The University of Cumbria, becomes the first British university to accept Bitcoin payments for tuition fees

The University of Cumbria in the United Kingdom announced on Tuesday, January 21, 2014, that it would accept Bitcoin payments. This decision was made to coincide with the launch of courses that look at the role of complementary currencies in economics and society. The acceptance of Bitcoin was initially limited to the two programs.
 

The University of Cumbria became the first public university in the UK to accept Bitcoin as payment for tuition fees. This pioneering step was announced on January 21, 2014, and was initially a trial move to accept Bitcoin for two specific courses offered by the university’s Institute for Leadership and Sustainability (IFLAS). The courses were the Certificate of Achievement in Sustainable Exchange and the Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Leadership.
 

The decision to accept Bitcoin was part of the university’s approach to “learning by doing,” providing practical experience and understanding of complementary currencies in economic and social systems. The university aimed to explore how digital currencies could be integrated into mainstream transactions and to inform their courses on complementary currencies through direct involvement with Bitcoin.
 

This move by the University of Cumbria was significant as it highlighted the growing acceptance of Bitcoin in educational institutions and their potential role in reducing transaction fees, especially for international students.