University of Bristol takes the top spot for student satisfaction

Bethan Croft·10 December 2025·2 min read

University of Bristol takes the top spot for student satisfaction

If you’ve ever wondered which unis students are actually happiest at, the latest satisfaction rankings have some pretty interesting results. Spoiler: the University of Bristol comes out on top with an impressive 9.0/10 average score.

Students at Bristol say the big reasons for their high ratings are:

  • Really solid support services
  • A strong sense of community
  • Loving life in the city

Honestly, it makes sense — Bristol’s got a great student vibe.

Top 5 Universities for Student Satisfaction

Here’s how the leaderboard looks:

  1. University of Bristol – 9.0
  2. Swansea University – 8.6
  3. University of Manchester – 8.5
  4. Sheffield Hallam University – 8.5
  5. Manchester Metropolitan University – 8.5

These unis seem to shine when it comes to student support, community feel, and overall quality of life.

Bottom 5 Universities for Student Satisfaction

And on the other end of the list, some universities scored noticeably lower:

  1. University of Central Lancashire – 6.3
  2. Cardiff University – 6.1
  3. Liverpool John Moores University – 6.0
  4. University of Leicester – 6.0
  5. City, St George’s, University of London – 5.5

Students at these unis mentioned things like heavier workloads and weaker support services as reasons for their lower ratings.