ADVICE AND REPRESENTATION CENTRE
Repeating, Transferring, Suspending or Leaving your course
Repeating Study .......................................................................................................................................... 2
Transferring to another course or University ............................................................................................. 2
Suspending (Abeyance) .............................................................................................................................. 3
Withdrawing ............................................................................................................................................... 5
Help in making the decision ....................................................................................................................... 7
Academic implications of repeating or suspending ................................................................................... 7
Will I pay new fees (£9,000) or old fees?* ................................................................................................. 8
Contact Us................................................................................................................................................... 8
Throughout this leaflet the following abbreviations will be used:
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ARC:
Advice & Representation Centre
SFE:
Student Finance England (also known as Student Loans Company)
SRAF:
Student Record Amendment Form- electronic request to update or amend your
registration details, completed by your College, following your discussion with Personal Tutor. Used in
cases of abeyance (suspension of studies), transfer, withdrawal.
If you are considering changing or leaving your course you will need to think about all of the relevant
information before making a final decision; time limits, academic practices and financial considerations may
restrict the options available to you.
Please note that for international students there are different rules governing what you may and may not do,
and your stay in the UK may be affected. Seek advice from Student Centre before you take any action.
This leaflet contains information on the MAIN implications of changing or leaving your course and the
procedures involved. We would encourage you to seek advice before you make your decision; there is a list of
helpful contact at the end of this Guide.
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Repeating Study
The rules regarding repeating study can be particularly complex and it is recommended that you always seek
advice from the ARC on the financial details of repeat studies.
What will repeating a year mean financially?
If you are a Home/EU Student:
 Usually at the start of your course, you would be funded for each year of your study. There is also an
additional year in which you can be funded for repeats and suspensions etc. For example, as a 3 year
undergraduate student you would be funded for 3 years plus an additional one year (totalling 4 years of
‘funding package’). This additional year of funding is a “safety net” as it is recognised that some
students may need to repeat a year of study for various reasons.
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Therefore if you need to repeat a year, you will use a year out of your ‘funding package’. If you need to
repeat more then once, your ‘funding package’ may be depleted to the point that it may not cover all
your course years.
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Please note if you have already repeated a year and then need to repeat subsequent years you may
need to fund the subsequent years yourself as you will have used your “safety net” year of funding.
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It is always advisable to speak to the ARC adviser as there are options which may help to extend your
‘funding package’. For example if you’ve had particularly difficult year due to health or personal
reasons, we can help you to negotiate with SFE to ask them to fund you for more years than you are
entitled to. SFE have discretion to do so and often agree if the evidence of your circumstances is
compelling.
If you are an International Student:
 You will need to discuss with your sponsor as to whether they can continue to fund your extra year
of study needed for repeats.
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You may also need to extend your visa for this additional year of study. Contact the Student Centre
for advice on this issue.
Transferring to another course or University
What will this mean financially?
If you are a Home/EU Student:
It is important to remember the rules about repeat years and ‘funding package’ (above) if you are thinking
about leaving your course before it ends or transferring to a new course as this could affect how much financial
support you can get if you take another course in the future. It is very important if you want to transfer courses
or withdraw from your course that you talk to your College, and ARC adviser as soon as possible.
If you do decide to change course, you must inform your College and the SFE. If the fees are higher than those
you have to pay on your current course, you may NOT be able to apply for an additional loan for tuition fees.
If you move institutions part of the way through the year it will be up to the two institutions to split the fees
pro-rata between them.
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Please see below a chapter about Withdrawing.
The above rules are particularly complex and if you are thinking about leaving make an appointment with an
ARC adviser before you decide to withdraw or transfer from your course. We can advise you of all the options
and the likely impact.
Making arrangements to transfer:
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If you intend to change University you should inform your College/department and Student Finance
England and they will reassess your entitlement.
If you are changing your course internally and have permission of relevant College’s admission tutors,
please contact Student Centre. Student Centre staff will be happy to assist you with the procedures.
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If you are an international student:
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You will need to inform the Home Office of your change of course or University. Contact Student
Centre for advice on how to do this.
You may also need to get a letter from your sponsor that they agree to continue to sponsor you on
your new course or at the new University.
If you wish to transfer you must:
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Obtain the approval of the ‘new’ University or Brunel University’s College/department to which you
wish to transfer- speak to their admission tutor and don’t burn any bridges before you are certain that
your new course will have a place for you.
Speak to your personal tutor as they will need to request a Student Record Amendment Form (e-SRAF)
from Student Centre. The SRAF is an electronic procedure and you will be informed by email about the
relevant decision.
Write to SFE informing them of the change of course, giving the date of change and details of your new
course. Always send your letter by Recorded Delivery or visit ARC for assistance. You can also
update your details online by logging in to your student finance account.
Suspending (Abeyance)
Making arrangements to suspend your studies:
In order to suspend your studies you should first speak to your Personal Tutor to discuss issues you may have
and any alternative options available to you. Once you have made your decision and agreed a date to return you
should then ask your tutor to notify Student Centre who will complete a “change of circumstances” (SRAF)
electronic form. You should also let SFE know yourself that you are suspending. Write to SFE and send a letter
by Recorded Delivery- you can visit the ARC if you need help with this.
Always seek advice when you are thinking about suspending your studies; the adviser will be able to tailor the
advice to your individual circumstances.
If you live in Halls of Residence contact ARC or the Accommodation Office for advice regarding your period of
notice and whether you have to leave your room.
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If you are an International Student:
Taking time out of your course for any reason will have immigration implications and you may need to return to
your home country during the time that you have suspended your studies. Always contact Student Centre for
advice before making your decision.
What will this mean financially?
 Student Funding
Full-time students who need to take a break from their studies, but who want to return — i.e. ‘intercalate’ or
suspend their studies — often fall through the net of both the student support and means tested benefits
systems and may find it difficult to get financial support. It is important therefore to seek proper advice from
the ARC before making a decision.
If it has been agreed by the University that you can suspend temporarily, SFE will normally suspend your
financial support for up to one year and reinstate it when you return. The university has a duty to inform the SFE
about your suspension. SFE may request that you repay any parts of the loan you have received for periods
when you were not actually in attendance at university. These rules are complex and students who suspend due
to medical reasons are treated differently.
Those students who suspend on non-medical grounds are not entitled to any further funding from the day of
their suspension (although SFE may discretionary agree to pay loan instalments i.e. they don’t have to pay you
but they may, depending on your reasons for suspension- seek advice from the ARC).
Students who suspend due to health problems are entitled by law to further funding for 60 days after the date
of suspension (i.e. SFE has to pay you your funding)
It is sometimes beneficial to formalise the suspension just after you have received your loan instalment so the
part of the loan which you may have to repay is as small as possible.
Examples:
Joan decided to suspend her studies. She formally obtained University’s agreement on 15th of March. She has
received her 2nd loan instalment in January and expects her 3rd instalment on 27th of April. She will have to
return part of the 2nd instalment on pro-rata basis for all days that she did not attend her course, i.e. from 15th of
March till 27th of April. Her 3rd instalment will not be paid.
If she had formalised her abeyance on, let’s say, 20th of April, she would only have to repay 7 days worth of
loan.
Sometimes SFE does not act quickly enough on your information about your suspension and may continue
paying you your loan instalments. There is always a scope for negotiation with SFE if they want you to repay the
funding they say you were not entitled to, for example if your financial circumstances are difficult.
If you do not repay the ‘unused’ funding and SFE refuse to pay your any further loan instalments during your
suspension, the debt created may result in reduction of funding in next academic year.
International Students should urgently seek advice from Student Centre as the periods of suspension of studies
are limited for international students and their permission to stay in UK may be affected if studies are
suspended for more than a month.
 Welfare Benefits
If you suspend your studies you will not generally be entitled to any Welfare Benefits (unless you already have
entitlement because you are a lone parent or receive disability benefits), as the Benefits Agency will consider
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you to be a full-time student. As a result, many students who suspend on non- medical grounds have no choice
but to work to support themselves during any period of suspension.
If you need to take time out of your course on medical grounds you must submit medical evidence to your
College. The university will then inform SFE that you have suspended on health grounds. The SFE will normally
continue the financial support for 60 days and after this time funding is discretionary. However, such students
can still apply to the University Hardship fund. Please contact the ARC for assistance in these complex matters.
If you suspend due to pregnancy, you will be entitled to child-related benefits like Child Benefit and Child Tax
Credits. You may be also entitled to maternity benefits (please see
http://www.maternityaction.org.uk/parentswhoarentworking.html)
Further information about benefits for students can be found here:
 http://www.turn2us.org.uk/information__resources/benefits/education/benefits_and_students.aspx
 http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/housing_benefit_and_local_housing_allowance/housing_ben
efit_for_students
If you need to suspend your studies because you have to care for someone (for example, an elderly relative or
disabled partner) you do not have any entitlement to benefits. If you are a part time student you may be
however entitled to Carer Allowance or other discretionary support, such as University Hardship Fund (please
see http://www.brunelstudents.com/advice Money Section).
Full time students who suspend are NOT liable for Council Tax as they retain their student status during the
suspension. Please speak to the ARC adviser if you are experiencing difficulties with your Council Tax office.
Withdrawing
If you wish to withdraw you should follow these steps:
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Inform your personal tutor, Senior Tutor or Course Leader
Notify the SFE in writing.
If in Halls of Residence contact an ARC Adviser or the Accommodation Office for advice regarding your
period of notice
If you rent off-campus you may have difficulty in getting out of your tenancy if it is for a fixed period of
time. You should contact an ARC Adviser for further advice.
If you are going to be unemployed on leaving University you can make a claim for Jobseeker Allowance
(JSA) at your local JobcentrePlus.
What will this mean financially?
Financial implications of withdrawal:
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If you are not in receipt of Tuition Fee Loan, you will be liable for fees personally. Therefore you will
have to pay a portion of fees yourself, depending on when you withdraw.
If you receive Tuition Fee Loan, your fee liability, i.e. what you owe for tuition so far, should not exceed
what you can borrow from the government in form of the tuition fee loan. Please see an ARC adviser if
you are experiencing difficulties with this.
If you are going to withdraw from your course and start again on a new one next year or in the future,
you should always seek advice from the ARC on what student funding you would be likely to receive.
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Depending on your situation you may have to fund some of your new course yourself. Alternatively
seek advice from your ‘new’ University’s Student Union advice centre.
You may be asked to repay some parts of the funding that you have been paid by SFE. You are entitled
to funding as long as you are registered as a student. Once you withdraw, SFE will require you to repay
certain amount of the most recent loan instalment; the amount will be divided by how many days in the
Term and you will be asked to pay back for the days you have not attended, i.e. from your withdrawal
date until the date of your next instalment. The rules are similar as with Suspending (see above). You
can negotiate with SFE about repayment options or rates.
If you have paid your fees yourself, you might be entitled to some refund if you withdraw. There is no
automatic entitlement to a refund of tuition fees after enrolment for students who withdraw from their
programme of study. However, at the discretion of the Academic Registrar, refunds may be applied as follows:
Home/EU Students:
Withdrawal in Weeks 1 and 2: No tuition fee charge so no need for a refund
Withdrawal in Weeks 3 to 14: 25% tuition fee liability
Withdrawal in Weeks 15 to 28: 50% tuition fee liability
Withdrawal in Weeks 29 onwards: 100% tuition fee liability
International Students:
• Withdrawal in weeks 3 to 4: refund of 90% of the full fee payable
Withdrawal in weeks 5 to 14: refund of 67% of the full fee payable
Withdrawal in weeks 15 to 18: refund of 33% of the full fee payable
Withdrawal after week 18: no refund
International students are required to go back to their home country after withdrawing from a
course. Seek advice from Student Centre.
Termination of your Course
Always seek advice from the ARC if your registration on the course has been terminated by your College. The
ARC can assist you through the procedures of appealing the decision and help you consider other options (if
appropriate).
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Help in making the decision
If you are unsure about your course you may find it helpful to talk it through with some of the following people:
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Personal tutor or Senior Tutor.
University Counselling Service – can help you think through future plans. Please see
http://intranet.brunel.ac.uk/counselling/
Placement & Careers Centre– can help you look at your decision in the context of future career plans.
Please see http://www.brunel.ac.uk/services/pcc
The Library's Academic Skills (ASK); http://www.brunel.ac.uk/services/library/ask
ARC Advisers – we will be happy to talk through the practical and financial implications of changing,
leaving or suspending a course
Student Centre advisers: http://intranet.brunel.ac.uk/studentcentre/
Nightline – a student-run listening service for students. Call 0207 631 0101 between 6pm and 8am
every night of term. Please see http://www.nightline.org.uk/
Academic implications of repeating or suspending
There are also implications on your academic studies if you chose to suspend your studies and take abeyance.
All Undergraduate students and PGT students will only be granted abeyance for a maximum of one year (in the
first instance).
Maximum Registration Period
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ALL PROGRAMMES HAVE A MAXIMUM REGISTRATION PERIOD – You need to ensure
you have enough time to complete the course- speak to your personal tutor to establish your maximum
period of registration.
Before finalising your decision to suspend your studies, you should consider whether you have enough time to
complete the course you are registered for. All programmes have a maximum registration period:
 Senate Regulations 2 2009 ONWARDS (UG)
2.40: “The initial maximum period of registration for an undergraduate programme shall be the normal period
of study for the programme for which the student is registered plus three calendar years. The maximum period
of registration shall be inclusive of periods of study as set out in the programme specification, periods of
exceptional extension to study (for example in the event of delayed study and assessment due to mitigating
circumstances) and any periods of agreed abeyance. Requests for extensions to the maximum period of
registration shall be considered by the Chair of Learning and Teaching Committee on behalf of Senate.”
 Senate Regulations 2 PRE 2009 (UG)
There is nothing specifically referring to this in the above regulations. To find out the Maximum Registration
period for you please check the programme specification for the year you started. Please also note the
important regulation below:
2.16: “Students may be permitted, at the discretion of the authorised member of staff, to suspend their studies
for not more than a total of two academic years (full-time students) or three academic years (part-time
students). The agreed duration of an individual period of abeyance shall be no longer than one year in the first
instance.”
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Will I pay new fees (£9,000) or old fees?*
Scenario 1:
Withdrawal then return to study– new style fees due to a formal break in study.
Scenario 2:
Transfer from course A to course B without any break – old style fees due to continuous study.
Scenario 3:
Suspension from Course A with a view to continuing in Course A– old style fees due to continuous study.
Scenario 4:
Suspension from Course A with a view to continuing in Course B – old style fees due to continuous study.
Scenario 5:
Completion of Foundation Degree course in summer 2012, starting Degree in 2012/13 - old style fees in 2012
due to continuous study but only if the Foundation Degree was an integral part of the course, i.e. Year 0 .
Scenario 6:
Completion of Foundation Degree course in summer 2012, starting Top-Up Degree in Autumn 2013 – new style
fees in 2013 due to taking a year out.
Scenario 7:
Transfer from University A to University B without any break in study – old style fees due to continuous study.
*old style fees apply only to students who started before July 2012
Contact Us
Telephone:
Email:
Address:
01895 269 169
advice@brunel.ac.uk
Advice & Representation Centre
Union of Brunel Students
Hamilton Centre (next to Locos)
Kingston Lane
Uxbridge
UB8 3PH
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