A large group of students has launched coordinated legal steps against dozens of universities in england and wales, arguing consumer rights were breached when teaching and campus services were curtailed during the pandemic.
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The higher education sector in england and wales faces a significant, collective legal challenge as more than 170,000 students prepare claims against 36 institutions. Current and former students — including those who attended Cardiff University and Swansea University — say they paid fees for in-person, full-spectrum study but encountered substantial disruptions caused by the covid-19 pandemic and subsequent events.
These claims follow a precedent set by a settlement between University College London (UCL) and the organisation acting for students, the Student Claim Group. Inspired by that outcome, the group has issued pre-action letters to the universities named, signalling an intent to pursue compensation under consumer law.
Basis of the claims and legal frame
The students’ argument centers on the assertion that universities continued to charge standard fees while failing to supply the full range of promised services. The claim relies on the principle that basic consumer protection rights apply to educational contracts and can take precedence over contractual clauses that attempt to exempt universities from responsibility for unavoidable disruption.
One pre-action letter reviewed by media also emphasises that claimants suffered not only financial loss but also “disappointment and distress” because services were not delivered as advertised.
What the letters cover
The correspondence sent to many institutions asks for redress for the academic years 2019-20, 2026-21 and 2026-22. These years include periods where campuses were closed, teaching was rapidly moved online and students lost access to communal facilities and specialist labs that are essential for practical courses. The Student Claim Group says the disruption breached the reasonable expectations of students as consumers.
Disruptions beyond online teaching
While the pivot to virtual learning is central to the complaints, students also point to other consequences of pandemic-era restrictions. Large-scale in-person events such as graduation ceremonies were either postponed or held virtually, affecting the social and professional rites of passage for graduates. Many who finished during the disruption entered a job market that was itself recovering from the pandemic, complicating early-career prospects. On some courses, hybrid delivery persisted; by the 2026-23 academic year nearly a third of instruction for certain programmes remained online, according to reports.
Industrial action and compounded disruption
Claimants note that, in addition to covid-related interruption, a number of students experienced further upheaval from industrial action by university staff over pensions, pay and working conditions. These prolonged disputes are cited as multiplying the loss of expected contact time and access to teaching staff, libraries and campus resources.
How the sector and regulators respond
At the height of the pandemic, the UK Government stated that universities were responsible for setting fees and expected to maintain standards despite restrictions. Universities deny that they abandoned their obligations; sector representatives argue that rapid, unprecedented changes required flexible responses to protect staff and students. Universities UK, the representative body for over 140 institutions, has been approached for comment in relation to the current wave of claims.
Legal experts observe that the UCL settlement has opened a pathway for wider action, and the use of consumer law means cases will focus on whether universities delivered the service students paid for, rather than solely on contractual technicalities. The Student Claim Group contends consumer protections should override any clauses that sought to remove university liability for service disruption.
Practical implications and time limits
A key detail for would-be claimants is the timeline: the cut-off date for claims tied to covid-related educational disruption has been set for September 2026. Prospective claimants should therefore be mindful of that deadline if they intend to pursue legal remedies. The scale of the coordinated action — involving a six-figure number of students and dozens of institutions — suggests this will remain a major story for higher education and consumer law for the foreseeable future.
Whether universities will opt to settle further claims or contest them in court remains to be seen. For now, the coordinated approach by the Student Claim Group illustrates how collective legal strategies can extend the impact of an earlier settlement into a broader cross-sector challenge. Students seeking more information are advised to consult the group representing them and to note the statutory timelines that apply.
