Understanding university and college finances

You invest a lot of time and money in your studies, so you need to be confident that your university or college is financially secure and able to deliver your course.

How can I find out if my university or college is financially secure?

1. Check the OfS Register

To register with us (and remain registered), universities and colleges need to show that they are financially viable and sustainable.

You can check the Register to see if your university or college is registered.

But being on the Register is not a guarantee that a university or college is financially secure. A university or college’s finances can change regularly due to things such as:

• changes in their income and tuition fees
• missing student recruitment targets
• the impact of inflation.

We collect data from universities and colleges every year to assess their current financial situation.

We also require universities and colleges to tell us if something significant happens that could affect their finances, so we can provide advice and support to protect students’ interests.

2. Check your university or college’s website

Many universities and colleges publish financial information and reports on their websites.

If they are registered with us, they must also publish a student protection plan – a document that sets out what you can expect to happen if they have to make changes to the services they provide – for example, closing a course or campus.

You may also be able to ask your students’ union for further information about your specific institution.

What happens if a university or college is in financial trouble?

If a university or college is experiencing financial difficulties, they may make changes that could affect your studies or higher education experience.

They may make staff redundancies, reduce student services and facilities, or make changes to the way they operate (for example, shifting more teaching online).

Some may also decide to close courses or a campus to improve their financial position.

In rare situations, the university or college may decide to close entirely.

Changes to your course or experience should always be communicated clearly to you, and disruption should be minimised as much as possible.

Even in times of financial difficulty, your university or college should still be providing you with high quality teaching, resources and assessments.

You should still be given the level of service promised to you in your student contract.

When will the OfS get involved?

When a university or college is in financial difficulty, we work with them assess the extent of the issues. We’ll ensure plans are put in place to protect students’ interests, with the core aim to enable them to continue and complete their studies.

We may also get involved if changes universities and colleges are making to improve their financial health are impacting the quality of a course, or students are not being treated fairly.