Colleges and universities have to give students information on how they plan to deliver higher education courses next year - including the extent to which they will be delivered online - the Office for Students (OfS) says.

New guidance published today by the higher education regulatory body says current students should be made aware of what teaching will be delivered and in what way as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Students should also be told whether any adjustments to their courses or teaching might need to be made to reflect different scenarios and changes to public health advice. Prospective students should receive enough information to be able to make an informed decision about starting that course, choosing a different course or deferring, says the OfS.

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The guidance says that “prospective students will need to understand what a provider is committing to deliver in the current circumstances and in different scenarios, how this will be achieved, and the changes that might need to be made in response to changing public health advice, so that they are able to make informed choices. Existing students also need clear information about any adjustments to their courses and assessment that may take place in the next academic year.”

Colleges and universities should be clear on “the extent to which the course will now be delivered online rather than face-to-face and how the balance between lectures, seminars and self-learning has changed. Prospective students will be particularly interested in the volume and arrangements of contact hours and support and resources for learning if this is now taking place online and virtually.”

Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of the OfS, said: “These are exceptionally challenging times for both students and universities, but students must be told clearly how their courses will be taught next year. Where it is likely that arrangements may need to change, that should also be made clear. Choosing when and where to go to university are important decisions at the best of times, but now, more than ever, prospective students must be given clear guidance and information to make the decision that is right for them.

“While many universities and colleges have responded to the crisis with innovation and ingenuity, all current students have had their studies disrupted. Any adjustments that continue into next year must be clearly communicated, and students must have access to a transparent and flexible complaints process, should they feel that suitable changes have not been made.

“In the coming weeks, and certainly before clearing commences, we expect universities to set out the extent to which they plan to start courses online or face-to-face, and what students might expect online teaching to involve. Each university will need to take their own decisions based on their own circumstances and in line with Public Health England guidance. Nonetheless, we expect universities and colleges to make all reasonable efforts to maintain the quality of teaching and support on offer.”

Julian Gravatt, deputy chief executive of the Association of Colleges, said the OfS’ advice note only covered higher education courses, but was “a helpful reminder that colleges, like universities, need to communicate clearly with students”.

“Many colleges have stayed open for vulnerable students throughout the shutdown and will be increasing the number of on-site students in the next few weeks in the expectation that they will restart in September for a larger number of students, some of whom will take part of their course online. There has been lots of recently published government health and education advice. All colleges are working through the logistics of this and, as the OfS explains, will need to ensure that they offer what they promise.”