1/29 Oxford University ‘rejects’ call for Ntokozo Qwabe to have Rhodes Scholarship revoked The petition had gathered over 42,000 signatures in just five days after the law student was criticised for boasting in a Facebook post that he, and his friends, had reduced a waitress to tears after refusing to tip her until white residents in South Africa “return the land” to black residents. An Oxford spokesman said: “Oxford is a place where non-violent speech, however objectionable, can be expressed and challenged.” Ntokozo Qwabe/Facebook

2/29 UCL accused of cutting bursaries for low income students amid growing rent strike A join investigation by UCL, Cut the Rent and UCL Union magazine, The Cheese Grater, has revealed that, for the 2016/17 academic year, the university has cut bursary amounts by between £500 and £1,000. The developments have come as over 600 UCL students are on strike and demanding lower rent in student accommodation. UCL, Cut the Rent/Facebook

3/29 ‘Largest student rent strike in British history’ gathers momentum in London Strikers at the University of Roehampton and the Courtauld Institute of Art have joined those from Goldsmiths and University College London (UCL) to bring the total number of protesters to more than 1,000 over the cost of accommodation prices they say are “soaring.” Goldsmiths, Cut the Rent/Facebook

4/29 Petition launched to reinstate maintenance grants in England in line with the rest of the UK Tracey Farrimond, 48, from Manchester has launched a petition this week after looking into student financing for her daughter - and she’s taking a major issue with how England compares with the rest of the UK. In the petition, Mrs Farrimond has highlighted how students in all other three parts of the country are entitled to non-repayable grants towards their university fees and living costs, in addition to loans. Getty

5/29 Students’ concern over finances is affecting their mental health A poll of just over 2,050 students from Future Finance has shown more than a third are worrying about their finances to such an extent that it is affecting their mental health. Other key findings have shown that, overall, 63% of students from across the UK are worrying about their finances all the time or very often, females are more likely to be affected, and 38% are considering work that could affect their wellbeing, including work in the sex industry. Monkey Business Images/REX Shutterstock

6/29 Universities of Oxford and Cambridge ‘failing poor students’, says think tank report According to Freedom of Information figures obtained by OxPolicy, despite ‘flagging’ students whose applications warrant special attention, Cambridge and Oxford universities are more likely to accept an ‘unflagged’ applicant. Getty

7/29 Cambridge University faces growing pressure to divest from fossil fuel companies The University of Cambridge has become the latest higher education institution to face growing pressure to withdraw its investments from fossil fuel companies following the launch of a student-led campaign. More than 100 staff, students, alumni, and others affiliated with the institution have signed an open letter saying, when it comes to the climate, Cambridge is making “the wrong kind of impact.” Cambridge Zero Carbon Society via Facebook

8/29 Cambridge University Students’ Union confirms NUS disaffiliation referendum In a debate which reportedly lasted four hours on 2 May, the majority of CUSU council members voted for holding a vote in two weeks’ time. The move has come as students’ unions from across the UK launch campaigns and confirm referendums on whether to break away from the NUS following the controversial election of new NUS National President, Malia Bouattia, who has faced allegations of anti-Semitism. Ms Bouattia has strongly denied the claims. Getty

9/29 Oxford University Students’ Union president says NUS disaffiliation would ‘only do us harm’ Becky Howe’s comments have come as students’ unions from across the UK launch campaigns and confirm referendums on whether to break away from the NUS following the controversial election of new NUS National President, Malia Bouattia, who has faced allegations of anti-Semitism. Ms Bouattia has strongly denied the claims. Alamy

10/29 UK universities’ world reputation ‘diminishing’ as Asian institutions gather pace According to Times Higher Education’s (THE) World Reputation Rankings, the UK has just ten universities in the complete 100 - down two on last year - while institutions from across Asia have managed to take up 18 places - an increase of ten on 2015. Editor of the rankings, Phil Baty, acknowledged how the UK “has lost ground,” even though the country is still the second most-represented nation in the list of the most reputable universities, behind the US which dominates with 43 out of 100. Getty

11/29 University applicants are regretting the A-level subjects they took, new research shows New research from Which? University has shown almost 30 per cent of university applicants wished they had chosen different A-level subjects, while just over 40 per cent wished they had thought more about what subjects might help them get into university. Getty

12/29 Buckingham University named best in the UK for student satisfaction According to the Complete University Guide, students have left the independent university “delighted” with the academic staff, saying they were “easily reachable, enthusiastic, and interesting.” Surrey and Keele have also been placed second and third respectively, with Coventry and Liverpool Hope taking the fourth and fifth positions. The University of Buckingham/Facebook

13/29 London Metropolitan and Bolton University have highest expected rate of student dropouts According to the Complete University Guide (CUG), London Met has an average dropout rate of 29%, followed closely by Bolton with 28.9% of first-time undergraduates who are not expected to see out their studies over the coming academic year. London South Bank (26.9%), East London (26.6%), and Glyndŵr University in Wales (25.7%) have gone on to make up the rest of the top five. Getty

14/29 Oxbridge graduates receive the most top-class degrees The latest Complete University Guide (CUG) rankings have found a staggering 92% of Oxford graduates left with either a 2:1 or first-class honours degree last year, followed closely by Cambridge (91%). St Andrews, Durham, and UCL have made up the rest of the top five. Getty

15/29 Graduate debt in England higher than any other English-speaking country University students in England are graduating with higher levels of debt than those in any other English-speaking country, a new report has revealed. According to the Sutton Trust, English students who graduated last year under the new £9,000 fees regime owed an average of £44,500 - higher than their American counterparts, and more than those in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Getty

16/29 Student’s graduation day pictures capture the harsh reality of debt after university Maigan Kennedy, 27, from North Carolina in the US has been gathering attention online for her unique - yet somewhat accurate - vision of life after university by capturing the harsh reality of debt that students are leaving the American education system with. Taking to photo sharing site, Imgur, Ms Kennedy’s pictures show her leaving university with a debt trophy, lying on the ground ‘drowning’ in overdue payment notices, as well as looking sad while holding a handwritten sign which reads: “Will run lines 4 food.” Areon Multimedia

17/29 NUS President Malia Bouattia says she will be ‘branded an Isis sympathiser’ as ‘a Muslim woman in a position of power’ New president tells journalist Cathy Newman on C4 News: “It’s no surprise that a Muslim woman elected into a national position will receive such extensive national attention, and quite racialised and sexist abuse over social media.” Channel 4 News

18/29 London School of Economics named capital’s top university, according to new league table The capital’s universities are moving in the “right direction,” according to the latest Complete University Guide (CUG) rankings, with London School of Economics (LSE) taking the lead for being the city’s best institution. Getty Images

19/29 Cambridge University newspaper urges union to save ‘one of the best student papers in the country’ Staff at an award-winning Cambridge newspaper have urged their students’ union to save “undoubtedly one of the best student papers in the country” amid a threat of closure. In an open letter, around 60 supporters - including past and present staff and students - have said The Cambridge Student (TCS) is “vital” and has earned its place “as one of the great Cambridge student institutions.” Getty

20/29 St Andrews University named best in Scotland, according to new rankings St Andrews University has been named the best in Scotland, according to the latest rankings from the Complete University Guide (CUG). The top institution is also the only one to feature in the UK top ten - at number five - that is not based in England. University of St Andrews via Facebook

21/29 Loughborough and UCL enter Complete University Guide’s top 10 universities for the first time Loughborough and University College London (UCL) are among the top ten best universities in the UK for the first time, according to the latest rankings from the Complete University Guide (CUG). On last year, Loughborough has climbed an impressive six places to enter the top ten at seventh place, while UCL has managed to move up three spots to secure tenth place. Loughborough University/Facebook

22/29 London and Cardiff Metropolitan named ‘worst’ universities for resolving student complaints London Metropolitan University has been named the worst in England and Wales when it comes to resolving student complaints. Higher education guide, the Complete University Guide, has analysed the number of Completion of Procedure Letters issued when internal complaints processes at universities come to an end. PA

23/29 Ucas head urges students to avoid ‘hackneyed’ phrases in personal statements The head of Ucas has urged students applying for university to keep their personal statements 'personal' as the admission service reveals the most clichéd phrases used in applications. From the more than 700,000 people who applied for the 2015 cycle, almost 1,800 used the phrase: “From a young age, I have (always) been,” followed by: “For as long as I can remember, I have…” which was written 1,450 times. AFP/Getty Images

24/29 Edinburgh University ‘to take disciplinary action’ against ethical investment protesters Student protesters at the University of Edinburgh have said the institution is to take disciplinary action against them. The move comes after a group of demonstrators occupied the university’s main finance office earlier this month in a bid to pressure the institution to divest from fossil fuels. People & Planet Edinburgh via Facebook

25/29 Student groups across the UK join growing campaign for unions to disaffiliate from NUS Student groups from across the UK are joining the growing call for their respective unions to disaffiliate from the National Union of Students (NUS) after a controversial National Conference. The students’ unions at Lincoln, York, Oxford, Exeter, and Manchester are facing pressure to end all ties with the national student campaigner after the election of new NUS National President, Malia Bouattia, divided opinion following allegations of anti-Semitism. NUS

26/29 NUS delegates criticised by MPs after arguing against Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration Politicians have criticised a National Union of Students (NUS) debate on anti-Semitism after it heard arguments against commemorating the Holocaust. Labour MP for Bassetlaw, John Mann, described how some delegates’ comments - and their reception - were “inappropriate, offensive, and point to a disturbing wider ignorance about anti-Semitism” within the NUS. NUS

27/29 NUS votes to help support student newspapers amid ongoing campus censorship debate Student media groups across the UK have shown concern over their respective students’ unions (SUs) “controlling” content pre-publication, particularly during election periods. Submitted by Bath University at the NUS National Conference in Brighton, the motion stated how democracy and collective empowerment are “foundational values” of the student movement, and said SUs should “lead the way” in securing these principles. NUS

28/29 Craig David and Tinie Tempah share exam stress tips as survey reveals effect studying has on teenagers A host of famous faces have thrown their support behind a youth empowerment programme video to give students their top tips on beating exam stress this summer. The video has come on the day a new study by the National Citizen Service (NCS) reveals almost 80 per cent of young students are seeing changes in their behaviour, physical and mental health, or appearance as their assessments draw near. NCS