Subscriptions
We are funded by subscriptions from higher education providers that are members of our Scheme. Our Board sets the level of subscriptions each year. There are two elements to the subscription, a core subscription and a case-related element.
Subscription levels are reviewed annually. In line with an upward trend over several years, we again saw a significant increase in the number of complaints we received in 2025, and we expect this to continue going forward. We continued to focus on handling cases as efficiently as possible.
We are aware of the considerable financial challenges facing the higher education sector. Our Board carefully considered the resource needed to deal with our caseload alongside the financial
pressures in the sector and agreed to freeze core subscription rates for 2025 for all providers.
Some providers also pay a case-related element of the subscription. This is payable when the number of points allocated to complaints received about the provider in the previous year exceeds the band’s points threshold. The number of points above the threshold determines the case-related element of subscription. The points allocated to a case are based on whether it is not eligible for us to review, is settled or withdrawn before it goes to full review, or is fully reviewed. This maintains the vital principle that there should be no link between the outcome of eligible cases and the amount of the case-related element paid.
Our Board is acutely aware of the financial challenges facing providers. To this end, a 1% uplift in core subscription fees and a £5 per point increase in the case element of subscriptions was agreed for 2026.
More details of our subscriptions arrangements can be found on our website.
| Student numbers | Band | Core subscription fee (£) (All Scheme members except as otherwise specified) |
Core subscription fee (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to and including 200 students | AA | 566 | 396 |
| 201 to 500 students | A | 1,168 | 818 |
| 501 to 1,500 students | B | 2,358 | 1,650 |
| 1,501 to 6,000 students | C | 12,677 | 8,874 |
| 6,001 to 12,000 students | D | 25,152 | 17,607 |
| 12,001 to 20,000 students | E | 41,807 | 29,265 |
| 20,001 to 30,000 students | F | 63,195 | 44,237 |
| 30,001 to 50,000 students | G | 75,099 | 52,570 |
| 50,001 to 100,000 students | H | 92,415 | 64,690 |
| More than 100,000 students | I | 141,989 | 99,393 |
| Student numbers | Band | Core subscription fee (£) (All Scheme members except as otherwise specified) |
Core subscription fee (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to and including 200 students | AA | 572 | 400 |
| 201 to 500 students | A | 1,180 | 826 |
| 501 to 1,500 students | B | 2,382 | 1,667 |
| 1,501 to 6,000 students | C | 12,804 | 8,963 |
| 6,001 to 12,000 students | D | 25,404 | 17,783 |
| 12,001 to 20,000 students | E | 42,225 | 29,558 |
| 20,001 to 30,000 students | F | 63,827 | 44,679 |
| 30,001 to 50,000 students | G | 75,850 | 53,095 |
| 50,001 to 100,000 students | H | 93,339 | 65,337 |
| More than 100,000 students | I | 143,409 | 100,386 |
The core subscription fee for 2025 for the following providers was £330 (£333 in 2026):
- Providers of School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITTs)
- Providers that are brought into membership of our Scheme because their designated HE provision is franchised from another provider, and (if they are based in England) they are not on the OfS Register
- Providers in England that are not on the OfS Register but are providing a course leading to an award of another member of our Scheme that is in England.