Aberystwyth University has slipped nine places among UK institutions in an influential annual ranking guide.

After being named Welsh University of the Year in last year’s The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, Aberystwyth has fallen from second to third in Wales, and from 39th to 48th overall in the UK in this year’s edition of the rankings.

Cardiff remains the top ranked Welsh university, with Swansea University – which leapfrogged Aberystwyth into second place in this year’s guide – named the overall Welsh University of the Year for 2025.

Bangor University in Gwynedd retained its fourth place ranking among Welsh universities but saw its overall UK rank slip 20 places from 44th to 64th.

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD), which has a campus in Lampeter, was ranked seventh in Wales and 110th in the UK.

UWTSD matched its record in Wales from last year, but rose seven places from last year’s 117th overall UK ranking.

Helen Davies, editor of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, said: “The best universities — whether they were founded in the 15th century or 2005 — are local and global powerhouses of intellectual thought and creativity, from the arts to science, that can power economic regeneration and lead the way to a better life.

“But what and where to study — and how to pay for it — has never been tougher. This is where our comprehensive guide can help.

“This year we have tweaked our methodology to keep up with contemporary concerns around climate change and careers and have added in a sustainability metric, teaming up with People & Planet, and boosted the weighting of graduate prospects.

“The higher education sector is facing unprecedented challenges from debates on free speech to financial stability, but it is important to remember the force for good that going to university can be. See how the universities compare subject by subject, a guide on campus life, and what scholarships and bursaries may be on offer online.”

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide - released on Friday, 20 September - can be found at www.thetimes.com/uk-university-rankings.