The BEST episodes of University Challenge

#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.

#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.

#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 - Emmanuel College, Cambridge vs St Catharine’s College, Cambridge

Season 51 - Episode 18 - Aired 11/8/2021

It’s another second round match tonight as two teams fight it out for a place in the quarter-finals. Jeremy Paxman asks the questions.

#25 - 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.