League tables
Different league tables measure different influences on the university's rankings among UK and world universities.
The figures below are drawn from a representative sample of the tables produced by various ranking organisations.
"World rankings" reflect Nottingham's position among all universities globally; UK rankings are specific to the UK.
General Academic Rankings
| UK Ranking | World ranking (if available) |
QS World University Rankings 2024
|
17
|
=100
|
QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024
|
16
|
32 (Europe)
|
Shanghai Ranking Academic Ranking of World Universities 2022
|
9-16
|
101-150
|
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024
|
16
|
130
|
The Complete University Guide 2025
|
30
|
N/A
|
The Guardian University Guide 2024
|
59
|
N/A
|
The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024
|
32
|
N/A
|
The Daily Mail University Guide 2024
|
27
|
N/A
|
QS International Trade Rankings 2024
|
5
|
18
|
Go global with Nottingham University's top-ranked business school
22 May, 2024 - Nottingham University Business School has been named in the world’s top 20 in the latest QS International Trade Rankings.
Created in partnership with the Hinrich Foundation, the rankings identify universities that excel in preparing graduates for successful careers in international trade.
Nottingham’s MSc International Business has been rated 18th out of 73 leading global institutions and 5th in the UK. It signifies the business school's innovative teaching and strong links to business and industry.
“Our course team have been conducting world-leading research on all the major dimensions of doing international business, which informs our teaching,” said Dr Jinmin Wang, the Course Director.
Students on the course are offered opportunities to take part in entrepreneurship initiatives and company-based challenges to improve their practical knowledge and skills. They are guided every step of the way by industry experts.
The one-year, full-time MSc course is designed for students without a first degree in business or management. The programme is run at both Nottingham and the university’s campus in China.
So why choose Nottingham's MSc International Business?
- Top 20 globally: Gain a world-class education ranked among the best for international trade.
- Focus on careers: Develop the skills employers seek, with a curriculum that emphasises practical knowledge and industry engagement.
- Innovative teaching: Learn from academics who use cutting-edge methods and real-world examples.
- Digital skills advantage: Enhance your CV with in-demand digital qualifications from Microsoft and SAP.
- Global opportunities: Study on our UK or China campuses and connect with a diverse student body.
Ready to launch your international trade career?
Explore the full programme details and application process
Official rankings
See the complete QS International Trade Rankings 2024
About the Hinrich Foundation
The Hinrich Foundation champions excellence in trade education.
Learn more about their mission
Sport
The University of Nottingham was named as Sports University of the Year for 2024 in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 and the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
Nottingham was previously the Sports University of the Year in 2021 and 2019 in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide.
Research
In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) – the UK's official assessment of the quality of research in UK higher education institutions – the University of Nottingham was placed 7th in the UK for research power, according to analysis by Times Higher Education (THE).
100% of our research is recognised internationally, and 90% is classed as 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent', according to THE's analysis. 51% of our research is assessed as 'world-leading' for its impact, according to our own analysis of the REF findings. Find out more about our REF results.
Employability
The University of Nottingham is ranked 66 in the world and 10 in the UK for employability by the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022.
Nottingham is also the third most targeted university by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research.