How to register with the Office for Students

A plan produced by a provider in the Approved (fee cap) category of the Register. The plan sets out how the provider will sustain or improve access to its provision for students from disadvantaged and underrepresented groups in higher education, and promote success for those students including retention, attainment and employability. Plans must be approved by the OfS’s Director for Fair Access and Participation.

A statement published by a provider in the Approved category of the Register that sets out the provider’s commitment to access and participation in higher education.

Registration category for providers that wish their students to be able to access student support up to the basic fee level and do not want to be eligible for OfS grant funding and/or to be subject to fee limits.

Registration category for providers that want to be eligible for OfS grant funding in return for a fee limit and, where charging the higher fee amount, an access and participation plan.

The CMA is responsible for promoting competition for the benefit of consumers. Its aim is to make markets, including higher education, work well for consumers, businesses and the economy.

‘Conditions’ and ‘conditions of registration’ are terms used to mean all types of condition that a provider must satisfy in order to be, or remain, registered. See also: initial conditions of registration, general ongoing conditions of registration and specific conditions of registration.

In England degrees must be awarded by a body with degree awarding powers (DAPs). There are three types of DAPs:

• foundation degree awarding powers
• taught degree awarding powers
• research degree awarding powers.

A body that performs the duties set out in sections 64 and 65 of HERA, including data collection, data processing, data storage and data publication. The DDB is designated by the Secretary of State following consultation and a recommendation from the OfS.

A limit on the tuition fees that a provider in the Approved (fee cap) category of the Register may charge, as prescribed in regulations.

A fit and proper person is a person who, in the OfS’s judgement, is fit and proper for the purposes of ensuring that the provider is suitable to access and receive public funds, public trust and confidence in the higher education sector is maintained and the provider is suitable to protect the interests of students.

General ongoing conditions of registration, which a provider must continue to satisfy after it has joined the Register in order to maintain its registered status.

Governing body has the meaning given by section 85 of HERA.⁶¹

61 See Higher Education and Research Act 2017.

The set of documents required under condition Part 1 of condition E7, namely a set of governing documents which will enable the effective governance of the provider in practice.

The OfS’s approach to regulation is underpinned by the functions, duties and powers given to it in the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (HERA), an Act to make provision about higher education and research.

‘Higher education’ is defined in the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 as a course of any description listed in Schedule 6 (as amended) to the Education Reform Act 1988.⁶²

[62] See Education Reform Act 1988.

An organisation that delivers higher education, as defined in Schedule 6 of the Education Reform Act 1988. A provider can be a body with DAPs or deliver higher education on behalf of another awarding body. Unless stated otherwise, in this document ‘provider’ or ‘higher education provider’ refer to a higher education provider, as defined in section 83 in HERA.

Initial conditions of registration, which a provider must satisfy as part of its application to join the Register.

Structured programmes in England that prepare individuals to become qualified teachers. These programmes combine academic study with practical teaching experience and lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

In the context of a subcontractual arrangement, the lead provider allows another provider (the delivery provider) to deliver all, or part, of a course that is designed, approved and owned by the lead provider. The lead provider retains overall control of the course content, delivery, assessment and quality assurance arrangements.

The independent regulator for higher education in England.

The OIA’s role is to review individual and group complaints by students against higher education providers, after internal processes have been exhausted, and to promote good practice in handling complaints and appeals.

The Prevent duty aims to safeguard people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

A term used to refer to arrangements for ensuring higher education providers meet requirements for course quality and standards.

Higher education providers that are subject to the Prevent duty, these are:

• providers that are registered with the OfS
• providers that are not registered but have more than 250 higher education students – we define higher education students as those studying on a course that leads to a recognised higher education award in Schedule 6 of the Education Reform Act (1988)
• providers that are designated for student support (e.g. for the purposes of ‘teach out’)
• all the autonomous colleges, schools and halls of the Universities of Cambridge, Durham and Oxford.

Responses, made by a provider, following a provisional decision taken by the OfS. Representations give a provider the opportunity to present additional arguments, submissions, context, information (including documents), which the OfS will consider, before taking a final decision.

A school-led teacher training programme in England that allows graduates to train within a school environment, leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

The OfS may decide to impose a specific ongoing condition where it considers that a provider presents a particular risk that is not addressed by a general ongoing condition; to mitigate an increased risk that a provider may breach an ongoing condition of registration; or to prevent or remedy a breach. The specific ongoing condition will be targeted to mitigate the specific risk that is posed and will be focused on actions or activities by the provider that the OfS may require, or prohibit, to ensure that the provider is able to satisfy its ongoing conditions of registration.

A relationship, based on a formal contract, in which a body with DAPs (the lead provider) allows another provider (the delivery provider) to deliver all, or part, of a course which has been designed, approved and owned by the degree awarding body. The lead provider or subcontracting provider retains overall control of the course content, delivery, assessment and quality assurance arrangements. Sometimes described as a franchise arrangement.

A scheme for recognising excellent teaching and to provide information to help prospective students choose where to study.

A public body which brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England, which is responsible for supporting research and knowledge exchange at higher education institutions in England, and the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK.

A central portal where learning providers in the UK can register and share key information with government departments, agencies, employers, and learners. Each registered provider is assigned a UK Provider Reference Number (UKPRN), which is used to identify them across various systems.

A validated course is approved by a degree awarding body to contribute, or lead, to one of its awards. The validated course is delivered by the provider that designed it and students on the course normally have a direct contractual relationship with that provider and not the validating provider. The validating provider remains responsible for the quality and standards of the course.