The proposal would create a national threshold for access to tuition and maintenance loans through the Student Loans Company. According to The Guardian, the rule is being discussed as an English language requirement, similar in purpose to those applied to international students.
It comes as the Department for Education prepares decisions on the Strategic Priorities Grant for 2026-27. According to Times Higher Education, that grant is expected to fall to about £1.25 billion, down from £1.35 billion last year.
Loan Threshold Could Reshape Access to Degrees
Under the plan being discussed in Whitehall, students without a pass in GCSE English could be unable to access government-backed loans. The Guardian reported that more than 33,000 domestic students who began full-time first degrees in 2024-25 had no formal qualifications such as GCSEs, A-levels or recognised equivalents.
Critics argue the change would most affect students from poorer or non-traditional backgrounds, including mature learners, those educated overseas, and people who struggled at school.
Rachel Hewitt, chief executive of MillionPlus, said universities already assess whether students can meet English language requirements. She said the approach risked blocking mature students seeking to return to education. Libby Hackett, chief executive of the Russell Group, said she supported a national minimum entry standard in principle. She added that any system would need flexibility for trusted institutions, especially for mature students and those from underrepresented backgrounds.
The Department for Education said it would not comment on speculation. A spokesperson said the government was “cracking down on poor-quality courses” so students could be confident they were getting value for money.
Universities Face Another Cut to Teaching Support
The loan proposal arrives alongside pressure on university finances. According to Times Higher Education, the government is preparing to cut the Strategic Priorities Grant by £100 million for the coming academic year. The grant supports high-cost courses, including healthcare and technical skills. It also funds other priorities across the sector. The same grant was already reduced by £100 million for 2025-26.
Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK, described the expected cut as “extraordinarily frustrating”. She said universities were dealing with a long decline in government teaching support, while undergraduate fees had been capped by law and frozen for a decade.
The Department for Education said decisions on the grant were still being finalised. It said it remained committed to putting universities on a firmer financial footing, including by raising the maximum tuition fee cap and refocusing the Office for Students on financial monitoring.
Times Higher Education also reported that £336 million in capital funding is expected over three academic years, for buildings and specialist equipment. For universities, the two developments point in the same direction: tighter public funding, closer scrutiny of course quality, and a sharper debate over who should be able to enter higher education with state-backed financial support.
