The OIA is funded by compulsory annual subscriptions from over 800[4] higher education providers that are members of its scheme,[5] receiving £5.4 million in 2019 from subscriptions.[4] The OIA's board of directors has 15 members.
The OIA looks at a wide range of "procedural issues" but it does not adjudicate on issues of "academic judgment". It functions by seeking information from both complainant and the higher education institution and allowing each party to comment. Results can include payment of compensation from the higher education institution where the complaint is upheld and so far compensation payments have exceeded £700,000 with the largest single award being £45,000 compensating a student for legal expenses.[6][needs update] In 2015, 20 complainants in all received more than £5,000. The other 210 received an average of less than £1,500.[7] In 2010, the number of complaints represented just 0.05 per cent of the 2.2 million students enrolled in higher education.
In 2019, only 3% of complaints reviewed by the OIA were Justified, 11% were Partly Justified, 9% Settled, 17% were classed as Not Eligible, 10% were withdrawn and 50% were Not Justified.[4] The OIA has discretion to publish summaries of complaints.[8]
The OIA is required to report to the board and publish in his annual report any non-compliance with recommendations by a university.[9]
In a report commissioned by the OIA, titled Student Satisfaction with the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education,[10] said "in all, the predominant emotions felt by students at the end of the OIA process are highly negative, and very similar to those felt by students at the end of the HEI process that led them to the OIA."[10]