On Thursday (August 14), students across the UK collected their A-level results, with many hoping to take the next step to university. Oxford University has been ranked as the best university in the world for nine consecutive years in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. READ MORE: Oxford University named UK's second best in 2026 rankingThe University of Oxford. Yet despite its reputation and prestige, some students still turn down Oxford each year having been offered a place to study there. "If I were to go to Oxford, then there's a lot more freedom to specialise in niche fields or focus on research.
