University title

We recommend that providers contact us at an early stage to discuss eligibility, evidence requirements, likely timescales and advice on how to proceed. Please email UT@officeforstudents.org.uk.

Providers must submit an application form through the OfS portal, setting out whether it is applying for university college or university title and what its preferred new name is.

Annex B of our university title guidance sets out the information required and how to download and submit the form.

We will consider applications alongside our existing risk assessment for the provider to determine its suitability for university college or university title.

For university title applications, we will use student number data to determine whether the provider meets the student number requirement.

As part of the assessment, we will run a targeted consultation to determine whether the provider’s proposed name is or has the potential to be misleading or confusing. This provides an opportunity for relevant people or organisations to share their views, including:

• students and their representatives at the institution
• providers delivering similar courses
• providers in a similar geographical location
• organisations involved with the provider, such as local emergency services.

If we require any further information throughout the assessment process, we will contact the provider where necessary.

If a provider’s application is successful, we will write to it to formally consent to the proposed name, after which the provider can take the relevant steps to change its name (either through Companies House, if it’s a registered company, or the Privy Council, if it has a Royal Charter).

If a provider’s application is unsuccessful, we will write to it confirming this and set out the reasons for our decision.

A provider may reapply for university title or university college title if it can demonstrate that it has addressed the reasons for any previous unsuccessful application.

We publish decisions relating to providers’ applications for university title our website.