Higher Education

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We help universities and alternative providers of higher education manage change, meet regulatory demands and plan with confidence.

Higher education providers are navigating shifting student demand, tighter funding, policy uncertainty and closer scrutiny from regulators, lenders and the public. You need advisers who understand how these pressures show up in your accounts, your tax position and your long-term plans. Our audit, tax, and advisory specialists work together, so you get joined-up support from people who know the sector.

Sector specific insight

Deep, practical understanding of higher education finances, governance and regulation.

Joined-up expertise

Audit, tax, advisory and restructuring specialists working as one team on your priorities.

Trusted sector voice

We engage with sector bodies and regulators, speaking at events and contributing to wider debates.

Get in touch

Chris Petts

Partner

Contact Chris Petts Learn more about Chris Petts

Why Grant Thornton

Higher education institutions choose us for our deep sector insight and joined-up advice

Our expert team work with CFOs, boards, councils, lenders and regulators to deliver credible, practical advice across audit, tax and advisory.

Our insight-led team takes a hands-on, real-world approach, working closely with you to understand your ambitions, challenges and opportunities. Our national and global scale means we can bring our insight to you.

Our services include external audit, tax, financial modelling, debt advisory, restructuring and business consulting.

We work closely with key sector bodies including the British Universities Finance Directors Group, Independent Higher Education and the Department for Education and have significant experience advising the sector.

Independent reviews of financial forecasts and cost reduction plans for enhanced governance
Merger or collaboration appraisal and modelling
Debt advisory
Lender engagement and covenant negotiations
Estates reviews
Future operating model design
Interim CRO and specialist leadership support
Stakeholder, Board and governance support

Statutory audits for universities and other higher education providers
Clear, timely reporting to governing bodies, audit committees and senior finance teams
Wider assurance, including regulatory returns, funder reporting and agreed-upon procedures

We can advise higher education institution on a wider variety of taxes including:

VAT and customs duty
Corporate tax
Employment taxes, including construction industry scheme
Global mobility services
Stamp taxes, including stamp duty land tax
Tax risk and governance
Tax technology

Case study

Delivering a multi phased university turnaround

The challenge

A university faced sharply declining liquidity and was about to embark on a significant cost reduction programme, with forecast covenant breaches and multiple leadership changes.

The solution

We delivered an independent financial review, stress tested the transition plan, and supported the board through their decision making process, also raising a significant RCF and agreeing a covenant re-set.

The results

A clear, measurable turnaround plan was agreed, which improved lender confidence. Our ongoing support helped secure new funding to maintain healthy liquidity.

Our Higher Education practice is led by Chris Petts, a trusted voice on university transformation and funding sustainability. Chris regularly contributes to senior policy and sector debates, including BUFDG/WEFDG, the IFT Conference and Westminster Higher Education Forum discussions on long‑term sector resilience.

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Higher Education

Chris Petts

Why Grant Thornton

Turnaround and restructuring

Audit and assurance

Tax

Delivering a multi phased university turnaround

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