London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Aug 28, 2025

UK: Universities warn of going bust without emergency funds

Universities across the UK are calling for emergency funding of at least £2bn, warning some institutions will go bust without it.

Universities UK says the coronavirus pandemic is threatening to sharply cut overseas student numbers and put universities in financial danger.

They are asking for controls on student numbers in each university, to keep fee income at similar levels to last year.

Universities are promising to honour any offers already made to students.

"Without government support, some universities would face financial failure, others would come close to financial failure and be forced to reduce provision," says a letter from higher education leaders to ministers across the UK.

Alistair Jarvis, chief executive of Universities UK, says the proposals would help universities to "weather the very serious financial challenges posed by Covid-19".

He says academic researchers have made a "huge contribution" to tackling the coronavirus pandemic - and their expertise will be needed in the "recovery of the economy and communities following the crisis".

They are calling for an extra £2bn in research funding and on top of that to provide emergency loans for universities that faced "significant income losses".

"Targeted support" should be available to protect strategically important subjects such as science and medicine, say the industry leaders.


This would be in response to cash pressures from the pandemic:

Universities receive almost £7bn in fees from overseas students - and there are fears that their numbers could be much reduced this autumn
The university sector says it has already lost £790m in cancelled business activities, such as conferences, catering and student accommodation
There is also uncertainty about whether campuses will be able to re-open in the autumn and whether many UK students will defer entry this year
There have been warnings of unprecedented "volatility" in this year's admissions - which, if left unchecked, could see some universities expanding but others left with too few students to be financially viable.

This is a particular risk for universities in England and Wales, which are highly dependent on tuition fee income.

In response, Universities UK is asking for controls on the number of students each university in England and Wales can recruit this year, keeping them to levels expected before the coronavirus outbreak, to stop financially unsustainable swings in numbers.

The scale of concern was suggested in an internal email from a Russell Group university seen by the BBC this week, which warned the university could lose a quarter of its income next year.

The letter from Universities UK to ministers says that to provide "stability" for students currently applying, all offers already made would have to be honoured if students made the required grade.

There is also a call to push back by a year the point at which European Union students are categorised as overseas students, when they will face higher fees and visa restrictions.

Jo Grady of the UCU lecturers' union said the plan was a "piecemeal approach that fails to recognise the size of the problem, or the damage we risk doing to our academic capacity".

Eva Crossan Jory, vice president of the National Union of Students, said any extra funding must support students, "especially considering the mounting discontent that courses are not being delivered as promised and demands for refunds".

She backed calls for the government to "step in" to protect higher education, but said it should include "refunding or all or part of the fees".

"The scale of the financial challenges facing higher education institutions are clearly very serious", said Scotland's Deputy First Minister John Swinney.

He promised to work closely with universities to help them "emerge from this crisis".

A Welsh government spokesman said universities had been "at the forefront of the battle against the coronavirus" and ministers would work to ensure they had the "necessary investment".

In England, a Department for Education spokeswoman said: "The outbreak poses significant challenges to the sector and the government is working closely with universities to understand the financial risks and implications they might face at this uncertain time."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
×