Cardiff University

Notable UK charity

The University provides Higher Education to the general public which will also include numerous research activities. For more detail see the Public Benefit Statement within the Annual Financial Statements.

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Activities & Mission

Areas of Operation

Where this charity is registered to operate, as self-declared to the Charity Commission. These are regulatory classifications, not a list of active programmes, and don't necessarily indicate fundraising activity in each location.

Local Authority

Cardiff

Financial Information

Latest Income

£634,070,682

Latest Expenditure

£692,020,576

Financial Efficiency

Program Ratio 85.5%

% of income going directly to charitable activities

Higher than 27% of UK Education charities with income over £10M (sample: 661). How is this calculated?

Overall Efficiency 78.4%

% of expenditure going to programs (vs overhead)

Higher than 7% of UK Education charities with income over £10M. How is this calculated?

Administrative Ratio 0.8%

Overhead (fundraising + governance) as % of total expenditure

Lower overhead than 65% of UK Education charities with income over £10M. (Lower overhead is generally read as more efficient.) How is this calculated?

Latest Financial Breakdown

Income Sources

Donations & Legacies £1,388,334

Charitable Activities £531,858,224

Other Trading £73,772,305

Investments £10,509,473

Other Income £17,213,850

Expenditure Categories

Charitable Expenditure £542,737,437

Raising Funds £3,012,644

Governance £2,438,225

Grants to Institutions £3,389,975

Other Expenditure £146,270,495

Financial Trend

Annual Returns

As filed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Most recent filing covers the financial year ending 2025.

Financial Year	Income	Expenditure	Charitable Spending	Net Assets	Reserves	Staff
2025	£634,070,682	£692,020,576	£542,737,437	£820,584,336	£767,033,944	6092 / 2523
2024	£646,938,858	£674,408,270	£542,362,402	£854,856,218	£801,691,537	6253 / 2401
2023	£635,205,042	£611,469,000	£528,394,593	£677,516,221	£631,109,444	6171 / 2130
2022	£634,167,000	£725,313,000	£509,361,000	£648,659,000	£292,318,000	6032 / 1638
2021	£604,593,000	£573,201,000	£485,762,000	£676,468,000	£314,097,000	5809 / 580

Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers

Frequently asked questions about Cardiff University

What does Cardiff University do?

How much income did Cardiff University report in 2025?

Cardiff University reported total income of £634.07m and reported expenditure of £692.02m for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.

How efficient is Cardiff University?

Cardiff University has a program ratio of 85.5%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 27% of UK Education charities with income over £10M (sample of 661 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.

When was Cardiff University registered as a charity?

Cardiff University was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 13 July 2010 as charity number 1136855. It has been registered for 16 years.

Who runs Cardiff University?

Cardiff University is governed by a board of 22 trustees. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.

Where does Cardiff University operate?

Cardiff University operates in Cardiff, as recorded in its Charity Commission filing.

Is Cardiff University a registered charity?

Yes — Cardiff University is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 1136855.