The Office for Students has proposed a revised set of student outcomes indicators for its quality assessment and rating framework, adding two post-study measures for use of skills and earnings while keeping continuation and completion indicators aligned with the 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework approach. The consultation matters for universities because it will shape how outcomes are measured, benchmarked and presented when quality is assessed.
Key facts
- The proposal was published on 22 October 2026 as part of a consultation on a revised approach to assessing and rating quality.
- The OfS says it will measure and benchmark continuation and completion indicators in the same way as the 2023 TEF.
- Two new post-study measures would supplement progression: use of skills and earnings.
- The indicators would continue to use split data to support equality of opportunity, and would cover the four most recent years available for each measure.
What does this mean for students and universities?
The main practical change is that student outcomes would be judged through a broader basket of measures. Alongside continuation, completion and progression, the OfS would add indicators for whether graduates say they are using what they learned and whether they reach an earnings threshold or are studying for a higher education qualification three years after graduation.
For universities, the proposal also affects how performance would be displayed. The OfS says it would show combined data for taught and subcontracted-out provision, with separate views for taught, subcontracted-out and validated-only provision. It would also present continuation and completion by mode and level of study, and split indicators by subject, course characteristics and student characteristics, including enhanced disability splits.
- Student outcomes would be benchmarked using factors such as subject, level, geography, qualifications, year of qualification and socioeconomic characteristics.
- The OfS proposes to treat performance as materially above or below benchmark at 2.5 percentage points either side.
- For continuation and completion, the OfS would also show performance against absolute thresholds, including the minimum threshold, minimum plus five percentage points and 95 per cent.
How would the new post-study measures work?
The use of skills indicator would count a positive outcome when graduates answer “Agree” or “Strongly agree” to the Graduate Outcomes survey statement: “I am utilising what I learnt during my studies in my current activity/study/work.” The OfS says this is meant to capture positive outcomes across a range of graduate activities rather than assuming that only one kind of job outcome counts.
The earnings indicator would use Longitudinal Education Outcomes data and would count graduates as having a positive outcome if they earn above a threshold based on average UK earnings for 25- to 29-year-olds, or if they are studying for a higher education qualification three years after graduation. For graduates who are in employment or higher education study three years after graduation, the OfS would use the highest recorded earnings from any of the first three years after graduation rather than year three alone.
The OfS says that approach is intended to give a fairer picture of graduate success and reduce the impact of later changes in working patterns, career choices or personal circumstances. It also says the proposal would initially restrict both new measures to UK-domiciled graduates, in line with the existing progression measure.
Why is the OfS changing the indicators?
The consultation says the regulator wants transparency in how it defines and presents the data indicators. It says the proposals are informed by policy intent and data analysis, and that the use of three post-study measures is designed to avoid overreliance on any single measure.
The OfS also says it considered longer earnings windows, such as four or five years after graduation, but decided that three years strikes a better balance between giving graduates time to establish themselves and keeping the measure relevant to current provision. It also rejected including all graduates regardless of whether they were in work or study three years after graduation, saying that many non-earners are engaged in other activities rather than seeking employment.
What question is the OfS asking now?
The OfS is asking respondents whether they agree, partly agree or disagree with the proposals for the student outcomes indicators, including the definition and benchmarking of the additional post-study indicators, the structure of the indicators and how performance would be indicated. The consultation question is framed as Question 14 in the document.
