Birmingham Newman University: the new UK leader for student satisfaction in the National Student Survey
Birmingham Newman is the Number 1 university in the UK for overall student positivity – a key indicator of student satisfaction – following today’s National Student Survey 2026 results.
Birmingham Newman has powered to the top of the UK rankings for overall student positivity. The University is also first in the UK for Assessment and Feedback, Learning Opportunities and Student Voice.
Additionally, the University is ranked in the UK’s top three for:
- Students’ Union (No.2)
- Academic Support (No.3)
- Learning Resource (No.3)
- Library (No.3)
Today’s NSS results offer compelling evidence that the University’s commitment to inclusion is delivering an increasingly high-quality learning experience and excellent outcomes for all students; Birmingham Newman has improved to 92.2% for student positivity, rising from 9th place in 2025, based on data from surveyed full-time, first-degree taught students.
Professor Jackie Dunne MBE, Vice-Chancellor, Birmingham Newman University said:
“We’re delighted by the outstanding results achieved by Birmingham Newman. These rankings reflect our unwavering commitment to providing students with the very best experience possible.
“We work hard to provide access for all those who have the talent and motivation to benefit from a university education. And hearing from our students that we are the best in the UK, gives us confidence that we are delivering on our objectives.
“We are enormously grateful to our students for their hard work and enthusiasm, and for their positive comments that have led to today’s encouraging results, and to staff across the university who strive every day to provide the best possible experience for all our students.
“We will continue to build upon the findings of this year’s NSS, along with other sources of student feedback and as a community, we will continue to listen to our students and act on the feedback we receive.”
The NSS gauges the views of more than 350,000 final-year students across more than 500 providers in the UK.
Already in 2026, the University has earned silver in the Lecturers and Teaching Quality category at the WhatUni Student Choice Awards (WUSCAs) – like the NSS, judged on student feedback alone. The University has also ranked fourth in the country for the English Social Mobility Index, and became Nurse Education Provider of the Year (pre-registration) at the 2026 Student Nursing Times Awards.
For more on the National Student Survey, visit The National Student Survey 2026 – Office for Students.
