De Montfort University (DMU) in Leicester has become a pioneer in "block teaching", becoming the first institution to roll this model out across nearly its entire curriculum, with students studying one module at a time over seven-week blocks. The approach, now spreading across the wider higher education sector, is designed to help students juggle their studies alongside work or family commitments, reflecting a broader shift in the make-up of the student population. Since the first fully block-taught cohort graduated, DMU says the model has boosted student confidence, sense of belonging and workload management, with National Student Survey satisfaction scores rising as a result.

The university has also opened a new London campus offering postgraduate business and data analytics courses two days a week, alongside its Edge employability programme, and is expanding international recruitment to offset a ten-year low in domestic applications, with UCAS admissions down 7% to below 5,000. DMU offers 59 scholarships worth up to £3,000-£4,000 a year, plus bursaries for care leavers and Stephen Lawrence Professional scholarships covering half tuition fees and a £3,500 bursary. Its hardship fund paid out £930,000 in 2024-25, while its 422 university-owned rooms remain competitively priced, with the cheapest frozen at £3,909 for 2026-27, alongside pricier private accommodation options up to £7,740.