PRIFYSGOL ABERYSTWYTH

Registered charity 1145141 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · Wikidata: Q319761 · Wikipedia · also known as ABERYSTWYTH UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITYEDUCATIONRESEARCH

Objects

THE OBJECTS OF THE UNIVERSITY SHALL BE:1. TO ADVANCE LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE BY TEACHING AND RESEARCH AND BY THE EXAMPLE AND INFLUENCE OF ITS CORPORATE LIFE;2. TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION AND COURSES OF STUDY FOR THOSE SEEKING TO QUALIFY FOR DEGREES AND OTHER AWARDS OF THE UNIVERSITY, OR OF OTHER INSTITUTIONS, AND FOR OTHER PEOPLE;3. TO PROMOTE AND MAKE PROVISION FOR RESEARCH AND FOR THE ADVANCEMENT, DISSEMINATION, PRESERVATION AND APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE BY SUCH METHODS AS THE UNIVERSITY MAY DETERMINE;4. TO DEVELOP THE POTENTIAL OF THE STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY AND PREPARE THEM FOR EMPLOYMENT;5. TO GIVE SPECIAL ATTENTION, ITSELF OR JOINTLY WITH OTHERS, TO THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF WALES, HAVING REGARD TO THE WELSH LANGUAGE AND THE CULTURE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL TRADITIONS OF WALES.

Area of benefit: WALES

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: Education/training · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Ceredigion, Wales (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£127.4m

Latest spending

£132.6m

Registered

2011

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the University posted a financial deficit of £3.0 million for the year ended 31 July 2025, following a surplus of £30.0 million in the prior year. However, the underlying operational deficit was reduced to £2.4 million from £8.1 million in the previous year, and cash balances increased by £3.7 million to £9.5 million. The trustees report that the University has sufficient funds to continue meeting its liabilities as they fall due for at least 12 months from the date of approval, having secured a waiver on banking covenants due to timing differences in student receipts.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Highest-paid employee band: £205,001 - £210,000 — above the median for charities its size (£184k)

“£205,001 to £210,000 1 -”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: The University runs a payroll service on behalf of AUPAS for which no administrative cost recharges are made. The Pension Scheme debtor during the year-end was £694,720 (2023-24 £585,597) which relates to PAYE payments made by Aberystwyth University on behalf of AUPAS during the year, which is now owed to the University.

“The University runs a payroll service on behalf of AUPAS for which no administrative cost recharges are made. The Pension Scheme debtor during the year-end was £694,720 (2023-24 £585,597) which relates to PAYE payments made by Aberystwyth University on behalf of AUPAS during the year, which is now owed to the University.” — page 102

“Undeb Aberystwyth, the University’s Students’ Union, is a separate entity funded by the University by the provision of a grant. It is administered by elected student officers for the benefit of the students. The University’s grant amounted to £997,290 (2023-24 £861,250). Undeb Aberystwyth occupies premises owned by the University for which no rent is charged and received payroll services from the University for which no fee is charged. At the year-end the University owed it £72,393 (2023-24 £NIL).” — page 102

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Undeb Aberystwyth, the University’s Students’ Union, is a separate entity funded by the University by the provision of a grant. It is administered by elected student officers for the benefit of the students. The University’s grant amounted to £997,290 (2023-24 £861,250). Undeb Aberystwyth occupies premises owned by the University for which no rent is charged and received payroll services from the University for which no fee is charged. At the year-end the University owed it £72,393 (2023-24 £NIL).

“The University runs a payroll service on behalf of AUPAS for which no administrative cost recharges are made. The Pension Scheme debtor during the year-end was £694,720 (2023-24 £585,597) which relates to PAYE payments made by Aberystwyth University on behalf of AUPAS during the year, which is now owed to the University.” — page 102

“Undeb Aberystwyth, the University’s Students’ Union, is a separate entity funded by the University by the provision of a grant. It is administered by elected student officers for the benefit of the students. The University’s grant amounted to £997,290 (2023-24 £861,250). Undeb Aberystwyth occupies premises owned by the University for which no rent is charged and received payroll services from the University for which no fee is charged. At the year-end the University owed it £72,393 (2023-24 £NIL).” — page 102

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Members of Council Amgueddfa Cymru (Kate Eden & Daniel Richards) Income 15 Expenditure - Debtor - Creditor -

“The University runs a payroll service on behalf of AUPAS for which no administrative cost recharges are made. The Pension Scheme debtor during the year-end was £694,720 (2023-24 £585,597) which relates to PAYE payments made by Aberystwyth University on behalf of AUPAS during the year, which is now owed to the University.” — page 102

“Undeb Aberystwyth, the University’s Students’ Union, is a separate entity funded by the University by the provision of a grant. It is administered by elected student officers for the benefit of the students. The University’s grant amounted to £997,290 (2023-24 £861,250). Undeb Aberystwyth occupies premises owned by the University for which no rent is charged and received payroll services from the University for which no fee is charged. At the year-end the University owed it £72,393 (2023-24 £NIL).” — page 102

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol (Meri Huws & Yusuf Ibrahim) Income 2 Expenditure (10) Debtor - Creditor -

“The University runs a payroll service on behalf of AUPAS for which no administrative cost recharges are made. The Pension Scheme debtor during the year-end was £694,720 (2023-24 £585,597) which relates to PAYE payments made by Aberystwyth University on behalf of AUPAS during the year, which is now owed to the University.” — page 102

“Undeb Aberystwyth, the University’s Students’ Union, is a separate entity funded by the University by the provision of a grant. It is administered by elected student officers for the benefit of the students. The University’s grant amounted to £997,290 (2023-24 £861,250). Undeb Aberystwyth occupies premises owned by the University for which no rent is charged and received payroll services from the University for which no fee is charged. At the year-end the University owed it £72,393 (2023-24 £NIL).” — page 102

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Governance: The University’s Council is ultimately responsible for the University’s system of internal control and for reviewing its effectiveness. Such a system is designed to manage rather than eliminate the risk of failure to achieve business objectives and will only provide reasonable – and not absolute – assurance against material misstatement or loss.

“The University’s Council is ultimately responsible for the University’s system of internal control and for reviewing its effectiveness. Such a system is designed to manage rather than eliminate the risk of failure to achieve business objectives and will only provide reasonable – and not absolute – assurance against material misstatement or loss.” — page 48

“A review of governance effectiveness was commissioned by the Council during spring 2024. This was undertaken by Good Governance Improvement, with its final report presented to Council on October 2024. The Council applies an approach of continuous improvement to governance and institutional performance. The governance review included considerations such as academic governance and oversight, subsidiary governance, and ensuring the governance structure is fit for purpose. The review considered Gillian Camm’s independent review of Governance in Wales (‘A review of Governance in the Universities in Wales’) as a benchmark, and the recommendations reflected any ongoing work in relation to the Camm Review. Work has been underway during 2024-25 to implement the recommendations according to the schedule agreed by Council, and progress implementation reports are submitted to the Governance and Culture Committee biannually to monitor progress against the plan.” — page 47

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Governance: A review of governance effectiveness was commissioned by the Council during spring 2024. This was undertaken by Good Governance Improvement, with its final report presented to Council on October 2024. The Council applies an approach of continuous improvement to governance and institutional performance. The governance review included considerations such as academic governance and oversight, subsidiary governance, and ensuring the governance structure is fit for purpose. The review considered Gillian Camm’s independent review of Governance in Wales (‘A review of Governance in the Universities in Wales’) as a benchmark, and the recommendations reflected any ongoing work in relation to the Camm Review. Work has been underway during 2024-25 to implement the recommendations according to the schedule agreed by Council, and progress implementation reports are submitted to the Governance and Culture Committee biannually to monitor progress against the plan.

“The University’s Council is ultimately responsible for the University’s system of internal control and for reviewing its effectiveness. Such a system is designed to manage rather than eliminate the risk of failure to achieve business objectives and will only provide reasonable – and not absolute – assurance against material misstatement or loss.” — page 48

“A review of governance effectiveness was commissioned by the Council during spring 2024. This was undertaken by Good Governance Improvement, with its final report presented to Council on October 2024. The Council applies an approach of continuous improvement to governance and institutional performance. The governance review included considerations such as academic governance and oversight, subsidiary governance, and ensuring the governance structure is fit for purpose. The review considered Gillian Camm’s independent review of Governance in Wales (‘A review of Governance in the Universities in Wales’) as a benchmark, and the recommendations reflected any ongoing work in relation to the Camm Review. Work has been underway during 2024-25 to implement the recommendations according to the schedule agreed by Council, and progress implementation reports are submitted to the Governance and Culture Committee biannually to monitor progress against the plan.” — page 47

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Trading subsidiary: Aberystwyth Innovation and Enterprise Campus Limited, Aber Trading Limited, Aber Business Consultancy Limited

“The financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2025 consolidate the results of the University, along with Aberystwyth Innovation, Aber Trading Ltd and Aber Business Consultancy Ltd, all of which are subsidiary companies.” — page 37

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by KPMG LLP. Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Year-over-year changes

Going concern: going-concern doubt noted (FY2024) → no going-concern doubt (FY2025).

Comparing this charity’s FY2024 and FY2025 accounts as analysed by this site.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Complaints handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Investment
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Social media policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures
Volunteer management

From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)

Answers and figures the charity gave in Part A of its annual return to the Charity Commission. They are self-declared: not verified by the Commission or by this site. Only positive answers and figures are listed; items not listed are simply not shown.

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/07/2025

Government income: £32,040,159 — contracts £159 (10), grants £32,040,000 (596); 25% of the £127,424,000 total gross income on the same return
Employees paid over £60,000: 169 (£60,001–£70,000: 99; £70,001–£80,000: 42; £80,001–£90,000: 11; £90,001–£100,000: 4; £100,001–£110,000: 4; £110,001–£120,000: 2; £120,001–£130,000: 5; £130,001–£140,000: 1; £200,001–£250,000: 1)
Has a trading subsidiary

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/07/2024

Government income: £34,213,000 — contracts £374,000 (15), grants £33,839,000 (532); 27% of the £125,906,000 total gross income on the same return
Employees paid over £60,000: 183 (£60,001–£70,000: 101; £70,001–£80,000: 45; £80,001–£90,000: 16; £90,001–£100,000: 6; £100,001–£110,000: 5; £110,001–£120,000: 5; £120,001–£130,000: 3; £130,001–£140,000: 1; £150,001–£200,000: 1)
Has a trading subsidiary

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/07/2023

Government income: £39,131,000 — contracts £419,000 (10), grants £38,712,000 (568); 30% of the £131,051,000 total gross income on the same return
Employees paid over £60,000: 177 (£60,001–£70,000: 115; £70,001–£80,000: 25; £80,001–£90,000: 21; £90,001–£100,000: 4; £100,001–£110,000: 6; £110,001–£120,000: 3; £120,001–£130,000: 1; £130,001–£140,000: 1; £200,001–£250,000: 1)
Has a trading subsidiary

Source: this charity’s annual returns on the Charity Commission register.

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/07/2025)

Total income

£127.4m

Total spending

£132.6m

Cost of raising funds

£707k

Reserves (reported)

£90.5m

Employees

1,319

Reported reserves equal ~8.2 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 2.6 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (95% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 0.6% of total income — below the median for charities its size (3.2%) (benchmarks).

Register events

Received assets from another charity (11/07/2019) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (15/06/2012) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

Meri Huwschair · trustee of 2 other charities
Alan Edwin Henry Speight
Alice Leroy · trustee of 1 other charity
Arwel Vaughan Thomas Mr
Claire Marie Vaughan
Daniel Piers Richards
Dr Aloysius Igboekwu
Dr Patrick Benedict Finney
Gwenno Mair Roberts
Kate Alice Eden
Kylie Evans
Mark Allan Tweed
Paul Bevan PhD FCMI
Professor Jonathan Timmis
Professor Sarah Davies
Rhuanedd Bethan Richards · trustee of 1 other charity
Yusuf Ibrahim

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Ceredigion

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/07/2025	£127.4m	£132.6m
31/07/2024	£125.9m	£99.9m
31/07/2023	£131.1m	£130.9m
31/07/2022	£122.4m	£150.7m
31/07/2021	£118.2m	£120.9m

Common questions

Is PRIFYSGOL ABERYSTWYTH financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the University posted a financial deficit of £3.0 million for the year ended 31 July 2025, following a surplus of £30.0 million in the prior year. However, the underlying operational deficit was reduced to £2.4 million from £8.1 million in the previous year, and cash balances increased by £3.7 million to £9.5 million. The trustees report that the University has sufficient funds to continue meeting its liabilities as they fall due for at least 12 months from the date of approval, having secured a waiver on banking covenants due to timing differences in student receipts. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by KPMG LLP.

What does the highest-paid employee of PRIFYSGOL ABERYSTWYTH earn?

Per its FY2025 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the £205,001 - £210,000 band.

Who funds PRIFYSGOL ABERYSTWYTH?

Funders whose own accounts filings name PRIFYSGOL ABERYSTWYTH as a grant recipient include Y COLEG CYMRAEG CENEDLAETHOL, THE FOYLE FOUNDATION, WOODLAND HERITAGE LIMITED, THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON FOR IMPROVING NATURAL KNOWLEDGE (COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE ROYAL SOCIETY), THE ASSOCIATION OF JEWISH REFUGEES (AJR).

Shared trustees with funders

Register facts shown side by side: a person serves as trustee of both this charity and a funder whose accounts record grants to it. Shared trusteeship is lawful and common; well-run charities manage it through declared-interest procedures.

Meri Huws — trustee here and at Y COLEG CYMRAEG CENEDLAETHOL

Known funders

Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
Y COLEG CYMRAEG CENEDLAETHOL	FY2025	£532k
Y COLEG CYMRAEG CENEDLAETHOL	FY2023	Unverified read£485k
Y COLEG CYMRAEG CENEDLAETHOL	FY2024	£483k
THE FOYLE FOUNDATION	FY2021	£150k
Y COLEG CYMRAEG CENEDLAETHOL	FY2022	£136k
WOODLAND HERITAGE LIMITED	FY2021	£68k	Acute Oak Decline research
THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON FOR IMPROVING NATURAL KNOWLEDGE (COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE ROYAL SOCIETY)	FY2022	£41k	RS Challenge Grants
THE ASSOCIATION OF JEWISH REFUGEES (AJR)	FY2023	£39k	Creating Holocaust resources for Welsh schools
COLWINSTON CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£5k	Support a new musical commission from Claire Victoria Roberts, in celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the University in 2023
COLWINSTON CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£5k	Grant listed in Note 3 (2022 balance brought forward).
ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY (WITH THE INSTITUTE OF BRITISH GEOGRAPHERS)	FY2025	£4k
COLWINSTON CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£3k	Recording of two works by Aberystwyth composers Sarah Lianne Lewis and Claire Victoria Roberts.
BRITISH MYCOLOGICAL SOCIETY	FY2023	£3k	Grants and sponsorship
ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR LIMITED	FY2021	£2k	Research grant
ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY (WITH THE INSTITUTE OF BRITISH GEOGRAPHERS)	FY2022	£1k	Grant
ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY (WITH THE INSTITUTE OF BRITISH GEOGRAPHERS)	FY2023	£600	Institutional grant
ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR LIMITED	FY2025	amount not stated

Grants marked “Unverified read” were flagged by automated checks as possibly misread from the funder’s filed accounts. They are listed, but left out of the totals, counts and funder relationships this site computes.

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
The National Lottery Community Fund	27/07/2023	£500k	Veterans Legal Link
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	06/12/2022	£73k	"Aberetwm: Re-imagining Welsh history and legend for a sustainable and peaceful world"
The National Lottery Community Fund	20/05/2021	£270k	Young Voices in Old College
The National Lottery Community Fund	23/07/2020	£498k	Veterans Legal Link
The National Lottery Community Fund	14/05/2020	£100k	Covid-19 Dewis Choice
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	30/01/2020	£35k	"People's Voices in a People's War: Aberystwyth 1939-45:"
The National Lottery Community Fund	25/01/2019	£341k	Elder Abuse, Justice and the Voice of Older People
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	27/10/2017	£39k	"Aberystwyth at War: Experience, Impact, Legacy 1914-1919"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	25/04/2017	£17.3m	"Bywyd Newydd iÃ‚Â’r Hen Goleg / New Life for Old College"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	28/10/2016	£10k	"'A 150m-year mystery solved?' Jurassic Heritage Exhibition at Old College with National Museum Wales"
The National Lottery Community Fund	28/08/2016	£5k	Veterans Legal Link (VLL)
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	26/06/2015	£10k	"Veterans Oral History Project"
The National Lottery Community Fund	07/01/2015	£890k	Elder Abuse and Justice

Funders of similar charities

Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
THE FROEBEL TRUST	2	£84k
BRITISH UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES SPORT LIMITED	2	£31k
NORTH WEST CANCER RESEARCH (INCORPORATING CLATTERBRIDGE CANCER RESEARCH CCR)	1	£105k
NESTA	1	£80k
ARMED FORCES COVENANT FUND	1	£60k
THE FREELANDS FOUNDATION LIMITED	1	£50k
CULHAM ST GABRIEL'S TRUST	1	£46k
UBS UK Donor-Advised Foundation	1	£40k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with PRIFYSGOL CYMRU / THE UNIVERSITY OF WALES.

PRIFYSGOL CYMRU / THE UNIVERSITY OF WALES income £2.7m
COLEG SIR GAR income £51.9m
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH WALES/PRIFYSGOL DE CYMRU income £224.9m
CANTERBURY CHRIST CHURCH UNIVERSITY income £353.8m
UNIVERSITY OF CHESTER income £154.2m
CARDIFF METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY income £148.6m

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
PRIFYSGOL ABERYSTWYTH	£127.4m	£205,001 - £210,000	—	unclear	—	no doubt
PRIFYSGOL CYMRU / THE UNIVERSITY OF WALES FY2025	£2.7m	—	1	unclear	—	no doubt
COLEG SIR GAR FY2025	£51.9m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH WALES/PRIFYSGOL DE CYMRU FY2025	£224.9m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
CANTERBURY CHRIST CHURCH UNIVERSITY FY2025	£353.8m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
UNIVERSITY OF CHESTER FY2025	£154.2m	—	—	above	—	no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.