The Ministry of Defence has announced an £80 million package to expand higher education capacity in defence‑relevant subjects. The Office for Students (OfS) will run a time‑limited competition from 10 February to 20 March 2026, with awards expected in May to enable new places from the 2026–27 academic year. (gov.uk)
Funding is split between £50 million for around 2,400 additional student places over six years and £30 million for facilities upgrades, including new teaching capacity for the next decade. This is described as the largest single component of the £182 million Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) skills package. (gov.uk)
Bidding will be open to universities, colleges and other higher education providers in England. The money will flow through the OfS Strategic Priorities Grant, the teaching grant used to support strategically important and high‑cost provision; full eligibility and assessment criteria will be published when the competition opens. (gov.uk)
Provision will prioritise engineering and computer science given their direct contribution to aerospace, cyber security and complex systems programmes. Ministers also note ongoing engagement with the devolved governments to assess specific skills needs and funding options beyond England. (gov.uk)
Officials frame the move as delivery against the Strategic Defence Review’s recommendation to strengthen the defence skills pipeline, alongside a commitment to raise defence spending to 2.6% of GDP from 2027. (gov.uk)
A new Defence Universities Alliance will be established to connect universities, the Armed Forces and industry on research, innovation and talent pipelines. Stated intent to join the Alliance will be a factor in grant decisions to help ensure publicly funded places map to real employment outcomes. (gov.uk)
The wider skills programme also includes five Defence Technical Excellence Colleges. Government guidance confirms applications are open in a second wave of the Technical Excellence College programme, with defence named as a priority sector and a 16 February 2026 deadline for bids. (gov.uk)
For providers, the immediate task is to assemble bids that evidence employer demand, set out credible delivery plans for specialist teaching and facilities, and show alignment with DIS and the Strategic Defence Review. Early engagement with defence employers and letters of intent from partners will strengthen cases for additional places.
For prospective students, the package aims to increase access to engineering and computing courses linked to defence careers from 2026–27. The Ministry of Defence also highlights its existing apprenticeship pipeline-over 24,000 in the last year-as part of the route into skilled roles, and reiterates the national ambition for two‑thirds of young people to progress to university or a high‑quality apprenticeship by age 25. (gov.uk)
The OfS will publish detailed documentation on 10 February covering application materials, assessment and conditions. Providers should plan to finalise submissions ahead of the 20 March deadline, with notifications expected in May to allow recruitment and mobilisation for the next academic year. (gov.uk)