Deficits across the sector, with a levy still to come
The Office for Students has said almost all of the sector faces rising deficits, after years of frozen tuition fees, volatile international recruitment and falling public funding — and the proposed international student levy would land on top. For students the translation is the one already visible: closed courses, merged departments, and fewer staff teaching more people.
Summer exam timetables start to appear
Lancaster has published its provisional summer exam timetable, with specific dates to follow in February. Provisional timetables matter more than they look: they are what you use to book travel home, to tell an employer when you are free, and to work out whether two exams fall on the same day — which is worth raising with your department now rather than in May. Exam revision covers planning from a timetable.