Southampton and Solent University ranked in Daily Mail guide

The Daily Mail recently published their University Guide for 2025 which revealed how both University of Southampton and Solent University fared.

The comprehensive league table includes more than 130 higher education institutions around the country.

The University of Southampton managed to squeeze into the top 20 with a ranking of 20 out of all universities in the UK.

The research-intensive Russell Group university was ranked as 14th best in the country for research quality, while subjects aero engineering and art were named number one, compared to universities offering the same courses.

(Image: University of Southampton)

But on the other end of the scale, the university’s physics offering was ranked 33rd out of 44, and anthropology ranked 15 out of 17.

The guide goes on to state the university is one of the worst for student support, coming in at 106.

Applications for the university crested 45,000 for the first time last year, as the university “works hard to make courses with mostly high entry requirements available to a wider audience”.

Assessors for last year's Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) praised the university's Ignite Your Success programme as 'outstanding'.

The scheme provides academic and career opportunities and financial support for students from under-represented groups.

The wider TEF result of three silver awards for overall rating, student experience and student outcomes were somewhat less than the university would have hoped for.

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The university has several sites across the city, but the Daily Mail described the National Oceanography Centre on its waterfront campus as “a notable gem”.

The guide reads: “It is home to the school of ocean and earth science, which has a coral reef laboratory for testing environmental effects on reefs in a controlled setting, as well as a research vessel.”

The university said it is delighted to be recognised as one of the top 20 universities in the country.

A spokesperson said: “The rankings reflect our commitment to excellence in education, research, knowledge exchange, and enterprise.

“We are particularly pleased that the rankings acknowledge our work in supporting students from under-represented groups who help to make up our diverse and inclusive community.

“These rankings build on our reputation as one of the top 100 universities in the world, as recognised by the QS World University Rankings.”

(Image: Solent University)

Further down the league table is Solent University, ranked at 124.

The university’s courses have been highly praised, with mechanical engineering ranked as fourth out of 69 across the UK.

Meanwhile, chemical engineering came in at nine out of 34.

Solent secured a prestigious triple gold in the latest Teaching Excellence Framework, covering an overall rating, student experience and student outcomes.

The university was created from a series of mergers, which brought together the College of Nautical Studies in Warsash, Southampton College of Art and the city's College of Technology.

Its maritime courses are its “defining feature,” according to the Daily Mail, and it runs cadetship open days for prospective students interested in a life at sea.

They added: “Facilities are second to none and include bridge simulators and a unique ship handling centre, which features an 11-ship scaled model fleet used for training masters, senior officers and pilots.”

Speaking on the ranking, a Solent University spokesperson said: “As shown by our improved ranking in other prominent league tables this year, such as the Guardian’s University Guide, the way universities are judged varies drastically between publications.

“Solent University has a fantastic offer for students, highlighted by our consistently strong rating for student satisfaction and our award winning teaching and learning environment.”