The UK has a world-class higher education sector, with all universities and colleges quality assessed through robust systems. The TEF builds on this by identifying and rewarding excellence in undergraduate teaching and student outcomes, in addition to the high standards of academic quality already required.
Universities and colleges are awarded gold, silver or bronze, or a provisional rating (meaning they do not yet have enough data for a full award). Participation is voluntary.
These pages relate to the fourth year of TEF awards, for which results will be announced in summer 2019.
Following the application process for Year Four of the TEF:
- 72 universities and colleges are going forward - subject to eligibility checks - for an assessed TEF award of gold, silver or bronze
- A further 27 have opted in for a provisional award, as they did not have enough data for an assessed award this year.
Between February and May 2019 the TEF panellists and assessors will review the applications.
In June 2019, after the panel has finalised its decisions, this year’s TEF awards, and award summaries, will be published.
See all universities and colleges that currently hold an award
Transition from provider-level to subject-level TEF
To date, TEF has operated at ‘provider level’, which means that it produces a single rating for the whole provider. TEF Year Four is the last year of provider level TEF. The first full subject-level TEF exercise will be conducted across two academic years, 2019-20 and 2020-21, and will produce provider and subject-level ratings.
So that all universities and colleges participating in the TEF will be under the same system by 2021, the duration of TEF awards has been adjusted. Existing awards due to expire in 2020 will be extended until 2021 and new awards made in 2019 will be valid until 2021, as illustrated below and detailed in the TEF Year Four procedural guidance.
Timeline for the transition
