Medr/2025/09: Targeted Employability Support for Higher Education (HE) Students: 2025/26 to 2026/27 Delivery Plans and 2025/26 allocations

Publication summary

1. This publication sets out Medr’s requirements for the submission of two-year delivery plans covering the period 2025/26 to 2026/27 for higher education (HE) providers currently in receipt of funding for Targeted Employability Support for HE Students. It announces the 2025/26 academic year (AY) budget of £2m for this support and details providers’ financial allocations. Funding for 2026/27 academic year will be subject to Medr’s budget.

2. This funding should be used to develop the employability skills of students studying HE courses who are under-represented in HE as a result of social, cultural, economic or organisational factors as defined in the Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Act 2022.

3. Delivery plans should build on progress made in the previous three years of funded activity, providing flexible and bespoke provision to students from under-represented groups to equip them with the social and financial capital to help them have a positive outcome after graduation. Activity should be targeted, take account of the student voice and be delivered in collaboration with a variety of partners including student services and employers, with the aim of removing barriers to employability and empowering students to take ownership of navigating their future career paths.

2025/26 allocations

Provider	Total funding (£)
University of South Wales	325,261
Aberystwyth University	154,148
Bangor University	150,304
Cardiff University	330,000
University of Wales Trinity Saint David	152,469
Swansea University	330,000
Cardiff Metropolitan University	238,931
Wrexham University	100,000
The Open University in Wales	176,503
Grŵp Llandrillo Menai	32,385
Grŵp NPTC Group	5,000
Gower College Swansea	5,000
Total	2,000,000

4. 2025/26 provider allocations have been calculated using the latest verified HESA data for 2023/24 according to the funding methodology outlined in paragraphs 37- 41 of this publication.

5. 2025/26 first tranche payments will be made on approval of delivery plans and end of year monitoring for 2024/25.

Timeline

6. We require universities and Grŵp Llandrillo Menai to:

• Submit delivery plans using Annex A and Annex B to [email protected] by 19 September 2025.
• Submit monitoring reports to us in February 2026 and September 2026 (Medr will send individualised templates to providers separately).

7. We require Gower College Swansea and Grŵp Colegau NPTC to:

• Submit delivery plans using Annex C to [email protected] by 19 September 2025.
• Submit a monitoring report to us in September 2026 (template to be sent separately).