Submit financial data for FE colleges – dry run 2026 to 2027

FE colleges must submit detailed (granular) actual spend data to the Department for Education (DfE) more regularly through the government financial year.

The government financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March.

We are conducting a dry run data collection to allow both DfE and the sector to test the processes required to meet central government financial reporting obligations. To support this, we have prepared a data collection workbook to help with your submission.

This change follows the reclassification of colleges and their subsidiaries into the central government sector by the Office for National Statistics in 2022.

To prepare, you should:

• read the guidance document, FE financial reporting dry run: April 2026 to March 2027 (PDF, 1.792.11 MB, 4145 pages), to understand the data requirements
• map your account codes to the FE chart of accounts

Submission timetable

The schedule for the 2026 to 2027 dry run submissions is:

Complete the data submission

We have provided a single data collection workbook (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 12.8 MB) to use across the full 12-month period.

When you complete the submissions, you will need to map your existing local codes to the standardised DfE chart of accounts codes. Use the mapping worksheets in the workbook to do this.

Detailed instructions are available in the mapping section of the guidance document.

You will generally only need to complete the mapping exercise once. You will only need to update this if you introduce new account codes into your financial system.

Each submission will cover 3 months of data, so you should only complete the tabs relevant to the applicable quarterly submission period.

Upload the data submission

You must upload your completed data submission workbook through the DfE online portal.

Use the Submit financial data for further education colleges service to submit your completed workbook.

Details of how to submit your data can be found in the guidance.

Get support

Refresher sessions

We are hosting 3 refresher sessions ahead of the Q2 collection period to help you prepare for the upcoming data collection.

These sessions will:

• recap the main requirements of the collection
• highlight important guidance and deadlines
• help you get support from the team before the collection period starts

They will take place on the following dates:

• 28 September, from 2.30pm
• 30 September, from 10.30am
• 6 October, from 2.30pm

Register for a webinar on Eventbrite. Your confirmation email will include joining instructions.

Join a drop-in support session

We are hosting a series of drop-in support sessions throughout the Q1Q2 collection period (1 JulyOctober toto 20 28November August 2026) to support you.2026).

These callssessions will:

• provide an opportunity to ask questions about the data collection worksheet and submission process
• allow you to seek clarification on the published guidance
• enablehelp you toget receive support from the team

Drop-in support sessions will run for 45 minutes. They will take place on the following dates:

• 813 July,October, from 2.30pm
• 1427 July,October, from 10.30am
• 2310 July,November, from 2.30pm
• 29 July, from 10.30am
• 6 August, from 2.30pm
• 11 August, from 10.30am
• 19 August,November, from 2.30pm
• 27 August, from 10.30am

Register for a webinar on Eventbrite. Your confirmation email will include joining instructions.

Get further support

If you have any queries, contact us through the customer help portal and: and select:

• select the query type ‘Data returns, collections and requests’
• select ‘Financial returns’
• select ‘Submit financial data for further education colleges’
• select the appropriate option from the list