Complaining to Your University: The Internal Procedure

Before escalating to the OIA, you must follow the university's internal complaints procedure. Most universities have three stages:

1. Informal stage: Raise the concern with the relevant department, module leader, or personal tutor. Many issues can be resolved informally at this stage.
2. Formal stage 1 (departmental): Submit a written complaint to the department or faculty. You should receive a written response within 20–28 days typically.
3. Formal stage 2 (institutional review): If not satisfied with stage 1, ask for a review by a more senior officer, the Academic Registrar, or a university review panel.

Once the process is concluded at all stages, the university must issue a Completion of Procedures (COP) letter. This is your "ticket" to the OIA. Do not go to the OIA without it — they will not accept the complaint.

The internal procedure has a definite end point, and it produces a specific document: the Completion of Procedures letter. This letter confirms that the university's own process is exhausted and is the key that unlocks the external stage. Ask for it expressly if it is not sent automatically — some universities do not issue one until asked, and without it the external body will not look at your case.

From that point the route is the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA), the free independent reviewer for higher education providers in England and Wales. You normally have 12 months from the date of the Completion of Procedures letter to bring your complaint. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate routes.

The OIA can look at procedural failings, breach of contract, and discrimination, but it cannot substitute its own view for academic judgment — it will not decide whether an essay deserved a higher mark. For eligibility, what the OIA does with a case, the remedies it recommends, the maximum award, and which arguments succeed and which do not, see our guide to complaining to the OIA.

It is important to understand the difference between an academic appeal and a complaint:

• An academic appeal challenges an academic decision (e.g., exam result, degree classification) usually on the grounds of procedural irregularity, extenuating circumstances not properly considered, or prejudice. Most universities have a separate appeals procedure.
• A complaint addresses wider concerns about the service received — teaching quality, support, discrimination, or how a previous complaint was handled.

Appeals and complaints follow separate internal tracks and result in separate COP letters. The OIA can review both. If your concern spans both categories, you may need to use both procedures — check with your Students' Union adviser.

Your Students' Union (SU) or student welfare service is often the best first port of call when navigating a complaint. SU advisers can:

• Help you understand the university's procedures and your rights
• Review your complaint and advise on its strength
• Help you draft a clear, well-evidenced written complaint
• Accompany you to meetings as a "support person" or representative

SU advice is free and confidential. Even if your relationship with the university is difficult, the SU is independent of the institution. If the SU cannot help, contact the NUS (National Union of Students) or a specialist student legal advice service.

The Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) is governed by the Higher Education Act 2004 and its scheme rules. Understanding what the OIA can and cannot do — and what outcomes are realistically available — helps you calibrate your expectations before submitting a complaint.

Outcomes

The OIA can find a complaint:

• Justified — the university failed to follow its own procedures or acted unreasonably, or the outcome for the student was not fair.
• Partly Justified — some elements of the complaint are upheld.
• Not Justified — the university's process and decision were reasonable.

Where a complaint is justified, the OIA makes recommendations to the university. Commonly recommended remedies include:

• A formal apology
• A new assessment opportunity or repeat of the failed module
• A fresh look at the student's academic appeal or fitness to practise case
• A change to university policy or procedure
• A financial payment (a "consolatory payment") for distress, time spent, or financial loss

Consolatory payments typically range from £500 to £3,000 for procedural failures and distress, though substantially higher awards have been made where financial loss was significant. The OIA cannot make legally binding orders — but universities that fail to comply with recommendations risk regulatory action by the Office for Students (OfS).

Financial loss cases

If you believe you have suffered specific, quantifiable financial loss as a result of the university's failure (for example, tuition fees paid for a course that was not delivered as described, or costs of repeating a year due to inadequate support), document this carefully. The OIA considers financial loss claims, but for larger sums you may also wish to consult a solicitor about a breach of contract or consumer protection claim in the civil courts. Students are consumers under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and the terms of their student contract must be fair and the services provided with reasonable care and skill.

OIA Good Practice Framework

The OIA publishes a Good Practice Framework which sets out what good complaints and appeals procedures look like. Universities are expected to follow this framework. If the framework was not followed — for example, if you were not given a fair hearing, if decisions were not explained clearly, or if timeframes were not respected — this can form an independent ground for finding a complaint justified, even if the underlying academic decision was correct.

Fitness to Practise decisions

Students on regulated programmes (medicine, nursing, social work, teaching, law, and others) may face separate Fitness to Practise (FtP) proceedings, which can lead to removal from the programme. FtP decisions are particularly serious as they may affect professional registration. The OIA can review FtP decisions. If you are subject to FtP proceedings, seek legal advice at the earliest opportunity — professional body regulators (GMC, NMC, SRA) may also become involved, with long-term consequences for your career.