Complaints from students to the higher education watchdog surged to a record high in 2024, as universities in England and Wales grappled with mounting financial pressures.
The Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA), which oversees student complaints across the sector, reported receiving 3,613 complaints last year — a 15% increase from the 3,137 recorded in 2023. The figure marks the largest year-on-year rise in complaints in the past decade.
The OIA’s annual report painted a stark picture of growing dissatisfaction among students during what it called a “complex and challenging” year. A combination of financial instability across institutions, the rising cost of living, persistent housing problems, and concerns around student mental health has contributed to the surge.
The watchdog warned that these ongoing pressures “may impact on students’ experiences” and said it would continue to closely monitor complaint levels in the coming year.
A key factor in the financial strain facing universities has been a sharp decline in international student numbers — a cohort that traditionally contributes significantly to university income — alongside frozen tuition fees for domestic students.
Nearly half of all complaints (47%) in 2024 related to academic appeals, a slight rise from 45% in 2023. Many of these appeals reflect the increasing difficulty students face balancing academic responsibilities with paid employment and caring duties, the OIA said.
Worryingly, the report highlighted a substantial rise in the proportion of complainants reporting a disability. Around two in five students who lodged complaints (40%) identified as disabled — up from 33% the previous year. The OIA noted that these students are disproportionately affected by challenges linked to mental health, learning differences, and neurodivergent conditions such as autism and ADHD.
Despite the surge in complaints, the watchdog said it managed to resolve a record number of cases in 2024. A total of £677,785 was awarded in financial compensation on the OIA’s recommendation, and a further £1.8 million was paid out via settlement agreements.
Helen Megarry, the Independent Adjudicator, 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.
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“Thanks to our teams’ commitment and hard work, they closed more complaints than ever before, providing timely and meaningful resolutions for students.”
Universities UK (UUK), which represents university leadership across the country, acknowledged the findings. A spokesperson 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.”
With pressures unlikely to ease in the immediate future, both institutions and policymakers face mounting calls to ensure students are not left bearing the brunt of financial turbulence. The OIA’s report serves as a warning that, without sustained support, the quality and stability of higher education in the UK could be at risk.
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