Competitive Advantage is a much studied concept in the context of strategic planning. Originally applied to the private sector but with relevant applications in public sector, it is a lesser known concept within the Higher Education sector (HE). HE’s position in UK society has been altered by the government pushing the University sector to behave in more “business like” ways and demonstrate increased competitive behaviour. The purpose of this research is to offer deeper understanding of competitive advantage in a HE context. This study will provide practical guidance for those seeking to strategically plan to gain competitive advantage, whether actions differ across different institutional contexts and identify common weaknesses that can be generalised to the HE population.