University Challenge — Lowest Scores

Not much is known about the lowest scores from the Bamber Gascoigne series, except that the lowest score ever was amassed in 1971-2, when a Sussex team, fresh from two series wins, managed only 10 points. Sussex repeated that feat by also scoring 10 points in their first-round loss in 2022, the lowest score since 1994. It is also claimed that in 1977 the Brunel team were the only team to still be on zero points at the half-time interval.

Outside of the student series, the final of the 2017 Christmas University Challenge ended with the Reading team on 0 points.

The following are the lowest scores since the show returned in 1994.

Lowest Scores, 1994-2026
1	Sussex	Birmingham	1st	22	10
2	Exeter	Corpus Christi, Oxford	QF	09	15
3	Wadham, Oxford	Imperial, London	2nd	25	25
4	Lincoln, Oxford	Manchester	SF	09	30
5	St John's, Oxford	Peterhouse, Cambridge	Final	16	30
6	New Hall, Cambridge	Nottingham	1st	98	35
7	Bradford	Queen's, Belfast	1st	04	35
8	Jesus, Oxford	Edinburgh	1st	11	35
9	Brasenose, Oxford	Durham	1st	15	35
10	Bangor	Durham	2nd	23	35
11	Exeter	Bristol	2nd	25	35
12	Birkbeck, London	Manchester	1st	97	40
13	Oxford Brookes	LSE	2nd	98	40
14	Keele	Christ's, Cambridge	2nd	02	40
15	St Andrews	Churchill, Cambridge	1st	02	40
16	St Andrews	Manchester	1st	05	40
17	Queen's, Belfast	Jesus, Cambridge	HSL	05	40
18	Robinson, Cambridge	Wadham, Oxford	1st	07	40
19	Keele	Liverpool	1st	14	40
20	Sheffield Hallam	Newcastle	1st	18	40
21	Cardiff	Southampton	1st	18	40
22	Wolfson, Cambridge	St John's, Oxford	1st	20	40
23	Wolfson, Cambridge	Merton, Oxford	1st	21	40
24	St Hilda's, Oxford	Manchester	2nd	06	45
25	Corpus Christi, Oxford	Edinburgh	2nd	07	45
26	Plymouth	Durham	1st	12	45
27	Ulster	Bristol	QF	18	45
28	St Hugh's, Oxford	University, London	HSL	18	45
29	Wolfson, Oxford	Durham	QF	20	45
30	Queen Mary, London	St John's, Cambridge	2nd	22	45
31	St Hilda's, Oxford	Trinity, Cambridge	2nd	22	45
32	Harper Adams	Strathclyde	1st	26	45