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
#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.
#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.
#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.
#8 - Newcastle vs Liverpool
Season 45 - Episode 28 - Aired 2/9/2016
The quarter-final stage continues as teams representing two more universities fight it out to reach the next stage of the competition. 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.
#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 - 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.
#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.
#22 - 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.
#23 - St Johns College, Oxford vs Peterhouse, Cambridge
Season 45 - Episode 29 - Aired 2/22/2016
The fifth quarter-final takes place.
#24 - Jesus College, Cambridge vs Queens' College, Cambridge
Season 46 - Episode 15 - Aired 10/17/2016
Jesus College, Cambridge faces Queens' College, Cambridge in the first match of the highest-scoring losers.
#25 - University of Strathclyde vs Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Season 47 - Episode 17 - Aired 11/13/2017
Second round match between the University of Strathclyde and Emmanuel College, Cambridge.