The University of East Anglia has come third in an annual poll to find the best university according to students.

The survey asked more than 13,000 undergraduates to rate their university on 21 different factors, from the quality of teaching to the social life on campus.

UEA improved on its fifth place in last year's Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey, climbing over both Cambridge and Oxford.

Topping the poll was Loughborough University, which scored highly for its sports facilities, campus environment, extracurricular activities, social life, students' union and library. It is the fifth year running that the university has topped the poll. In second place this year was Sheffield University.

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

'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.'

Ann Mroz, editor of Times Higher Education, said: 'Our annual survey is well established as a benchmark of the student experience at each university. Unlike other polls, it asks students themselves to rate the factors they see as important – from the quality of teaching to the non-academic aspects of university life that contribute to a great all-round experience, so it has always been highly influential and very closely watched.

'With universities in England grappling with the new funding regime, working out how much to charge in tuition fees up to the new cap of �9,000 a year, the data in this table will be more important than ever.'