The Office for Students has proposed a stricter route to degree-awarding powers, saying providers would normally need Silver or Gold Teaching Excellence Framework ratings before they can apply for, extend, or in some cases keep those powers. The proposal, published on 22 October 2026, would also make providers with a Requires improvement rating ineligible to apply for or extend DAPs.
Key facts
- The OfS says DAPs eligibility should be linked to quality shown through the TEF.
- Providers would normally need Silver or Gold ratings in both assessed TEF aspects to qualify.
- Providers with a Bronze aspect rating would not normally be eligible for new or extended DAPs.
- Providers that already hold DAPs would need to keep demonstrating high quality through TEF.
- The OfS says separate consultations will follow on wider DAPs changes and criteria.
What does this mean for students and providers?
For students, the OfS says the change is meant to strengthen confidence that providers with the power to award their own degrees have already demonstrated high-quality provision and outcomes. The regulator argues that this should better protect students and make the threshold for eligibility clearer.
For providers, the practical effect is a higher bar for gaining or extending DAPs. Registered providers would normally need Silver or Gold TEF ratings in both assessed aspects. Providers applying for registration and New DAPs at the same time would face an enhanced quality assessment, and the OfS says that route would remain available only in limited circumstances.
Providers that already hold DAPs would also be affected. Under the proposal, a Bronze or Requires improvement aspect rating would normally block variations such as moving from New DAPs to Full DAPs, extending subject coverage, or adding supplementary powers such as validation and subcontracting. The OfS says it could also intervene further in serious cases, including by varying or revoking powers.
Why is the OfS changing the eligibility test?
The regulator says it does not think the absence of regulatory concerns is enough on its own to prove that a provider is delivering high-quality provision. It wants eligibility to rest on a clearer, more transparent framework that measures quality above minimum requirements, rather than on compliance alone.
The OfS says DAPs carry significant responsibilities, including safeguarding academic standards, assuring the quality of awarded qualifications and the academic experience, and making awarding decisions. It argues that those responsibilities justify a higher threshold for eligibility.
Who would be excluded under the new approach?
Providers with a Requires improvement rating would be ineligible to apply for or extend DAPs. Providers with a Bronze aspect rating would also not normally be eligible, and providers that do not apply for TEF ratings would not normally be eligible either.
There would be limited exceptions. The OfS says it could depart from the usual approach in exceptional circumstances, such as a merger or acquisition. It also says providers seeking New DAPs while registering could still apply in limited cases, but only if they can show high quality through an enhanced assessment during registration.
Can a provider lose or narrow existing powers?
Yes. If a provider with existing DAPs receives a Requires improvement aspect rating, the OfS says it may consider regulatory intervention. That could include restricting validation or partnership activity, limiting powers to particular subjects, or applying a time limit to the authorisation.
Where concerns are more serious or repeated, the OfS says it may consider varying or revoking DAPs. It also says that where validated-only provision is judged Unsatisfactory, it may restrict new validation arrangements and, after repeated unsatisfactory judgments, remove the ability to validate provision delivered by other providers.
FAQ
When would providers need to wait before applying for DAPs?
The OfS says it would normally expect providers applying for TEF ratings to wait until they have achieved a Silver or Gold rating before submitting a DAPs application. If there are compelling reasons to apply earlier, a provider could request an earlier TEF assessment and explain why.
What happens next in the OfS reform process?
This consultation covers eligibility for DAPs. The OfS says it will consult separately on wider changes to DAPs application requirements and eligibility, and that a larger consultation on the DAPs criteria and process is planned for next year.
