THE University of East Anglia (UEA) has been named as one of the best places in the UK to be a student.

The Student Experience Survey ranks UEA third in the country – two places higher than last year’s result and overtaking both Oxford and Cambridge.

Compiled by the Times Higher Education, the survey gathered the views of more than 13,000 undergraduates on 21 aspects of university life – from quality of teaching, to social life and campus facilities.

The university scored an overall score of 83.28, beaten only by Loughborough (84.90) and Sheffield (83.76). Cambridge came fourth in the table and Oxford sixth.

“We are delighted by this recognition of the excellent student educational experience the university offers,” said UEA pro-vice-chancellor Prof Tom Ward.

“Our students put a great deal of effort and commitment into their studies and we have done our best to match that with investment in additional academic staff and new buildings for learning and teaching.”

In another assessment of student satisfaction – the National Student Survey - UEA has been ranked in the top five of mainstream English universities since the survey began in 2005.