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Cardiff University

Cardiff, Wales Charity No: 1136855 (Charity Commission) Sign up to see website
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76
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
76/100 · methodology

About Cardiff University

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.

Founded
Headquarters
Cardiff, Wales
Foundation type
Unincorporated Association
Size
major

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where
Cause tags
SDG alignment The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the global agenda for ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity by 2030. We tag each charity to the goals its work advances.

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar education in United Kingdom
Program spending This charity: 80%
Peer average: 92%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 76
Peer average: 86

Concerns

· None found
No red flags found
Screened for Charity Commission removal, Open investigations, Governance scandals, Related-party deals, Excessive exec comp.

Where every £1 goes

· FY2024 · Charity Commission (UK) (FY2024)
£0.80
Program£0.80
Fundraising£0.00
80% to programs beats the Charity Navigator "highly efficient" threshold (75%).

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

From what GiveRadar has verified so far, Cardiff University has a substantially complete profile, cross-referenced across 5 independent sources including the Charity Commission.

  • By reported annual revenue, it is larger than 99% of the 78,357 education charities in the United Kingdom with financial records on GiveRadar. See the filings
  • GiveRadar has cross-referenced this organization across 5 independent sources, led by the Charity Commission - more than 94% of comparable charities. See the sources
  • Its integrity score of 76 places it in the top 25% of the 87,708 education charities in the United Kingdom GiveRadar tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its registration. View this cohort
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (5 filed years)
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • a contact email
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • a donation page
  • third-party accreditation
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Cardiff University is a registered education nonprofit based in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. It was founded in 2010 and has been operating for 16 years. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 76/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports £634M in annual revenue. 22 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected. The charity has 10 community reviews with an average rating of 2.3/5. On Trustpilot, it has a rating of 2.1/5 based on 10 reviews.

Cardiff University's registered charity number is 1136855. You can use it to look up the organization on the Charity Commission register.

Cardiff University has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 76/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 76 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 80% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for education charities in United Kingdom is 86/100.

Cardiff University is located in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. The organization was established in 2010 and has been active for 16 years.

Based on official tax filings, Cardiff University has £634M in annual revenue. It allocates 80% of expenses to programs and services. This is below the average of 92% for education charities in United Kingdom. Its revenue is significantly above the peer average of £994K. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Cardiff University is classified as an Education organization, registered in United Kingdom. It operates as an Unincorporated Association. By size, it is categorized as a major organization. It has £634M in annual revenue. The organization has 22 disclosed officers and directors.

No red flags have been detected for Cardiff University. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.

According to GiveRadar's records, Cardiff University is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales and overseen by the Charity Commission. It reports that 80% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 92%). Note: the organization has a low Trustpilot rating of 2.1/5, which may reflect donor dissatisfaction. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

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. Cardiff University is classified as an education organization registered in United Kingdom. The organization was founded in 2010.

Among education charities registered in United Kingdom: It allocates 80% of expenses to programs, below the peer average of 92%. Its annual revenue of £634M is well above the peer average of £994K.

Cardiff University is an unincorporated association, a group of people who agree to come together for a common charitable purpose. This is the simplest legal structure: it has no separate legal identity, so contracts and property must be held by individual trustees on behalf of the charity.

You can verify Cardiff University in several ways. First, search the Charity Commission Register at https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/ - every charity registered in England and Wales appears here with its registration number, trustees, governing document, and filed accounts. Second, check whether the charity's annual return and accounts are up to date - the Commission flags charities with overdue filings. Third, look for the Fundraising Regulator badge on the charity's website, which signals voluntary compliance with the Code of Fundraising Practice.

Contact Cardiff University directly for current donation methods. UK charities typically accept online card payments, direct debit, and bank transfer. Many also use platforms such as JustGiving or Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). If you are a UK taxpayer, make sure to tick the Gift Aid box: it lets the charity reclaim 25p from HMRC for every pound you give at no extra cost to you. Higher-rate taxpayers can claim back the difference between basic-rate and their marginal rate through Self Assessment. Payroll Giving (Give As You Earn) lets you donate pre-tax through your employer.

Donations to Cardiff University are eligible for Gift Aid if you are a UK income-tax or capital-gains-tax payer. Gift Aid adds 25% to your donation at no cost to you (the charity reclaims basic-rate tax from HMRC). Higher-rate and additional-rate taxpayers can also claim back the difference through Self Assessment or by adjusting their PAYE tax code. Gifts of shares, property, or land to charity are free of Capital Gains Tax and can be deducted from your income for Income Tax purposes. Legacy gifts (in your will) reduce the value of your estate for Inheritance Tax and can lower the IHT rate from 40% to 36% if you leave at least 10% to charity.

Cardiff University is based in Cardiff in Wales. The Charity Commission for England and Wales (CCEW) is the primary regulator. Scotland has its own regulator (OSCR), and Northern Ireland has the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI). A charity registered with the CCEW may operate across the whole of the UK or internationally.

Cardiff University was first registered in 2010, making it approximately 16 years old. UK charities must file an annual return with the Charity Commission to remain on the register. A long registration history generally indicates sustained operations and continuous regulatory compliance.

Annual revenue
£100M-£1B
80% to programs
Source: Charity Commission (UK) (FY2024) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

5 years on file from Charity Commission (UK) (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021, FY2020.
Financial details are free - with a GiveRadar account

See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.

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Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

UK donations qualify for Gift Aid. CARDIFF UNIVERSITY is registered with the Charity Commission. Eligible UK taxpayers can boost their gift by 25% at no extra cost.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Leadership

From FY2024 filing

AN
Ana R•••••••• S••••••• G••••• d• O•••••••
Trustee

Officers & trustees (22)

Source: Public filings

See full names, roles, and stories

22 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

10 articles found

From news sources and the organization. Shown for transparency; news never affects the integrity score.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Cardiff University criticised over consultant secrecy - Nation.Cymru
Jun 2026
nation.cymru
Cardiff University withdraws library plan following backlash - Nation.Cymru
Jun 2026
nation.cymru
Cardiff University spent more than £1m on controversial cuts consultants - Nation.Cymru
May 2026
nation.cymru
Fears 'thousands of books' could be pulled from shelves at Cardiff University library - Wales Online
May 2026
www.walesonline.co.uk
Fears for thousands of rare books as Cardiff University plans ‘proof of concept’ experiment - Nation.Cymru
May 2026
nation.cymru
Cardiff University spending millions on refurbishment after pushing through cuts - Nation.Cymru
May 2026
nation.cymru
Cardiff University student's anger over response to racial abuse - BBC
May 2026
www.bbc.co.uk
Cardiff University fined £280k over lab staff's animal allergy asthma - BBC
May 2026
www.bbc.com
Cardiff University fined £280k over lab staff's animal allergy asthma - BBC
May 2026
www.bbc.co.uk
‘Symptoms feel like a hangover’: Cardiff University issues advice on meningitis outbreak - thetab.com
Mar 2026
thetab.com
Form filed
£646.9M revenue
FY2024
Charity Commission (UK)
Form filed
£635.2M revenue
FY2023
Charity Commission (UK)
Form filed
£634.2M revenue
FY2022
Charity Commission (UK)
Form filed
£604.6M revenue
FY2021
Charity Commission (UK)
Form filed
£568.8M revenue
FY2020
Charity Commission (UK)

Donor reviews (10)

2.3 / 5 average · includes imported Trustpilot

2.3
10 reviews
5
3
4
0
3
0
2
1
1
6
★★★★★ Continuing Professional Development Courses that work

I was recently made redundant and decided to take some courses on Marketing in order to fill a skill gap and I have to recommend the Continuing Professional Development range of courses as they have well priced and the course Tutors really know there subject matter.The courses are perfect length and the CPD team are excellent.I can't recommend them enough.

Charles Richardson Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot
★★★★★ An excellent Institution

An excellent Institution. Thoroughly enjoyed my time there.

Niall Bradley Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot
★★★★★ Attended many lectures and courses over…

Attended many lectures and courses over the years, cannot fault any of the standards and highly recommend as a University. Reviews and feedback fall in-line with that anyway. Cardiff Uni gets a thumbs up from me.

Steve Dalton Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot
Awful admin processes

Awful admin processes. The place is more like real estate management company hugely indebted. I would advise against studying there.

Tomasz Kucharski Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot
A highly racist

A highly racist, isolated, harsh yet sheltered and quite frankly below average environment for education. The best lecturers they had fled the sinking ship in 2019 in the minds of most UK scientific peers.

Snowball Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot
Awful University which does not care about its students' mental health or wellbeing

The readings and lectures we are given are completely irrelevant for the essays we have to undertake. The feedback received in these essays is misleading and basic with a failure to fully support students in their academic ventures. Cardiff is an unwelcoming environment where I felt singled out everywhere I went and struggled to make valuable friendships. Because of this I had major struggles with my mental health in first year and when I approached the university mental health department for support they dismissed my concern entirely. Luckily, I have a supportive family to help me go through my 3 torrid years at Cardiff.

Tommy Greenwood Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot
★★ My brother Has Been at this uni for the…

My brother Has Been at this uni for the last year. The last time he was home he brought scabies back with him. Now me and the entite family are suffering with this s****. I suggest that people in charge push these dirty spoiled brats to wash themselfes at least once per week. Getting qualified is surely very important in life, however so is your higiene. IT is high time these dirty kids have leart this.Regards

Sebastian Slowinski Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot
Awful

Awful - take weeks & months to respond to simple emails

Elizabeth Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot
I am a current student from an ethnic…

I am a current student from an ethnic minority background. I have found this institution to be riddled with racism where security in particular (a blonde middle-aged woman who wears glasses) has repeatedly stopped me to check if I attend Cardiff University. Bear in mind this has been happening for a year, you would think a reasonable person would eventually acknowledge I’m a student! She doesn’t do this with other students and it is therefore concerning that such a person operates on behalf of this institution.The teaching is subpar where lecturers and staff in general care more about lining their pockets than responding to students with academic concerns.Welfare is also concerning where I have known students to apply for reasonable adjustments because of disabilities and being rejected. This has caused one of my closest friends to even drop out. If one wants to know the extent of which Cardiff has failed to support the mental health of students, I suggest you look up Cardiff student suicides. It is truly shocking.As a rank 22 university, I can safely say there are 21 better universities to attend!

Dylan Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot
Kingdom security services

Kingdom security services, security guards were disgusting.

Nika choudhary Donor · Mar 26, 2026 Trustpilot Trustpilot

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Cause areas in United Kingdom

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Education this charity 87,646
Health 28,382
Religion 22,146
Arts & Culture 21,802
Community Development 10,738
Environment 5,683
Social Services 4,899
Youth Development 4,637
See all cause areas in United Kingdom

Most common causes in United Kingdom

Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.

Education 54,780
Arts & Culture 17,729
Disability 17,106
Religion 16,671
Health 15,045
Poverty 14,062
Community Development 11,486
Cultural Heritage 8,526

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Charity Commission for England and Wales - Register of Charities
Financial filings
Charity Commission annual returns - Fiscal year 2024 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Charity Commission for England and Wales - Register of Charities - 22 disclosed in the public registry.
News and media coverage
GDELT Project + Google News
Donor reviews (external)
Trustpilot consumer reviews
Community reviews (verified email)
GiveRadar Community Reviews - 10 verified review(s) on file.
Supplementary verification
Wikidata structured data

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 17, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 17, 2026
Profile completeness
85%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 8
  • Financial data · FY2024 on record
  • Named leadership · 22 officers on file
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 2010
Not available · 3
  • Executive pay
    Top-officer pay not disclosed
  • Mission statement
    No self-published statement of purpose
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about Cardiff University

What is Cardiff University?
Cardiff University is a education unincorporated association based in Cardiff, United Kingdom. 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.
When was Cardiff University founded?
Cardiff University was founded in 2010.
Where is Cardiff University located?
Headquartered in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom.
What is Cardiff University's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately £100M-£1B. 80% of expenses go to program services.
Is Cardiff University trustworthy?
Cardiff University has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 76 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is Cardiff University's website?
https://www.cardiff.ac.uk
Are donations to Cardiff University tax-deductible?
Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United Kingdom under local rules. US donors should check whether the charity has an equivalency-determination letter or a US-based fiscal sponsor before claiming a deduction.