Education – Independent financial advice for universities and education institutions 

UK universities and education institutions face a more challenging financial environment than at any point in recent memory. Sustained pressure on tuition fee income, rising operating costs, growing capital investment requirements, and increasing scrutiny from lenders, auditors, and regulators are placing university finance teams under significant strain. At the same time, the market for student accommodation continues to attract substantial institutional capital, creating both opportunity and complexity for universities seeking to optimise their estates. 

QMPF is the leading independent financial adviser to the UK higher education sector. We have advised universities, further education colleges, and independent schools for more than 20 years, working across the full range of corporate finance challenges that institutions face – from financial sustainability, net zero, funding strategy and arranging borrowing, to commercial partnership structures and delivery of major capital projects. 

We work closely with finance teams, estates directors, and governing bodies on key strategic projects. Our role is to provide independent, technically rigorous advice – from early-stage options appraisal through to procurement, negotiation, and financial close. 

Our clients value our understanding and experience of: 

• University funding models and financial covenant frameworks; 

• Treasury management, liquidity, and long-term affordability considerations; 

• The full range of funding approaches, solutions and active market participants; 

• Governance and decision-making requirements at executive and Council/Board level; and  

• Acting at the forefront of innovative funding structures.  

In the last ten years, we have: 

• Advised on over 50 major transactions across the higher and further education sector. 

• Raised over £3bn in debt for universities, including private placements, bank facilities and real estate solutions such as income strips.  

• Structured student accommodation projects attracting over £4bn of third-party investment and delivered more than 50,000 new bedspaces through off-balance sheet partnerships. 

• Acted for more than 10 universities on decarbonisation strategies or ‘net zero’ project financing.  

Our services to the education sector include: 

• University debt advisory and capital markets – private placements, bond issuance, bank facilities, refinancing, and financial covenant renegotiation 

• Retained treasury advisory – treasury management policy, covenant monitoring, liquidity benchmarking, and ongoing strategic support 

• Financial sustainability and covenant advisory – supporting universities navigating financial pressures, covenant renegotiations with banks and private placement investors, and debt restructuring 

• Student accommodation advisory – commercial deal structuring, nomination agreements, operating leases, JV/SPV arrangements, and procurement 

• Private sector partnerships and joint ventures – long-term partnership structures, income strip and deferred receipt financing, project procurement, and analysis of joint venture commercial agreements 

• Financial modelling and business cases – robust, bespoke and dynamic analysis to support decision making on major projects 

• Energy, sustainability strategy, and project finance advisory 

In addition to our university and college clients, we advise private schools, charities, and other bodies across the wider education sector. 

For further information contact: