In a surprising turn of events, the online education provider Oxbridge ceased trading in September, leaving thousands of students scrambling for alternatives. The company, once lauded for its innovative approach to online learning and led by owner Matt Jones—described as a “shining star”—has faced a significant downturn in service quality, leading to a rapid decline in customer satisfaction.
Matt Jones was recently awarded the Male Innovator of the Year award at The Technology Supply Chain Awards. This remarkable accomplishment is raising the bar for Oxbridge’s future. The company’s sudden shutdown has many wondering if it was ever realistic. Oxbridge ceased trading and will no longer provide tutoring, marking or examination services. Its website will remain open through July 2026. This unexpected announcement has caused extreme disappointment and anger among the many students who planned on making its vibrant educational community their home.
One student, Amelia, began using Oxbridge’s online learning portal in September 2024 to study three A-level subjects: music, English Language, and religious education. Needless to say, Amelia was terrified for her academic future. She shared the impact of the company’s downfall on her pathway to college.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen next because I had a whole plan of what was going to happen with university,” – Amelia.
Amelia is not alone in her distress. Oxbridge’s Trust Pilot reviews have taken a cumulative nosedive, with hundreds of students reporting that they’ve sent tutors emails that have gone unanswered. One user reflected their anger on the review site, stating, “I am feeling very angry to have come out of this with nothing.”
The stakes are even higher for these students, many of whom have already paid out tens of thousands of dollars toward their education. Lesley, a ferocious advocate and parent, expressed her disappointment, pointing out how many innocent kids have been forgotten.
“They’ve left a lot of children high and dry. What do our children do?” – Lesley.
In addition to emotional distress, financial loss has been a major impact of Oxbridge’s downfall. The damage done for one student was the loss of more than £7,600 on A-level courses that will now go unmet.
Amid all the chaos around Oxbridge, the firm shared that it had failed to save the whole company. Yet a number of buyers entered to purchase a number of attainable property, saving elements of its service, and permitting D.C. Among the buyers is Matt Jones, who has been working to save jobs and support ongoing educational opportunities for students.
“Although the business as a whole could not be saved, several buyers – including Matt Jones – stepped in to preserve as much as possible, safeguarding jobs and allowing continued support for students, many of whom have since received their certificates.” – Oxbridge Home Learning.
The transition’s overseeing administrators also verified that Oxbridge’s assets were sold off to two different buyers. Under a separate agreement, one buyer purchased the company’s website, domain names and trading style. But uncertainty still clouds many students’ faith in the future of their education.
Lesley highlighted the financial burden faced by students and their families:
“They’ve paid their course fees; they’re not going to get that money back.”
With the ramifications still being felt from Oxbridge’s shuttering, students such as Amelia are left in the dark when it comes to their future schooling opportunities. She shared her anxiety about the future:
“If I don’t have them there’s not really much chance of me actually getting into university so I’m quite stressed about that at the moment.” – Amelia.
