Degree awarding powers and university title

Degree awarding powers

Due to the current unprecedented circumstances related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and the need to prioritise OfS resources, we are not currently accepting any new applications for degree awarding powers (DAPs). We will review the situation again in early 2021 and will update our website accordingly.

If you believe any exceptional circumstances apply in your case, please contact us at [email protected].

Students who successfully complete a course of study usually receive a diploma, certificate or degree.

If they are awarded a degree, it can be a foundation degree, a bachelors' degree with honours, a masters' degree, or a doctorate.

Study for a foundation or bachelors' degree is known as undergraduate study. Other study at a higher level is known as postgraduate study.

To award these qualifications, higher education providers need to apply for degree awarding powers.

Further information about the different levels of higher education qualifications is available from the Frameworks for higher education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ), published by the Quality Assurance Agency.

How to apply

Higher education providers applying from 1 April 2018 are subject to the provisions outlined in the regulatory framework.

We have published guidance for providers that want to apply for authorisation to grant:

Foundation degrees - up to and including Level 5 on the Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ)
Awards up to, and including, bachelors' degrees - up to and including Level 6 on the FHEQ
All taught awards - up to and including Level 7 on the FHEQ
Research awards - Level 8 and research masters' degrees at Level 7 of the FHEQ

Get the guidance and application documents Submit your application online

Higher education providers who applied for degree awarding powers before 1 April 2018 are subject to a different process.

About the application process before 1 April 2018

Higher education providers who applied before 1 April 2018 will have applied to award taught degrees, taught and research degrees or foundation degrees.

These applications will be processed in accordance with the guidance previously published by the government:

This guidance indicates that the application process will be administered by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), which will also advise the government about submitted applications.

On 1 April 2018, the OfS took over HEFCE’s role in this process.

Where higher education providers applied before 1 April 2018, the decision to grant degree awarding powers rests with the Privy Council.

Contact us

If you have any queries relating to applying for degree awarding powers please contact us: [email protected].

Last updated 16 December 2020 + show all updates

16 December 2020: Update to the alert message.
15 May 2020: Notice added about the suspension of applications for degree awarding powers.

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Degree awarding powers and university title

Degree awarding powers

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