51ÊÓƵ

CONTENTS

1. What are UK league table hidden gems? 

2. Why do they matter? 

3. Study in Scotland

4. Study in Northern Ireland

5. Study in Wales

6. Study in Yorkshire & the Humber 

7. Study in the North West

8. Study in the West Midlands

9. Study in the East Midlands

10. Study in the East of England

11. Study in the South East

12. Study in the South West 

13. Study in London

14. Find your own hidden gems with Uniselect

15. Data sources

What are UK league table hidden gems?  

The Complete University 51ÊÓƵ team have found universities throughout the country that really shine in particular subject areas. These areas of excellence or ‘hidden gems’ show that universities lower in the overall league table can rank amongst the best in the UK for certain subjects and could offer the best course and uni for many students.  

Why do they matter?  

There are many reasons why highlighting the hidden gems in our league tables can help students. If you have a clear idea of what you'd like to study or the career path you'd like to follow, our league table hidden gems can point you towards universities and areas of the UK you may not have considered before. For example, for those wanting a career that focuses on the development and wellbeing of children and young people, the University of Sussex and the University of Suffolk excel in the Childhood & Youth Studies rankings. 

If your final exam results were not as you expected and you want to go through Clearing, our hidden gems open up new avenues. In the area of health and medicine, both Scotland and Wales have several shining stars you may wish to consider.

With the cost of living putting increasing pressure on students and families, this new data highlights areas of excellence in students’ home regions too. Meaning that you don’t have to go far away from home to go far in your chosen field of study. Our hidden gems may even throw up some highly-rated subjects that you may not have previously considered. 

Study in Scotland  

Scottish students who want to save money by staying closer to home will find top-ranking courses in medical and scientific subjects, as well as those with a social focus such as Theology & Religious Studies or Social Work.

In 2025, the University of Dundee shines brightly among the hidden gems of Scotland. If you're looking for a university course that could open doors to a career in dentistry, Dundee ranks top in the UK (you may be eligible for government funding to support your dental studies, too!). In Medical Technology & Bioengineering, Dundee has had a stunning climb, moving up 12 to claim second place in this subject.

Study in Northern Ireland  

Ulster University in Northern Ireland, while ranking 42nd in the main UK league table, features in the top ten of an impressive nine subject league tables. From Optometry, Ophthalmics & Orthoptics to Land & Property Management, Ulster offers a range of table-topping subjects to choose from – whether you'd like to stay closer to home or want to move away to a university that ranks highly for your chosen subject.

Study in Wales  

Wales is no slouch when it comes to hidden gems. Bangor University glistens with three gems, coming second in our subject table for Information Technology & Systems, third for Health Studies, and fourth for Medical Technology & Bioengineering. While the University of South Wales is the second best place in the country to study Complementary Medicine. 

Study in Yorkshire & the Humber   

Students wishing to study Paramedic Science could do well to consider studying in Yorkshire & the Humber. The University of Bradford is third best place in the country to study, with an impressive 100% of graduates feeling they are 'on track' to achieve their career goals after they leave.

Study in the North West  

The North West of England also has its hidden gems. Manchester Metropolitan offers good scores across the board in Tourism, Transport, Travel & Heritage Studies where it ranks fifth. Edge Hill places fourth in Health Studies, where it achieves the highest score of the table for  graduates feeling they are 'on track' to meet their career goals.

Study in the West Midlands  

Coventry University may not rank highly in our main league table but it's fifth in the UK for Health Studies: it also gets the third highest score for student satisfaction in that table.

Study in the East Midlands 

In the East Midlands the University of Lincoln – 48th in our overall UK university rankings – features in the top ten of three subject tables, while Nottingham Trent University ranks sixth in the UK for Forensic Science and Childhood & Youth Studies respectively. They show that the highest ranking universities may not always be the best place for the subject you want to study.

Study in the East of England  

The University of Suffolk ranks third in the UK for Childhood & Youth Studies, so this previously overlooked university could be perfect for you if you want to stay close to home and get into a career working with children. Meanwhile the University of Bedfordshire may be lower in the main league table, but in Social Work it shines brightly, climbing an impressive eight places to enter the subject's top ten.

Study in the South East  

The South East of England does well for Forensic Science, with the University of Kent and the University of Portsmouth in the subject's top ten. In Childhood & Youth Studies the University of Sussex ranks second; Sussex has an academic reputation and gains the highest score for research quality in this subject, so courses are likely to focus on theory and practical application.

Find your own hidden gems with Uniselect 

If these league table hidden gems aren’t quite right for you, our university shortlisting tool, Uniselect, is here to help. 

Uniselect will build you a personalised shortlist of universities based on your answers to a few simple questions. You can choose where in the UK you’d like to study, customise the choices based on the subjects and sports you’d like the universities to offer, and Uniselect will serve you with a list of hidden gems of your own and even show you which ones are in Clearing! 

You can save as many shortlists to your Complete University 51ÊÓƵ profile as you want based on different criteria for you to come back to whenever you like. 

Data Sources

The data has been extracted from our 2025 UK university league tables. To find out more about how these were compiled you can read our University and subject league tables methodology or check out How to use the league tables.