Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students

Education Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 12 Jun 2025 Parliament page
The UK’s higher education sector is in trouble. Dozens of universities are making redundancies and cuts to courses, trying to stay afloat amid uncertainty over where their money is coming from. The Education Committee will look under the bonnet at what is going on. In a focused single evidence session … Read more
36 Recommendations
25 Conclusions
1 Report
3 Oral sessions
11 Letters
3 Events
Activity timeline 16 events
22 Jul
2026
Report published
12 May
2026
Report published
14 Apr
2026
Correspondence
24 Mar
2026
Correspondence
13 Jan
2026
Correspondence
9 Dec
2025
Correspondence
25 Nov
2025
Oral evidence
21 Oct
2025
Oral evidence
3 Jun
2025
Correspondence
3 Jun
2025
Correspondence
20 May
2025
Correspondence
7 May
2025
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions
25 Nov 2025
View on parliament.uk
Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students
Patrick Curry · Department for Education Susan Lapworth · Office for Students The Rt Hon. the Baroness Smith of Malvern · The Department for Education
21 Oct 2025
View on parliament.uk
Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students
Adam Leach · Civic University Network Carol Prokopyszyn · British Universities Finance Directors Group Dr David Pilsbury · International Higher Education Commission Mr Neil Smyth · Mills and Reeve LLP Mrs Dani Payne · Social Market Foundation Professor Brian Bell · Migration Advisory Committee Rachel MacSween · IDP Education UK and Ireland Vivienne Stern MBE · Universities UK
8 Apr 2025
View on parliament.uk
Higher Education and Funding
Alex Stanley · National Union of Students Andrew Bird · British Universities' International Liaison Association Dr Hollie Chandler · The Russell Group Jo Grady · University College Union (UCU) Mr Raj Jethwa · Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) Professor Dame Jessica Corner · UK Research and Innovation Professor Malcolm Press CBE · Universities UK Rachel Hewitt · MillionPlus, The Association for Modern Universities Sir Philip Augar · Post-18 Education and Funding Review
Title HC No. Published Items Response
9th Report - Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency … HC 807 12 May 2026 61 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
2 results
Clear
18 Conclusion Not Addressed
9th Report - Higher Education and …
We welcome the Government’s commitment to ensuring undergraduate tuition fees retain their real-term value by...
We welcome the Government’s commitment to ensuring undergraduate tuition fees retain their real-term value by raising fees in line with forecast inflation. However, maintenance loans are tied to forecast inflation and in recent years forecast inflation has repeatedly been lower … Read more
Government Response
The government explains that legislative and Student Loans Company timetables prevent 'in-year' changes to address inflation, but does not commit to any action to address the underlying issue of real-terms reduction in maintenance loan value.
Department for Education
View details
57 Recommendation Not Addressed
9th Report - Higher Education and …
We were told by Universities UK that were HE institutions able to charge higher fees...
We were told by Universities UK that were HE institutions able to charge higher fees they would do so. However, we also appreciate there are considerable differences in the fees charged to international students between providers. In addition, a flat-rate … Read more
Government Response
The government states it will continue to engage with providers on the implementation of the levy but does not specifically commit to facilitating the requested clarification from the higher education sector regarding price elasticities or their own analysis.
Department for Education
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 55 of 36 classified
Accepted 26
Accepted in Part 11
Acknowledged 6
Deferred 4
Not Addressed 2
Rejected 6
Total 36 recs + 25 conclusions
Correspondence 11 letters
14 Apr 2026 To committee Joint letter from UCEA and UUK on Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students 20.03.26
Parliament page
24 Mar 2026 Correspondence with HM Treasury on Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students dated 16.02.26 and 23.03.26
Parliament page
13 Jan 2026 To committee Letter from Minister for Skills on Higher Education and Funding, dated 19.12.25
Parliament page
9 Dec 2025 From committee Letter to Minister for Skills on Higher Education and Funding dated 09.12.25
Parliament page
3 Jun 2025 To committee Letter from NUS on follow up evidence from Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students, dated 27.05.25
Parliament page
3 Jun 2025 To committee Letter from Professor Malcolm Press CBE on Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students, dated 27.05.25
Parliament page
20 May 2025 To committee Letter from Secretary of State on Higher Education 14.05.25
Parliament page
7 May 2025 From committee Letter to Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, Secretary of State for Education on Higher Education 06.05.25
Parliament page
6 May 2025 To committee Letter from Provost, The University of Edinburgh on Higher Education 25.04.25
Parliament page
29 Apr 2025 To committee Letter from BUILA on Higher Education dated 23.04.25
Parliament page
23 Apr 2025 To committee Letter from the Russell Group of Universities on Higher Education and Funding dated 16.04.25
Parliament page