Not to dampen the festive mood in Exeter right now, but new rankings suggest the city isn’t exactly excelling at Christmas.
In a recent survey, Exeter was placed 122nd out of 125 universities in the UK – a criminally low ranking.
Unifresher has undertaken the all too important task of ranking 125 unis in the UK on their levels of Christmas cheer. But for Exeter students, some of that festive spirit may fade as they discover their university’s pitiful position on the list.
The ranking were based on specific aspects of each university’s location and curriculum, including:
- Pubs per square mile
- Days off for Christmas break
- Distance to the North Pole in miles
- The closest ice rink to the uni campus
- Snow likelihood in days per year
As you can already tell, Exeter isn’t shaping up to be a top scorer in these particular categories.
The university reportedly has six pubs per square mile, offering plenty of spots to warm up with a winter drink, and students get a 23-day Christmas break.
However, Exeter falls short in the remaining measures. It sits 2,712.74 miles from the North Pole, the nearest ice rink is 32.75 miles away, and the city typically sees only one day of snow each year – placing Exeter in the bottom five universities overall.
125 unis were scored on each category and then ranked based on their average total score, with the information gathered in October 2025.
At the top of the list is Abertay University in Dundee, with a score of 209. It is situated in Scotland, north of both Edinburgh and St Andrews. The university delivers strong festive credentials, with snow almost guaranteed.
Clearly, institutions in the northern parts of the country benefit from a geographical advantage. This means Exeter’s southern location puts it at a significant disadvantage.
Bringing up the rear end of list and holding the sad title of least festive uni in the UK is Falmouth University. Clearly, a coastal Christmas is not on the list this year.
Because of their geography, the bottom five consist of Plymouth Marjon University, the University of Plymouth, the University of Exeter and the University of Winchester.
I’m starting to sense a trend.
The greatest travesty to come from this list is that Exeter ranks 122nd with only 21 points. If Christmas markets came into this list, surely Exeter’s position would skyrocket.
Exeter’s breath-taking Cathedral Green’s festive paradise can rival some of the UK’s best markets. The Christmas lights and stalls which adorn the high street are bound to elicit the Christmas spirit in even the most grinchy of individuals.
After speaking to fellow Exeter students, the reaction was clear. Confusion was expressed because of Exeter’s abundant source of festivities. Whether that’s ice skating in winter wonderland, drinking a hot chocolate at the Christmas market, or attending a society winter ball.
Clearly, a re-evaluation of some of the scoring factors is needed.
In my humble and entirely unbiased opinion, this ranking slightly misses some very important festive factors. But alas, a greater power has spoken, and who can argue that a Christmas in Scotland wouldn’t be absolutely magical.
But it wouldn’t be unwelcome to see some consideration of all Exeter has to offer when it comes to Christmas. After all, we all need a bit more kindness this time of year.
As Christmas starts to descend on the adorned streets of Exeter, make sure you take some time to appreciate how festive Exeter can be.
Despite what a ranking table might say, we students know that an Exeter Christmas is a Christmas like no other.
