value for Money for the second year
- Voted 2nd in the UK for Course Content
- Voted Top 10 in the UK for Personal Tutor
- Voted Top 20 in the UK for Careers Service
- Voted Top 20 in the UK for Campus and Facilities
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey - PTES (2026)
The Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) is the only UK higher education sector-wide survey to gain insight from taught postgraduate students about their learning and teaching experience.
Top 15% UK and Ireland for Skill Development
Top 15% UK and Ireland for Community
Subject Excellence
- 100% Student Satisfaction - Architecture, Building and Planning
- 100% Student Satisfaction - Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies
- 100% Student Satisfaction - Language and Area Studies
- 100% Student Satisfaction - Geography, Earth and Environmental sciences
- 95% Student Satisfaction - Social Sciences
- 93% Student Satisfaction - Media, Journalism and Communications
- 92% Student Satisfaction - Business and Management
Postgraduate Research Experience Survey - PRES (2025)
The Postgraduate Research Experience Survey 2025 results for Ulster University show strong researcher satisfaction across key areas:
- 2nd in the UK - Overall Satisfaction
- 1st in the UK - Research Support
- 1st in the UK - Online Learning Resources
- 2nd in the UK - Professional Development
- 2nd in the UK - Research Responsibilities
- 3rd in the UK - Research Community
REF 2021
Top 10% of UK Universities for Research Impact
We are in the Top 10% of UK Universities for outstanding (4*) or very considerable (3*) research impact.
Our research is transforming lives, solving global challenges to impact communities and societies for the better.
Research with Impact
Overall, Ulster University has further increased its research positioning in the UK;
- Ulster University now ranks in the Top 10% of UK Universities for outstanding (4*) or very considerable (3*) research impact.
- 97% of Ulster’s research was judged as having ‘outstanding’ or ‘very considerable impacts’ in terms of reach and significance
- 97% of Ulster's research environment has been judged as being conducive to producing research of world-leading and internationally excellent quality and enabling outstanding impact
- 80.1% of Ulster’s research outputs have been assessed as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’
