Complaints about universities by students reaches record high

The number of students complaining about their universities reached a record high last year as institutions continue to grapple with financial challenges.

There were 3,613 complaints from university students in England and Wales to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) in 2024 – up 15 per cent from the year before.

It marks the “largest year-on-year increase” of complaints in the last decade, the watchdog said.

The OIA added that it will continue to monitor the number of complaints as financial challenges facing the sector “may impact on students’ experiences.”

The report comes after university leaders in the UK have warned of significant financial concerns as a result of a fall in the number of international students and frozen tuition fees paid by domestic students.

Nearly half (47 per cent) of the complaints to the OIA from students were about academic appeals, compared with 45 per cent in 2023.

These complaints show that many students are juggling paid employment and caring responsibilities alongside their studies, the watchdog suggested.

The annual report from the watchdog said 2024 was a “complex and challenging” year in the sector, with increasingly acute financial pressures in providers, the continuing high cost of living, housing issues and ongoing concerns about student mental health and wellbeing.

Around two in five (40 per cent) of the students who complained to the OIA told them that they were disabled, which is more than the previous year (33 per cent).

Students are affected by difficulties with mental health, learning differences and neurodivergent conditions, including autism and ADHD, the OIA said.

Overall, students received £677,785 in financial compensation following a recommendation.

In addition, students received £1,809,805 in 2024 through settlement agreements.

Independent Adjudicator Helen Megarry said: “2024 continued the trajectory of rising complaints we have seen in recent years.

“In response to this increased demand, as well as ongoing pressures faced by providers and students, we focused our recent strategic review on improving the experiences of those who use our service while ensuring efficiency.

“Thanks to our teams’ commitment and hard work, they closed more complaints than ever before, providing timely and meaningful resolutions for students.”

A spokesperson for Universities UK (UUK) said: “The OIA exists to provide students with recourse if they are unhappy with the way that a university has dealt with a complaint, as well as supplying feedback so that universities know where to improve.

“It is an important and constructive part of the system, which ensures that universities act in the interests of students.

“The very large majority of students are satisfied with their experience, and our universities have a well-deserved reputation for quality, but where things go wrong, it is important that they are held to account, and that they learn lessons from the experience of others.”