Applications will be accepted in August 2025, with priority for assessment given to institutions with existing applications that were paused last year.
In December 2024, the Office for Students (OfS) announced temporary changes to allow a greater focus on the financial sustainability of the higher education sector in England and individual institutions.
This included a pause in accepting applications to register with the OfS, and for degree awarding powers and university title. The pause was designed to allow the OfS to focus its resources on working more closely with institutions under significant financial pressure to protect the interests of students.
These temporary changes will end in August 2025, and the OfS will reopen for new applications and resume paused assessments on a staggered basis. The OfS has contacted all institutions that are directly affected by this decision.
The OfS is currently consulting on reforms to its approach to registration, including the initial conditions of registration that providers are required to meet. These proposed changes would apply to providers submitting a new registration application from August onwards. The OfS has advised institutions affected by the pause whether these changes would automatically apply to their case.
The OfS is also trialling changes to its approach to degree awarding powers assessments to make the process more efficient and reduce the amount of evidence required from institutions.
For further information contact 0117 905 7676 or [email protected].
Notes
- The Office for Students is the independent regulator for higher education in England. We have been consulting on a new strategy for 2025-2030 which seeks to ensure that students from all backgrounds benefit from high quality higher education, delivered by a diverse, sustainable sector that continues to improve.
- See further information about our temporary changes to registration and other applications.
- See our consultation on reforms to our approach to registering institutions.
- See our November 2024 update on the financial sustainability of higher education providers in England.