Training materials for Year Four
We have produced a series of video training materials for students and higher education providers.
View the videos
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).
These pages relate to the fourth year of TEF awards.
Participation is voluntary and around 300 universities and colleges currently hold a TEF 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
