Lincoln College

What Lincoln College does

Lincoln College is a not-for-profit Further Education college group headquartered in Lincoln, England, tracing its origins to the Lincoln School of Science and Art founded in 1886. It operates four UK campuses — Lincoln, Newark, Air & Space Institute (Newark), and Gainsborough — serving approximately 12,000 students and apprentices annually across A Levels, T Levels, vocational training, apprenticeships, higher education degrees, and adult learning programmes. The Group employs ~1,000 staff (764 direct plus 150–200 associates through in-house agency FE Resources), holds Ofsted Good (January 2024) and TEF Silver (2023) ratings, and carries a Ministry of Defence Gold Employer Recognition Scheme award.

The business operates a hybrid revenue model. Primary domestic funding flows through ESFA and Department for Education grants covering Further Education and apprenticeship delivery, supplemented by international student tuition (£7,500/yr for A Levels and Level 3 vocational courses). Lincoln College International (LCI), established 2014, runs technical training colleges in Saudi Arabia — including partnerships with Saudi Aramco at the ITQAN Institute, the National Academy of Defence Industries, and Qatief Female College — and holds English-taught technical training partnerships with four Chinese colleges. A portfolio of not-for-profit commercial subsidiaries (The Old Bakery, The Drill, Aura Hair & Beauty, Sessions Restaurant, Deans Sport & Leisure, GameSaints) functions as finishing schools while generating revenue reinvested into teaching. Adjacent professional services include Human Alchemy (leadership consultancy) and The Knowledge Ladder (data science consultancy).

Go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer student recruitment (open days, clearing, school engagement, online course search) with enterprise field sales via a business development team offering free training needs analysis and apprenticeship recruitment services to employers such as the RAF, Lincolnshire Police, Saudi Aramco, and BAE Systems. International student recruitment is supported through overseas agents (e.g., Anglo Healthcare Recruitment Ltd in Saudi Arabia) and the British Council's Study UK platform. All surpluses are reinvested into education under the governance of a Board of Corporation with no shareholders.

Name

Lincoln College

Legal name

Lincoln College

Website

https://lincolncollege.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1886

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Lincoln College is a not-for-profit UK Further Education college group serving ~12,000 students annually across four UK campuses (Lincoln, Newark, Air & Space Institute, Gainsborough), with international operations in Saudi Arabia and China and commercial subsidiary finishing schools generating reinvested revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Further Education and Vocational Training

NAICS

Junior Colleges (611210), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Development & Continuing Education Divisions (Noncredit) (EDAHADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rural/Regional Community Colleges (EDAHADAK), Public Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers & Programs (EDAJAAAJ)

Keywords

• Further education
• Vocational training
• Apprenticeship programs
• Higher education degrees
• Employer-led training

Headquarters

HQ city

Lincoln

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. UK Government-funded Education and Apprenticeships: Lincoln College receives government funding for Further Education (FE) programmes and apprenticeship training, governed by funding arrangements with the Education and Skills Funding Agency and Department for Education. This is a primary revenue stream underpinning domestic student delivery.
2. International Student Tuition Fees: International students pay tuition fees: £7,500 per academic year for A Levels and Level 3 vocational courses. Higher Education degree-level courses (Level 4-6) have separate fees. These represent a direct revenue stream from overseas students requiring Student Route visas.
3. Commercial Ventures and Finishing Schools: The College operates multiple not-for-profit commercial enterprises (The Drill arts venue, The Old Bakery restaurant, Sessions Restaurant, Deans Sport & Leisure, Aura Hair & Beauty salon, GameSaints Escape Rooms, Lincoln College Corporate Solutions) that generate revenue from paying customers. All profit is reinvested into education and training.
4. International Operations (Lincoln College International): Lincoln College International (LCI) operates colleges and contracts in Saudi Arabia (including partnerships with Saudi Aramco at ITQAN Institute, National Academy of Defence Industries, Qatief Female College, International Tourism and Hospitality College) and technical training partnerships in China. These international contracts generate revenue that is reinvested into the Group.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Lincoln College Group is a not-for-profit Further Education college group delivering secondary-to-higher education across Lincoln, Newark, and international campuses. It provides A Levels, T Levels, vocational training, apprenticeships, and higher education degrees (Level 4-6), alongside employer-led bespoke training and apprenticeship recruitment. The Group operates commercial finishing schools (restaurants, hair & beauty salon, arts venue, escape rooms) that generate supplementary revenue reinvested into education.

Product overview

Lincoln College is a Further Education college group providing educational services, not a technology company with a software product. The institution offers a portfolio of educational programs and commercial training venues. Core educational offerings include A Levels, T Levels, apprenticeships, vocational training, and higher education through the Lincoln College University Centre. Specialized training programs include the Air & Space Institute, School of Complementary Medicine, and Lincolnshire Institute of Technology. The college operates several commercial subsidiaries that serve as finishing schools for students: The Old Bakery Restaurant, The Drill, Aura Hair & Beauty Academy, Sessions Restaurant, and GameSaints Escape Rooms. International operations include Lincoln College International in Saudi Arabia and partnerships with colleges in China. Leadership and data consulting services are provided through Human Alchemy and The Knowledge Ladder subsidiaries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Old Bakery Restaurant: Award-winning not-for-profit fine dining restaurant located in Lincoln's cathedral quarter acting as a finishing school for catering and front-of-house students.
• The Drill
• Aura
• Deans Sport & Leisure
• Sessions Restaurant
• Air & Space Institute (ASI)
• Care College
• Policing College
• Lincoln School of Food and Hospitality
• Lee Stafford Academy
• Human Alchemy
• The Knowledge Ladder

Products and services

• A Levels and T Levels
• Lincoln College University Centre
• Apprenticeships
• Air & Space Institute (ASI)
• The Old Bakery Restaurant
• The Drill
• Aura Hair & Beauty Academy
• Sessions Restaurant
• GameSaints Escape Rooms
• Deans Sport & Leisure
• School of Complementary Medicine
• Lincolnshire Institute of Technology (IoT)
• Human Alchemy
• The Knowledge Ladder
• Lincoln College International (LCI)
• Lincoln College Corporate Solutions
• Adult Learning and Online Professional Development

Quantifiable outcome

• Society receives £3.70 in benefits for every £1 invested in Lincoln College. Average annual return on investment is 16.1%. Taxpayers see £2.10 in benefits returned for every £1 invested, with a 9.6% average annual return.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lincolnshire PolicecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Lincolnshire Police partnered with Lincoln College to launch the Policing College, preparing school leavers for Professional Policing Degree and progression into police officer roles, including apprenticeships for 999 call handlers and custody officers. The College also upskills serving police officers via cyber security awareness training.
• Saudi Aramco / ITQAN InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Lincoln College International has a strategic partnership with Saudi Aramco at the Inspection Technology Quality Assurance National (ITQAN) Institute in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province. ITQAN offers inspection training to high school graduates to qualify for energy sector roles.
• Royal Air Force (RAF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016The Royal Air Force supported the UK's first Air & Defence Career College at Lincoln College in 2016, alongside global aerospace firms. RAF Tedder Academy of Leadership is supported through Human Alchemy (leadership consultancy).
• Air FranceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAir France provided an Airbus A318 jet to the Air & Space Institute (ASI) in Newark for aviation training purposes.
• Nottingham City AirportminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents at the Air & Space Institute (ASI) take flight lessons out of Nottingham City Airport as part of their aviation training.
• Lee Stafford AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported by award-winning celebrity hair stylist Lee Stafford, who trains Lincoln College staff and students in the latest styling, cutting, and colouring techniques through special masterclasses throughout the year. Students work in the Aura finishing school salon.
• GHD, Wella, Sebastian (Hair and Beauty Brands)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAura Hair & Beauty Academy is supported by GHD, Wella, and Sebastian professional hair and beauty brands, which provide products, training, and industry expertise.
• Green Salon CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAura salon is partnered with the Green Salon Collective and pays an additional Green Fee to ensure none of its waste reaches landfill, including waste hair, foil, and chemical collection.
• Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (GLLEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGLLEP supports Lincoln College's strategic direction and skills agenda. Pat Doody, Chair of GLLEP Employment and Skills Board, officially opened the Care College and other facilities. GLLEP supports the College's skills and employment initiatives.
• Anglo Healthcare Recruitment LtdminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLincoln College Group works in partnership with Anglo Healthcare Recruitment Ltd, an experienced education agent specialising in the Health and Care sector, to assist prospective international students from around the world.
• British CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLincoln College directs international prospective students to the British Council's Study UK platform for guidance on living and studying in the UK.
• Sichuan College of Architectural Technology (SCAT), Chengdu Polytechnic, Chengdu Industry and Trade College, Guangdong PolytechniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLincoln College Group has operated in China for more than a decade, enriching technical training and degree programmes with classes taught in English at four partner colleges in China.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Activate Learning: Multi-campus Further Education group across Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Surrey offering FE, HE, apprenticeships, and employer-led training. Directly comparable as a large UK FE group with a similar mix of academic, vocational, and employer-facing delivery; the former Lincoln College CEO Gary Headland moved to Activate Learning.
• Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG): One of the largest FE college groups in the UK following the merger of Newcastle-under-Lyme College and Stafford College. Comparable in scale, multi-campus structure, and breadth of A Level, vocational, apprenticeship, and HE provision.
• Derby College Group: East Midlands FE college group serving Derbyshire with FE, HE, apprenticeships, and T Levels across multiple campuses including a specialist technical provision. Geographically adjacent peer with similar student demographics and employer engagement model.
• Nottingham College: Large urban FE college in Nottingham delivering A Levels, vocational training, apprenticeships, and higher education with employer partnerships. Closest geographic direct peer serving the Nottinghamshire catchment that overlaps with Lincoln College's Newark site.
• Leeds College of Building: The UK's only specialist FE college for the construction and built environment sector. The current Chair of Lincoln College's Board, Ian Billyard, was previously Principal & CEO of Leeds College of Building, making it a closely associated peer in leadership approach and FE specialist model.
• Barnsley College: Large Yorkshire-based FE college offering A Levels, vocational courses, apprenticeships, T Levels, and HE with a strong employer engagement focus. Similar scale and student profile, including a significant school-leaver and adult learner cohort.
• Bradford College: Northern England FE college delivering A Levels, vocational, apprenticeship, and HE programmes with substantial international student recruitment. Comparable in scale, mission, and the mix of domestic and international fee income streams.

Broad incumbents

• QA Ltd: One of the UK's largest commercial training providers delivering apprenticeships, technology, and professional training to enterprises. A broader incumbent that overlaps with Lincoln's corporate training and apprenticeship delivery, particularly in digital and business skills, but at a national scale.
• BPP University: For-profit professional education provider delivering apprenticeships, professional qualifications, and higher education. Comparable overlap with Lincoln's higher apprenticeship, professional development, and career-degree offerings, but operates nationally and as a private provider rather than a regional FE college.

Emerging players

• Kaplan UK (Kaplan International): International education and training provider with pathways, apprenticeships, and professional courses in the UK. Comparable on the international student and employer-funded training side, but operates primarily as a private provider rather than a regional FE institution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lincoln_college
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@lincoln_collegeuk
• Facebookfacebook.com/LincolnCollegeUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/viasant-llc
• Instagraminstagram.com/lincolncollegeuk
• TikToktiktok.com/@lincolncollegeuk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lincoln College