Our achievements

Overall accolades

• We’ve been shortlisted for University of the Year in the Times Higher Education Awards 2024. 
• We are ranked as a Top 40 UK university in the Guardian University Guide 2025
• We're University of the Year for Student Support (Daily Mail University Guide 2025)
• We are one of the world’s best young universities according to the THE Young University Rankings 2023
• The University of Sunderland is in the top 10 universities in the UK for Careers Prospects (What Uni Student Choice Awards 2024)
• We are 1st in the north-east for teaching quality and student experience (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023)
• We are 1st in the north-east for student satisfaction (The Complete University Guide 2025)
  
  

Undergraduate accolades

Arts and Creative Industries

UK based

• Our English courses are 15th in the UK for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Our Film Production and Photography courses are 1st in the UK (Guardian University Guide, 2023)
• Our Media and Film Studies courses are 11th in the UK (Guardian University Guide, 2023)
• Our Journalism courses are 13th in the UK (Guardian University Guide, 2023)
• Our Drama and Dance courses are 13th in the UK (Guardian University Guide, 2023)
• Our Art courses are 16th in the UK (Guardian University Guide, 2023)
• Our Art and Creative Industry courses were finalists for the Tomorrow's Employees category in the Green Gown Awards UK and Ireland 2024

North-East based

• Our Drama, Dance and Cinematics courses are 1st in the north-east for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Our Music courses are 1st in the north-east for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025)

Business Law and Tourism

UK based

• Our School of Business and Management has been shortlisted for Business School of the Year in the Times Higher Education Awards 2024.
• Our Marketing courses are 2nd in the UK for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Our Business and Management courses are 6th in the UK for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Our Tourism, Transport, Travel and Heritage Studies courses are 9th in the UK for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Our Law courses are 6th in the UK for Graduate Prospects Outcomes (Complete University Guide 2024)
• Our Hospitality, Event Management and Tourism courses are 13th in the UK (Guardian University Guide, 2023)
  
  

North-East based

• Our Business and Management courses are 1st in the north-east for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Our Marketing courses are 1st in the north-east for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Our Tourism, Transport, Travel and Heritage Studies are 1st in the north-east for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Our Law courses are 1st in the north-east for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2024)
• Our Marketing and Public Relations courses are 1st in the north-east for teaching satisfaction (Guardian University Guide 2023)
• Our Law courses are 1st in the north-east for course satisfaction and teaching satisfaction (Guardian University Guide 2023)
• Our Business and Management courses are 1st in the north-east for course satisfaction and teaching satisfaction (Guardian University Guide 2023)
• Our Law courses are 1st in the north-east for teaching quality and student experience (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023)
• Our Business, Management and Marketing courses are 1st in the north-east for teaching quality (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023)

Education and Society

UK based

• Our Social Work courses are 14th in the UK (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Our Childhood and Youth Studies courses are 11th in the UK for graduate prospects (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Our Social Work courses are in the UK top 20 for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Our Education courses are 12th in the UK (Guardian University Guide, 2023)
  
  

North-East based

• Our Social Work courses are 1st in the north-east (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Our Social Work courses are 1st in the north-east for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2024)

Health Sciences and Wellbeing

UK based

• Our Counselling, Psychotherapy and Occupational Therapy courses are 12th in the UK (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Our Health Professions courses are 10th in the UK (Guardian University Guide, 2023)
• Our Medicine course is in the top 20 in the UK (Guardian University Guide 2025)
• Our Medicine course has a 100% positivity score for how well teaching staff support students' learning. (National Student Survey 2024)
• Our Paramedic Science course is in the UK top 20 (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Our Pharmacy and Pharmacology courses are 10th in the UK (Guardian University Guide, 2023)
• Our Sports Sciences courses are 15th in the UK (Guardian University Guide, 2023)
  
  

North-East based

• Our Medicine course is 1st in the north-east for teaching quality, student experience and graduate prospects (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025)
• Our Paramedic Science course is 1st in the north-east (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Our Pharmacology and Pharmacy courses are 1st in the north-east for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Our Psychology courses are 1st in the north-east for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2024)
• Our Psychology courses are 1st in the north-east for course satisfaction, teaching satisfaction and feedback satisfaction. (Guardian University Guide, 2023)
• Our Psychology courses are 1st in the north-east for teaching quality (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023)

Technology

UK based

• Our Mechanical Engineering courses are 8th in the UK for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025)
  

North-East based

• Our Manufacturing and Production Engineering courses are 1st in the north-east for student satisfaction and graduate prospects (Complete University Guide 2025)
  
  

International accolades

• We are recognised internationally as a leading university, receiving five stars for teaching, inclusiveness, employability, and facilities in the QS Stars World University Rankings 2023
• We're in the top 10 universities in Europe for International Student Diversity (QS World University Rankings: Europe 2025)
• We're 2nd in the UK for International Student Diversity (QS World University Rankings: Europe 2025)
  
  

Research accolades

Over 70% of our published research has been rated as either world-leading or internationally excellent in the latest Research Excellence Framework. (Research Excellence Framework 2021)

Other accolades

• We hold the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award.
• The National Network for the Education of Care Leavers (NNECL) Quality Mark has rated us as exceptional.
• NEON Awards: Widening Access Partnership of the Year 2023. Along with Durham University, Newcastle University, Teesside University and Northumbria University, we have won the Widening Access Partnership of the Year at the 2023 National Education Opportunities Network (NEON) Awards. This is for collaborative North East Raising Aspiration Partnership (NERAP) which supports care-experienced students through their higher education journey.