UK higher education funding

Universities to use government transformation funding to explore collaboration opportunities, but representatives insist institutions will maintain their own identities

Coming reduction in funding for high-cost subjects and access programmes ‘extraordinarily frustrating’, says Universities UK leader

Falling UK government investment in teaching must be considered as part of review of student loan system, MPs told

‘Decisive action’ is needed to address structural deficit despite recent cost-saving measures, says principal 

Select group of elite universities increase share of fee money as others lose out, leading experts to fear ‘two-tier’ sector is developing

Smaller English institutions among those faring best in current financial crisis because they ‘never had the fat years’

Times Higher Education’s recent survey of UK university staff revealed widespread scepticism about whether the state of sector finances truly justifies the scale of job cuts being made, or the perceived rises in vice-chancellors’ pay. But what do the numbers say? Patrick Jack reports 

UK institutions look to structural changes to address cost pressures, but warn there is only so much they can do without government support

Students currently need to find at least £10,000 from somewhere else to cover the cost of living. This is beyond the reach of most, says Alexis Gkantiragas

Specialist postgraduate institution will become part of London behemoth under new plans

Latest regulator analysis shows sector financial health slightly up on expectations, but performance expected to deteriorate this year

Ministers urged to protect budget for ‘strategic priorities’ as government funding cuts over past decade place higher burden on graduates

Uncertainty remains on whether students would be locked out of classrooms mid-semester if a university folded, education committee warns

Analysis of university finances finds increasing student numbers and income can cause costs to rise faster than revenue

Antonia Bance argues lower-level skills should be prioritised in response to number of out-of-work young people reaching record levels

Glasgow Caledonian University’s new vice-chancellor discusses impact of UKVI action plan on recruitment, collaboration opportunities in more collegiate Scottish sector and her hopes for university funding post-election

One of the last members of Universities UK to share financial accounts for 2024-25 posts one of sector’s biggest shortfalls

Ongoing restructures expected to ease long-term pressures on institutions after sector records collective £79 million deficit

Teaching staff at post-92 institution to be employed by subsidiary firm and lose right to access expensive pensions scheme

Closure of low-enrolment courses, higher staff-student ratios and departmental mergers among measures being considered by institutions

Students offered chance to transfer to university after sudden announcement that College of Osteopaths is shutting

FOI reveals that dozens of English providers applied for an extension from the Office for Students this year

Calls for regulator to act on subject review findings and better align education provision with nation’s needs, as six of its eight universities face deficits

Scottish higher education minister commits to taking group’s recommendations seriously as work gets under way on new sustainability framework

Lincoln Bishop forms ‘strategic alliance’ with mega education group after finding its level of cash was not enough to cover low points during the year

In election year, Scotland’s higher education minister says fees policy non-negotiable, as newly formed review group looks for new models to heal nation’s ailing sector

English system that provides funding for less than cost of third of degrees, with repayment thresholds frozen below minimum wage, ‘no longer fit for purpose’

Greenwich to change name to London and South East University Group before Kent joins as new ‘superuniversity’ takes shape

Fresh models of university outposts emerging in regions without access to higher education as financial crisis sees shuttering of traditional campuses

For-sale city-centre site not worth as much as thought, says university, after accounts reveal scale of financial challenge

Financially troubled institutions pushed further into the red, with Aberdeen, Robert Gordon and Sheffield Hallam also losing money

Early enthusiasm for compulsory datasets has given way to ‘more qualified views’ on compliance, finds long-running survey

Buyers remain keen on UK higher education despite financial turmoil – but bringing in private equity can create challenges for educators

Sharp increases in outlay in recent years along with changes to the English system put pressure on Wales to ensure student loans ‘remain sustainable’, says report

Institutions reliant on cross-subsidy model need to learn how to adapt to policy changes more quickly, says Universities UK chief

Fee freezes bring down spend per student, as overall funding for education in England reaches historic lows

Institutions forced to take matters into their own hands as high employer contributions ‘increase likelihood of university closure’

Analysis suggests much of the sector remains mired in financial difficulty with total losses increasing, but rise in income brings hope

Prospect of additional support being announced in last budget before polling day as review into higher education funding gets under way

The number of UK universities reporting financial shortfalls for the past academic year continues to climb as some pay out millions in redundancy costs

Some institutions have lost money after the government failed to cover scholarship costs, forcing them to decide whether to waive fees or lock students out

Scottish National Party minister says financial challenges go ‘beyond party political boundaries’ as official talks set to begin

Newcastle and Bradford also in the red as UK universities continue to publish their annual accounts

Holyrood politicians must look at size and shape of tertiary sector, and consider closer research ties with rest of UK, says Anton Muscatelli

Institutions say impact of recruitment changes behind difficult financial picture but predict stronger numbers in future

Dark tales abound of various UK universities being at risk of breaching agreements with their banks. But what exactly are covenants? Why have they come to play such a prominent role in the conversation about sector health? And would breaking one really lead to institutional ruin? Helen Packer reports  

Academics claim changes made to higher education system a decade ago have divided sector into ‘winners and losers’, with government-imposed limits on income exacerbating financial challenges

University told to come up with a plan for financial recovery before it enforces more job losses

After a shambolic Budget day, it is hardly surprising that universities have been landed with a costly and overcomplicated international student levy, writes Nick Hillman

Fee caps for next two academic years confirmed by government post-budget, as students fear extra support will ‘barely scratch the surface’

Chancellor confirms details of controversial tax on income from overseas students, while universities also expect to be hit by changes to pension tax rules

YouGov survey finds 57 per cent of adults support a proposed tax on tuition fees paid by overseas students, even as universities warn of serious financial consequences

UUK says shortfall in teaching money is ‘baked in’ to higher education funding system as institutions brace for new tax in upcoming budget

In wide-ranging interview, crisis-hit university’s interim principal admits further redundancies are ‘uncomfortable’ for ministers and acknowledges ‘moral hazard’ of £62 million bailout

New modelling suggests one in six English higher education institutions will have less than 30 days’ liquidity in 2025-26

More than half of deans say parent universities want them to enrol more students, as leaders express concern over ‘growing disparities’

University says financial uncertainties continue as government’s proposed student levy will ‘wipe out any benefits’ from rising tuition fees

Formalising process around market exit would make it impossible for institution to come back from the brink, fears UUK chief

Buyers likely to require drastic changes to move ahead with sale, experts say, as institution seeks to move on from torrid year

UUK calls on government to hit pause on fee levy plans amid fears chancellor will progress policy next month