Contents

Requirements for data returns

This page is intended to provide a summary overview and reminder of upcoming deadlines. More detailed information and requirements for data returns can be found in the letters that we send to providers:

Deadlines which vary by provider

Deadline Submission Approved providers Approved (fee cap) providers

Within five months and two weeks of a provider’s financial year end

Annual Financial Return

Registered providers (excluding further education colleges and sixth form colleges) need to submit financial data consistent with their latest audited financial statements, forecast financial and student number data, and other relevant contextual information, including signed, audited financial statements and the management letter from its external auditor. The data is used to monitor the financial viability and sustainability of providers.

Find out more about the Annual Financial Return

Aligned with ESFA deadline

Individual Learner Record (ILR) data return

Registered further education and sixth form colleges need to submit details of individual students and the courses they are studying. The data underpins our regulatory approach, including metrics used to monitor condition B3 (student outcomes).

Find out more about the ILR data return

2024-25 deadlines

Deadline Submission Approved providers Approved (fee cap) providers
29 November

National Student Survey (NSS) 2025

A provider will need to:

  1. Populate its NSS 2025 sample templates with contact details for all students on its target list.
  2. Review and/or update its NSS provider contact details.
  3. Submit its ‘My survey options’ form.

Instructions on how to supply this information will be included in the NSS 2025 set-up guide to be issued in late October 2024 by the contractor working on behalf of the OfS and the UK funding and regulatory bodies.

The NSS is used to improve the student experience and inform student choice. It is a key component of the quality and regulatory landscape in UK higher education and is used to support public accountability.

See further information

2 December

Prevent accountability and data return

Providers will need to submit a set of declarations confirming that they have continued to show due regard to the Prevent duty.

They will also need to submit data on key areas of the Prevent duty: welfare, events and external speakers, and training.

These are used to provide assurance that providers continue to demonstrate due regard to the Prevent duty.

For all providers that have received both a detailed assessment outcome and Prevent review meeting outcome by 1 August 2024.

See further information

(excluding further education and sixth form colleges)

(excluding further education and sixth form colleges)

13 December

Graduate Outcomes survey (2023-24) - Cohort A

Providers will need to engage with the Graduate Outcomes survey, including submitting and approving contact details for students who have completed their studies, who will then be surveyed.

For further education and sixth form colleges, initial contact details will be sourced from the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) but will still need checking.

The Graduate Outcomes survey is used to understand student progression and outcomes, including to inform student choice.

See further information on the HESA website

For further education and sixth form colleges only

For further education and sixth form colleges only

31 January

Higher Education Students Early Statistics survey 2024-25 (HESES24)

Providers will need to submit data on the number of higher education students studying in the 2024-25 academic year.

The data is used to inform funding allocations.

See guidance on submission requirements

 

31 January

TRAC 2023-24

Providers will need to submit a Transparent Approach to Costing (TRAC) return that has been reviewed and approved as set out in TRAC guidance.

The data is used to understand the application of costs across activity, including cross subsidies in higher education. It is also used by UKRI and other public funders for funding purposes.

See the TRAC guidance

 

Only providers that were required to submit a TRAC return for 2022-23

16 April

Annual capital monitoring 2024-25 (1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025): Annual report sign-off

This is used to provide assurance that capital funding has been used in line with OfS terms and conditions of funding, and to evidence the impact of capital grants at individual providers.

Further information about annual reporting will be published in spring 2025. The format will be similar to previous years.

If the monitoring information is not submitted by the deadline, the OfS will seek to reclaim the capital funding provided during the year.

 

All providers in receipt of OfS competitive capital funding in financial year 2024-25.

All providers in receipt of OfS formula capital allocation in financial year 2024-25.

24 June

Provider profile (2024-25)

A provider will need to submit information about the location of its campuses and its internal organisation. This data allows the OfS and others to understand the geographic distribution of higher education.

See further information

(excluding further education and sixth form colleges)

(excluding further education and sixth form colleges)

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Last updated 06 September 2024
06 September 2024
Added Equality in Higher Education Innovation Fund.
18 July 2024
Added deadlines and requirements for 2024-25 data returns.
28 May 2024
Graduate Outcomes Survey (2022-23): Cohort C deadline passed. Call for evidence: Approach to OfS public grant funding deadline passed. Proposed new name for City, University of London deadline passed. Consultation on proposed regulatory advice and other matters relating to freedom of speech deadline passed.
24 May 2024
Added link to letter 'Deadlines and requirements for Annual Financial Return 2024'.
30 April 2024
Consultation on NSS theme measures added.
25 April 2024
We have added the deadline for our consultation on a proposed new name for City, University of London
26 March 2024
We have published our consultation on proposed regulatory advice and other matters relating to freedom of speech.
21 March 2024
We have added the deadline for our consultation on a proposed new name for the University of Bolton.
18 March 2024
The consultation on the OfS’s approach to regulating students’ unions on free speech matters has closed.
13 November 2023
Further details of extensions for registered providers required to submit the 2022-23 Student (Data Futures) record: 2022-23 Student (Data Futures) return; Graduate Outcomes Cohort A contact details; the 2024 NSS contact details return; and the HESES return.
12 October 2023
Deadlines extended for: 2022-23 Student (Data Futures) return; Graduate Outcomes collection; and National Student Survey collection.
06 October 2023
Added links to recently published guidance.
29 August 2023
We have updated the deadline for the 2022-23 Student Return from 20 October 2023 to 3 November 2023.
27 July 2023
Deadline added for the consultation on the inclusion of higher technical qualifications in Office for Students’ student outcome measures.
27 April 2023
Link added to letter on AFR23; Deadline added for submission of Unistats 2023 valid dataset.
29 March 2023
Deadline for the consultation on the approach to publication of results of the National Student Survey added
09 March 2023
Deadline added for the consultation on payment of fees for investigations.
28 November 2022
Deadline added for the risks to equality of opportunity call for evidence
23 November 2022
Added the deadline for the artificial intelligence and data science postgraduate conversion course scholarship funding competition
10 November 2022
The deadlines have passed for the consultations on regulating equality of opportunity and a proposed new name for Newman University.
06 September 2022
Consultation on changes to the National Student Survey and consultation on specialist provider funding method deadlines have passed.
05 August 2022
Refreshed page with 2022-23 data deadlines.
18 July 2022
Deadline has passed to apply to join the TEF panel - opportunity removed
14 July 2022
Deadline added for the consultation on specialist provider funding method
28 June 2022
The consultation on the suitability of Jisc as the designated data body has now closed
27 June 2022
Deadlines to respond to the call for evidence on international students and to apply to be a quality assessor have passed
20 June 2022
Deadline to apply to join the OfS student panel has passed.
31 May 2022
Deadlines added for opportunities to get involved in our work: to join the OfS student panel, to join the TEF panel or to be a quality assessor
17 May 2022
The deadline for the call for evidence: Working in partnership to improve international student integration and experience has been extended to 24 June
12 May 2022
Deadline added for the supplementary consultation on the publication of information about higher education providers.
28 April 2022
A new deadline for the 23 May has been added, and updates have been made to the list of forthcoming publications.
16 March 2022
Deadline added for our call for evidence: Working in partnership to improve international student integration and experience
23 February 2022
Updates made to upcoming publications listing.
10 February 2022
Deadline added for submission of monitoring return of capital funding allocated in the financial year 2021-22.
04 February 2022
The planned release of the consultation outcome on the publication of information about individual providers has moved to spring/summer.
31 January 2022
Removed entry for 8 April 2022 for '2020-21 access and participation plan monitoring: monitoring return provider submission' as this is no longer required.
24 January 2022
Deadline for nominations for membership of specialist provider panel extended by two weeks from 21 January to 4 February 2022.
20 January 2022
Deadlines added for our three consultations on student outcomes and teaching excellence
06 January 2022
The consultation on the OfS strategy for 2022-25 has now closed.
14 December 2021
Past 2021 deadlines removed
25 November 2021
Updated to reflect the release of publications in November and the delay of other publications to the Spring/Summer.
20 October 2021
Consultation on an approach to world-leading specialist provider funding deadline added and degree classifications moved
14 October 2021
Discover Uni widget deadline added
04 October 2021
September deadlines removed.
28 September 2021
The deadline for the consultation on quality and standards conditions has passed.
27 September 2021
Updates to the list of upcoming publications.
17 September 2021
Medical and Dental Students survey 2021 and HESES21 deadlines added
20 July 2021
Deadlines added for data returns for academic year 2021-22
12 July 2021
Senior staff remuneration publication moved to autumn 2021
08 July 2021
Annual fee information return deadline added.
06 July 2021
Uni Connect annual report for 2019-20 added to upcoming publications for July.
25 June 2021
Past June deadline removed
23 June 2021
The release date for the two June consultation outcome documents has moved to July and the annual review has been moved to release in winter 2021.
10 June 2021
New section added on upcoming publications.
03 June 2021
Update to annual financial return deadline
02 June 2021
May deadlines removed
27 May 2021
Graduate Outcomes contact details (Cohort C) deadline passed and removed
07 May 2021
Consultation on recurrent funding deadline passed and removed
26 April 2021
Consultation on distribution of capital funding deadline passed and removed
01 April 2021
March deadlines removed
31 March 2021
Update to include the provider profile deadline.
26 March 2021
Capital and recurrent funding consultations deadlines added
15 March 2021
Deadline removed for consultation on publishing information about providers
08 March 2021
Deadline removed for consultation on monetary penalties
01 March 2021
Deadline removed for consultation on reportable events
25 February 2021
Details of monitoring of capital funding allocations for 2019-20 and 2020-21 updated
17 February 2021
Deadlines extended for the consultations on reportable events, monetary penalties, and publication of information.
03 February 2021
Annual TRAC return and Higher Education Early Statistics survey 2020-21 (HESES20) data sign off deadlines removed
26 January 2021
Deadline for teaching capital funding monitoring 2019-20 moved to Other and deadline for consultation on quality and standards removed
21 January 2021
Deadline removed for the Uni Connect consultation.
19 January 2021
Deadline to be confirmed for teaching capital funding monitoring 2019-20
15 January 2021
Consultation on regulating quality and standards in higher education deadline updated
15 January 2021
Deadline extended for funding competition to improve access and participation for black, Asian and minority ethnic students in postgraduate research
05 January 2021
Deadline updated for the consultation on quality and standards.
18 December 2020
Several deadlines added for the return of data in 2021.
15 December 2020
Deadlines added for the consultations on reportable events, monetary penalties, publication of information about higher education providers and Uni Connect.
10 December 2020
Deadline added for the Uni Connect consultation
17 November 2020
Details added for the consultation on regulating quality and standards in higher education
03 November 2020
Deadlines added for the consultation and bidding process for additional funding for 2020-21 and monitoring of medical and dental intake targets
27 October 2020
Deadline for teaching capital funding monitoring 2019-20 confirmed
26 October 2020
Deadline for providers participating in the National Student Survey 2021 added
22 October 2020
Deadline added for bids for funding competition to improve access and participation for black, Asian and minority ethnic students in postgraduate research
16 October 2020
Deadline added for Prevent accountability and data returns 2020
15 October 2020
Removed digital teaching and learning review call for evidence deadline, as the deadline has now passed
09 October 2020
HESES20 survey submission deadlines published
02 October 2020
Deadline added for the mental health funding competition
14 September 2020
Deadline removed for consultation on student protection directions - now closed
03 September 2020
Digital teaching and learning call for evidence deadline added
24 August 2020
Removed a deadline that had passed
19 August 2020
Removed a deadline that had passed
30 July 2020
Deadlines updated following a letter to accountable officers
17 July 2020
Deadline to respond to our consultation on student protection directions added
14 July 2020
Removed a deadline that had passed
19 June 2020
Deadlines published following a letter to accountable officers
27 May 2020
Deadline for our consultation on the integrity and stability of the higher education sector in England removed
07 May 2020
Deadline for our consultation on the integrity and stability of the higher education sector in England added
30 April 2020
All information removed except holding notice.
24 April 2020
Updated entries
17 April 2020
Updated entries
27 March 2020
Updated entries
26 March 2020
Update on the Transparency return 2020 deadlines
23 March 2020
Updated entries
16 March 2020
Updated entries and page introduction
11 March 2020
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09 March 2020
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06 March 2020
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05 March 2020
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03 March 2020
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27 February 2020
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26 February 2020
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21 February 2020
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14 February 2020
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07 February 2020
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05 February 2020
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03 February 2020
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31 January 2020
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24 January 2020
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15 January 2020
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13 January 2020
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09 January 2020
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06 January 2020
Publications forward look to June 2020
19 December 2019
Updated entries
12 December 2019
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04 December 2019
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29 November 2019
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25 November 2019
Updated entries and introductory text
22 November 2019
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