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Latest Government Policy
We collate here, the latest government and society’s thinking on Student Grants and sourcing the green skills gap.
5th December 2025
ESNZ says:
Promote clean energy and retrofit careers to under-represented groups
Accelerate breaking down the barriers to access for a timely impact on clean energy and retrofit
Paragraph 33 of “Workforce planning to deliver clean, secure energy” - Energy Security and Net Zero
The Government should continue to develop and launch further initiatives to promote clean energy and retrofit careers among under-represented groups and those outside the existing workforce; the actions set out in the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper should be accelerated to bring down the barriers to new entrants from these groups taking up such roles in time to have a meaningful impact on the goals for clean energy and retrofit.
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27th November 2025
Rachel Reeves says:
£925 per annum levy to be charged on international students to fund new maintenance grants for domestic students
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Page 3 of 15 - International Student Levy Government technical consultation
Providers will pay a simple flat fee of £925 per student per year, which will not be introduced until 2028/29 to give them time to plan for its introduction.
The Government’s target, announced by the Prime Minister, is for two-thirds of young people to participate in higher-level learning (academic, technical or apprenticeships) by age 25.
We must, therefore, reform the higher education system to better support disadvantaged students.
The income raised by the levy will therefore be fully reinvested into higher education and skills, to support the reintroduction of targeted maintenance grants, progression through the post-16 system, and for wider skills.
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30th October 2025
Vivienne Stern, Chief Executive, UUK and Louise Hellem, Chief Economist, CBI says:
International student fees is a serious concern
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Page 1&2 of 3 – Letter to Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP
[T]he introduction of a levy on international student fees is a serious concern which undermines the objective of stabilising university budgets, and risks wiping out the beneficial effects of linking domestic tuition fees to inflation. There is a real risk that the levy results in decreasing support for students, and further constrains universities’ ability to offer high-cost courses.
We have shared detailed modeling and case studies with your officials which suggests that universities will not be able to pass on the cost of the levy in higher fees without hitting demand. Although there is variation across universities and price points, We would like the government to engage with us in understanding the full impact of the levy on demand before moving forward, and to work with us on a mechanism for funding grants which will preserve the objective of putting universities in a stronger financial position overall, when the combined effect of these policies is taken into account.
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October 2025
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Secretary of State for Education, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology say:
Maintenance Grants by the end of this Parliament funded by an international student levy
Page 58 of 72 of Post-16 Education and Skills
“We will introduce new targeted means-tested maintenance grants by the end of this Parliament, to help students from the lowest income households who are studying courses that support our missions and Industrial Strategy progress into and excel in higher education. The grants will provide these individuals with crucial additional financial support to undertake courses at levels 4 to 6 under the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, including technical qualifications and degrees. Maintenance grants will be funded by a new International Student Levy, ensuring that revenue from international students is used to benefit domestic students from low income households and support growth and opportunity. Further details on maintenance grants and the International Student Levy will be set out in the Autumn Budget.”