Money Problems

Guide to leaving, transferring, repeating or taking a leave of absence from your course.

On this page you will find out about the financial implications of transferring, taking time out or withdrawing from your course.

I am changing courses. Will I be on the old or new system of funding?

What will happen to my fee payments?

How will my future student funding be effected?

I am planning to temporarily stop studying. How will I be funded in this time?

Old or new system funding?

Pre 2006/7 students are charged around £1200 fees for which they receive a means tested grant. Post 2006/7 students can be charged variable fees (up to just over £3000) and receive a loan for the full amount. They also receive different grants and loans.

I am on the old system of funding but want to transfer courses in 2008. Which system of funding will I be on?

• If you transfer to a simular course (as defined by the institution) at the same univeristy you will stay on the old system of funding.
• If you transfer to a different course or a different institution you will still be funded in the same way by the LEA. However you will be liable for top up fees. It is up to the institution if they charge you the full £3000.

I am on the old system of funding but am going to withdraw from my course and start again on a new one next year. Which system of funding will I be on?

• You will be on the new system of funding. However the income thresholds used to assess how much maintenance grant you receive will not be the same as those used for new students. The income thresholds will be the same as those used for continuing students on the new system of funding

I am temporarily suspending from my course and coming back next year. Which system of funding will I be on?

• As you are not withdrawing from the university you will stay on the same system of funding that you started on.

Payment of fees

• If you withdraw from your course half way through the year you will be charged fees on a pro-rata basis according to the number of weeks you have studied.
• For 07/08 starters fees are paid in full by the Student Loan Company upon confirmation that the student is still in attendance on 1st December.
• If you withdraw from your course before this date you will be liable for fees but will not be able to receive a loan for them.
• If you move institutions part of the way through the year it will be up to the institutions to split the fees pro-rata between them. The loan company will pay the fee loan to the instiution you are stuying at on the 1st December The university will then have to pay the other instiution.
• If you leave after your fees have been paid the university will refund you on a pro-rata basis. You will receive a refund for the number of weeks paid for but not attended. If your fees have been paid by the Student Loan Company you will still receive the refunded money. It is then up to you to pay it back to the loans company.

How will withdrawing from/suspending my course affect my future funding arrangements?

• You are allowed full funding for the number of years your course lasts minus the number of years you have previously studied in higher education, plus one. So if you have previously studied for a year then withdraw this will be taken into acount and reduce the number of years you can receive full funding for in the future. However you will still have your plus one year.
• One week of funding counts as one year. So if you drop out after one week your future funding entitlement will be reduced by a whole year of previous study.
• In the years you are not receiving full funding you will still be entitled to a maintenance loan but no help towards fees.
• If you suspend your course for 'Compelling Personal Reasons' (CPR) i.ie illness, personal trauma, then you will be given an extra years funding to make up for it. It is up to your Local Education Authority as to what they accept as CPR. This will only apply to you if you return to the same course.

Funding arrangements when not studying

I am going to suspend my course and return in the next academic year. How will I be funded in this time?

• If you suspend due to ilness your student support may be stopped after 60 days. Your Local Education Authority can continue to offer student support at their discretion for the for rest of the year. However once you have been ill for 28 weeks you can claim Income Support or in some cases Incapacity Benefit. If you recover you can get Jobseekers Allowence until you return to your course (no longer than 1 year). You can also apply to the university hardship fund (Access to Learning fund).
• If you suspend due to caring duties you can receive discretionary LEA support and hardship funds whilst caring, and then Jobseekers Allowence and Housing Benefit until you resume your course (no longer than 1 year).
• If you suspend due to pregnancy you cannot claim any benefits until you give birth. You can then claim Income Support and Housing Benefit.
• As you have not actually left your course you should not have to pay council tax. If you are being billed get advice from the Student Advice Centre.

I am going to withdraw from my course and start again in September. How will I be funded in this time?

• You will not longer be considered a student so after your current loan installment period you will be able to claim welfare benefits (Jobseekers Allowance, Housing Benefit etc).
• As you are no longer a student you will have to pay council tax (although you may be able to receive council tax benefit) and may lose your interest free overdraft facility.