The BEST episodes of University Challenge
Every episode of University Challenge ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of University Challenge!
Academic quiz show where teams of students from UK universities answer questions on all manner of subjects
#1 - King's, Cambridge vs Edinburgh
Season 38 - Episode 12 - Aired 9/22/2008
The students representing King's College Cambridge fight it out with the University of Edinburgh in another first round match of the student quiz. Jeremy Paxman asks the questions.
#2 - Manchester vs. Corpus Christi, Oxford
Season 38 - Episode 31 - Aired 2/23/2009
#3 - University of Edinburgh vs St Edmund Hall, Oxford
Season 48 - Episode 37 - Aired 4/22/2019
The University Challege final, the University of Edinburgh faces St Edmund Hall, Oxford.
#4 - King's College, London vs Imperial
Season 50 - Episode 30 - Aired 2/15/2021
In this London derby, the teams from King's and Imperial take each other on for a step closer to the semi-finals. Both teams have lost one QF, so it's goodbye to the losers, but a step closer for the winners.
Watch Now:Amazon#5 - Semi final 2: Balliol, Oxford vs Magdalene, Cambridge
Season 50 - Episode 36 - Aired 3/29/2021
#6 - Emmanuel College, Cambridge vs Royal Northern College of Music
Season 51 - Episode 16 - Aired 10/25/2021
It’s the last of the two highest-scoring loser matches tonight, with two teams getting another chance to battle it out for a place in the second round. Jeremy Paxman asks the questions.
Watch Now:Amazon#7 - Corpus Christi, Oxford vs. Durham
Season 38 - Episode 2 - Aired 7/14/2008
In the second of the first round matches, the students of Corpus Christi College, Oxford fight it out against the team representing the University of Durham. Jeremy Paxman asks the questions.
#9 - Oxford Brookes University vs Courtauld Institute of Art
Season 47 - Episode 6 - Aired 7/28/2017
First round match between Oxford Brookes University and the Courtauld Institute of Art.
#10 - Imperial vs Durham
Season 50 - Episode 33 - Aired 3/8/2021
It's knockout stage now, it's a race to the finish and a race to the end. The teams from Imperial and Durham take each other on for the third place in the semi-finals, but it's sayonara to the losing team.
#11 - Birkbeck, London vs Strathclyde
Season 50 - Episode 32 - Aired 3/1/2021
In another quarter-final, Birkbeck London take on Strathclyde for a step closer towards the semi-finals. Whoever loses will go home. Jeremy Paxman asks the questions.
#12 - Open University vs Birkbeck College, London
Season 50 - Episode 24 - Aired 1/4/2021
In the last of the second round matches, two teams of students fight it out for a place in the quarter finals. Jeremy Paxman asks the questions.
#13 - Robinson College, Cambridge vs Wadham College, Oxford
Season 46 - Episode 8 - Aired 8/29/2016
First round match between Robinson College, Cambridge and Wadham College, Oxford.
#14 - Oriel College, Oxford vs University of Manchester
Season 46 - Episode 5 - Aired 8/8/2016
First round match between Oriel College, Oxford and the University of Manchester.
#15 - Queens' College, Cambridge vs Peterhouse, Cambridge
Season 46 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/1/2016
Teams from these two Cambridge colleges battle it out for a place in the next round.
#16 - St Catharine's College, Cambridge vs University of York
Season 45 - Episode 30 - Aired 2/29/2016
#17 - University of Strathclyde vs Durham University
Season 48 - Episode 6 - Aired 8/27/2018
First round match between the University of Strathclyde and Durham University.
#18 - York v Birkbeck
Season 53 - Episode 22 - Aired 12/11/2023
The second round of the quiz competition for students continues. York competes with Birkbeck for a place in the quarter-finals. Amol Rajan asks the questions.
#19 - University of St Andrews vs Worcester College, Oxford
Season 46 - Episode 13 - Aired 10/3/2016
First round match between the University of St Andrews and Worcester College, Oxford.
#20 - University of Birmingham vs University of Bristol
Season 49 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/5/2019
In another first-round match, the University of Birmingham competes against the University of Bristol for a place in the second round of the student quiz. Jeremy Paxman asks the questions.
#21 - St Johns College, Oxford vs Peterhouse, Cambridge
Season 45 - Episode 29 - Aired 2/22/2016
The fifth quarter-final takes place.
#22 - Balliol College, Oxford vs Imperial College London
Season 46 - Episode 7 - Aired 8/22/2016
First round match between Balliol College, Oxford and Imperial College London.
#23 - Open University vs University of Salford
Season 46 - Episode 9 - Aired 9/5/2016
First round match between the Open University and the University of Salford.
#24 - Semi final 1: Imperial vs Warwick
Season 50 - Episode 35 - Aired 3/22/2021
It's semi-finals time, the teams from Imperial and Warwick play each other to take the first place in the final. It will be an Oxbridge affair next week where the winners of tonight's game will take on either Oxford or Cambridge in 2 weeks time.