Withdrawing

IF YOU STARTED YOUR COURSE IN SEPTEMBER AND YOU WITHDRAW AFTER 1ST DECEMBER IN AN ACADEMIC YEAR, YOU WILL BE CHARGED TUTION FEES FOR THE WHOLE ACADEMIC YEAR (E.G. £3,070 FOR FULL-TIME UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WHO STARTED AFTER SEPTEMBER 2006).

The University will do everything it can to ensure that students complete their course. Before considering withdrawing from University you should talk to your personal tutor. Have you considered extenuating circumstances or a leave of absence instead?

Before you do anything else, it is vital to consult with your Local Authority, as withdrawing is likely to have implications for any future student funding you may require. LAs normally only fund students for the length of their first course plus one year extra (3 years plus one for full-time undergraduate honours students).

For example, if you wanted to return to study at some point in the future, you would be subject to the previous study rules when it comes to obtaining student finance. If you started back on the same course exactly where you left off, you shouldn't have a problem in securing funding. But if the gap between you withdrawing and returning to university is years, you will probably find that the course has changed and you need to start from the beginning. Also, you may come back to a different course and start at the beginning. In these cases the Local Authority will take into account any funding you have had in the past. This could mean that you have to self-finance some years of study if you return having previously withdrawn from a course.

For example, Student A completes 2 years of an undergraduate honours degree in June 2007 and withdraws from university. Five years later, he decides to come back to university studying a different 3-year course from the beginning. Student A has a entitlement to 4 years' funding (3 years plus one extra) but he has already used up 2 years on his previous course. Therefore he only has 2 years funding left and he will have to self-finance the first year of his new course. The LA will fund him for years 2 and 3 only.

If you do decide to withdraw, you will need to complete a Withdrawal form, available from e:vision, giving details of your reasons for leaving (this will remain confidential) so that your LA can be notified.