in 2004, loughborough university was ranked 9th among british universities by the [[the times|times]]' [[rankings of universities in the united kingdom|good university guide]]. in 2006 loughborough was ranked 6th. in 2007 [[the guardian]] rated the university 8th, and 10th of 117 institutions by the guardian league tables 2009 (published online 1/6/08 for the 2009–2010 academic year. the university is 5th in some rankings, behind oxbridge and the london universities. the university has the largest sports scholarship in the uk. more than 250 international athletes study and train there. in 2008 loughborough was named sunday times university of the year.