Three UK universities announced language course closures in 2026 – including Edinburgh

Three prominent UK universities have announced in 2026 that they will cut modern language courses.

It’s not exactly news that many UK universities are struggling with money in 2026. The sector is dealing with a decline in international students, an increase in maintenance costs, and very little change to tuition fees.

The study of modern languages is declining in the UK. In 2019, 19,930 students were accepted onto undergraduate courses in language and area studies through UCAS. In 2025. just 15,115 were.

Several universities have cut back courses with smaller student numbers, and that often includes modern languages.

University of Edinburgh

The University of Edinburgh’s main library

In September 2026. the University of Edinburgh informed staff more than 90 degree programmes would be “taught out”, including 48 courses from the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures which have “historically attracted low numbers of students”.

The University of Edinburgh is not in deficit, but management are concerned that costs have been rising faster than its income.

These courses with a focus on languages are set to close:

• Arabic and Ancient Greek; Arabic and Social Anthropology
• Celtic; Celtic and Archaeology; Celtic and English Language; Law and Celtic; Celtic and Scottish Literature
• Chinese and Economics; History of Art and Chinese Studies; Chinese and Russian
• English Language
• French and Classics; French and English Language; French and History of Art; French and Social Policy

University of Edinburgh languages students on their year abroad

• German and Classics; German and English Language; German and History of Art; German and Social Policy; German and Russian Studies
• International Business and Japanese
• Italian and Classics; Italian and English Language; Italian and History of Art 
• Linguistics and Social Anthropology
• Persian and English Literature; Persian and Middle Eastern Studies; Persian and Social Anthropology; Persian Studies
• Portuguese; Portuguese and English Language; Portuguese and English Literature; Portuguese and Linguistics; Portuguese and Philosophy; Portuguese and Scottish Literature

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• Russian Studies and Classics; Russian Studies and English Language; Russian Studies and History of Art; Russian Studies and Scandinavian Studies; Russian Studies and Social Policy
• Scandinavian Studies and Classics; Scandinavian Studies and English Language; Scandinavian Studies and Social Policy
• Scottish Ethnology; Scottish Ethnology and English Language; Scottish Ethnology and Scandinavian Studies; Scottish Literature and Classics
• Spanish and History of Art; Spanish and Classics

University of Leicester

The University of Leicester
(Credit: NotFromUtrecht)

In Spring 2026, the University of Leicester confirmed plans to shut down the Film Studies and the Modern Languages departments.

Students who had already begun these programmes can finish them at Leicester. However, the university took back approximately 300 offers from people who had applied to start these courses in autumn 2026.

University of Nottingham

University of Nottingham students on their year abroad

Despite strikes, the university announced in October 2026 that the Future Nottingham 2 restructuring programme would go ahead. This involves scrapping many courses which are “no longer financially sustainable or reflective of student demand”. The modern languages department is closing. Students studying other subjects will be able to take a language module through a new language centre.

The university reported an an adjusted financial deficit of £85.3 million for the 2024/2025 academic year.

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