Complaints
If you believe a university or college is breaking its access agreement
If you want to complain that a university or college is not delivering what it set out in its access agreement – for example, it is not providing bursaries and other financial support at the stated level – you should first take this up with the university or college concerned. If you are a student, you may wish to seek advice from your student union.
If you don’t receive a response that is to your satisfaction, please email us at enquiries@offa.org.uk or call us on 0117 931 7171 and tell us about the issue.
Please note that access agreements relate to undergraduate students on fee-regulated courses only, and we will not be able to take action on any complaint relating to other students or courses.
If you have a complaint about bursaries or fees
If you have a complaint about your bursary/scholarship or the tuition fees you are being charged, you must first go through the normal complaints procedures at your university or college.
If you are still not satisfied then you can take the matter to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education. This offers a free independent complaints scheme to students.
If your complaint is not just about an individual student’s bursary, but about the way a university or college is paying all its bursaries for students, please bring the matter to OFFA’s attention. Please email us at enquiries@offa.org.uk or call us on 0117 931 7171.
If you are unhappy about an admission decision
OFFA cannot assist with complaints about admissions, even if you believe you have been treated unfairly. Admissions decisions are matters for universities and colleges themselves and do not come under our remit.
To complain about admissions decisions, you should use the complaints and appeals procedures at the university or college in question.
If you wish to complain about OFFA’s processes
Please email us at enquiries@offa.org.uk or call us on 0117 931 7171.
If you are unhappy with a decision about a Freedom of Information request
Please see our requests for information page for the appeal process.
If you have a complaint about something else
Complaints about teaching, course content, or anything else that is not related to access agreements, do not come under OFFA’s remit. You should go through the normal complaints and appeals procedures at the university or college in question.