Procedure: interruption to study and withdrawing from your course

Interrupting, Withdrawing, Transferring Course Internally or to another Institution  Procedure

 

5.6 Interruption of Study Procedural Introduction

5.6.1 Before you request an interruption of your studies, you should discuss this with your Personal Academic Tutor (PAT). International students should also take advice from the International Office.

5.6.2 You should then complete the Interruption to Studies Form.doc and submit it to your school office. Your school will advise you if you need to submit any supporting documentation. If you are enrolled on an apprenticeship, you must discuss this with your employer. It is your responsibility to ensure the form is signed and submitted in order to proceed with and complete the interruption process.

5.6.3 If your interruption of studies is approved, your student ID campus card will be de-activated but you will retain access to your university email account. Your campus card will be re-activated when you re-enrol and return to your studies.

5.6.4 The point in which you have been permitted to return to your studies and the agreement with your Course Leader will impact on whether any of the marks you may have taken prior to your interruption will remain on your profile.. These may kept on your profile where it is deemed unnecessary for you to take the assessment again. All marks which remain on your profile prior to your interruption are unconfirmed until they are sent to a Course Assessment Meeting (CAM) upon your return to the University for consideration.

5.6.5 Where you are expected to return and complete the year again, including all assessments you will be subject to the usual Student Finance charges in line with the University fee requirements. Where you have been granted to return at a later point in the year, please liaise with the Student Finance Team to clarify your University fee requirements.

5.6.6 If you have any approved Extenuating Circumstances on your profile prior to interruption, these will be removed once you return to your studies.

 

5.7 Information for international students: Interruption of studies

5.7.1 If you are an international student with a student visa then an interruption of your studies has serious implications for your immigration status. You are not permitted to remain in the UK if you are no longer studying.

5.7.2 If you do interrupt your studies the University is required to inform the Home Office and your visa to study in the UK will be cancelled.

5.7.3 You are strongly recommended to discuss your circumstances with the International Office before making a decision. Please refer to section 2 for more information.

 

5.8 Timings and deadlines for interrupting your studies

5.8.1 A request to interrupt your studies must take place prior to the end of revision week if your course started in September, or the equivalent for students enrolled on courses starting at other times of the year. Interruptions will not be granted just before the start of the main assessment/examinations period as a means to avoid (or postpone) possible failure in a module(s).

5.8.2 The University requires all students to complete their programme within a set period from initial registration, regardless of individual circumstances. The maximum period of registration for a full-time taught student is the length of the course as set out in the programme specification document plus 2 years and for part-time students, pro-rata. If a student is unable to achieve their award within the maximum period of registration, they will be withdrawn from their course and any interim award will be conferred, as appropriate. External bodies or individual programme specifications may impose other timeframes. We may refuse to allow you to interrupt your studies, if it would then be impossible for you to complete your studies within the appropriate timeframe.

5.8.3 The maximum period of interruption will normally be one academic year. A student’s registration for an award of the University will be terminated if two academic years (including standard resit periods) elapse without the award of credit. The CAM will confer any interim award to which the student is entitled.

5.8.4 Only in exceptional circumstances will we consider requests for an interruption of studies in two consecutive years. These requests should be submitted to the Dean of your School.

 

5.9 Accommodation and council tax when interrupting your studies

5.9.1 Managing your tenancy agreement and council tax can be complex and confusing when dealing with an interruption of study or withdrawal so we strongly recommend you seek advice from the Students’ Union Advice Centre and the Student Finance Team.

5.9.2 The implications of your interruption will depend on your accommodation provider and your immigration status.

5.9.3 If you are in private student accommodation you will need to review your tenancy agreement and discuss your circumstances with your landlord or an appropriate staff member at your accommodation.

5.9.4 If you live in private accommodation, it is unlikely there will be an obligation for you to leave following a change to your student status unless you are an international student studying on a student visa. However, you may choose to leave and return home, in which case, you must consider the terms of your tenancy agreement and what this means for you. If you decide to stay in your private accommodation, it is important to note that as you are no longer a full time student, you may be required to pay Council Tax.

5.9.5 If you are on a student visa, you will not be able to remain in the UK during the period of your interruption and as such you will need to consider the terms of your tenancy agreement and what this means for you.

 

5.10 Funding and student finance (Undergraduate) when interrupting your studies

5.10.1 If you take an interruption of your studies and return to repeat certain module(s) or the full academic year then you will be charged the appropriate tuition fee for the repeat period of study.

5.10.2 When you interrupt your studies, we will send notification to your funding provider (e.g. Student Finance England, Student Finance Wales, Student Finance Northern Ireland or Student Awards Agency Scotland), notifying them of your last date point of engagement with online material or attendance on your course, whichever is the later; this is not always the date of your requested interruption. Normally, all funding is suspended from that date. 

5.10.3 When you return to your studies, we will notify your funding provider that you have returned. If you return to your studies in the new academic year, you may need to reapply for funding. You must speak to our Student Finance Team to understand how this will impact you.  

5.10.4 If your last date of attendance or engagement online is part way through a term, you may have already received an instalment of maintenance loan/grant money, and therefore received money for time that you will not be in attendance. In these cases, your funding provider may say you have received an ‘overpayment’ and ask for some of that money back.

5.10.5 You should contact your funding body directly to find out how your interruption will be managed, particularly if your interruption of study is due to health reasons or your interruption results in financial hardship as you may be entitled to an amount of additional funding. Please also see below the section on ‘How interruption affects your entitlement’.

 

5.11 How interruption affects your student finance entitlement

5.11.1 The year that you interrupt your studies will count towards your overall entitlement to a Student Finance tuition fee loan. However, if you interrupt for 'compelling personal reasons' and can submit evidence of this to your Student Finance funding body, they may agree to discount your interruption year from your overall entitlement. You should speak to our Student Finance Team to understand how this will impact you.

 

5.12 Interruption funding and student finance (postgraduate taught)

5.12.1 If you are receiving a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from Student Finance and take an interruption of study, no further loan payments will be given to you during your period of interruption.

5.12.2 If you resume your studies from the point you left in the previous academic year, your funding will restart and you will have your remaining entitlement intact. You cannot receive Postgraduate Master’s Loan or Postgraduate Doctoral Loan funding for any repeat periods of study.

 

5.13 Contact during your interruption

5.13.1 During your interruption, you may find it helpful to stay in contact with an appropriate person in your school such as your Personal Academic Tutor or a member of the student support team. You will also have access to the PAT module on Brightspace. This interaction is not compulsory but we recommend you keep in touch with us as this can help you settle in more quickly when you return.

5.13.2 In order to support your return to studies, we will contact you prior to your return date to discuss the practical details and to put in place any support services you may need.

 

5.14 Returning to your studies from a period of interruption

5.14.1 If you are returning from a period of interruption that was taken for health and wellbeing reasons, you may be required to provide medical evidence to confirm you are well enough to return. If this is the case, we will ask you to provide assurance that your studies will not be detrimental to your health. You may be required to make and attend an appointment with the Student Services team, your PAT and/or the school support team before you will be allowed to re-enrol.

5.14.2 Prior to returning to your studies you will need to confirm your intention to return and you will need to re-enrol on your programme. You must contact your School Office at least one month prior to the start of the academic year (this will be either August for a September start or December for a January start) to confirm your return. If you fail to return to your studies as expected, and do not speak to us to discuss this, then you will be withdrawn from your course.

5.14.3 If you are an international student and require a student visa, please note that the process will take much longer. You will need to make a new student visa application when you are ready to re-commence your studies. You should ask us for a Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) before you apply for a new student visa.

5.14.4 You will join a new cohort when you restart your studies and the regulations applying to that cohort will also apply to you. If the course content or structure has changed, you will be required to follow the new arrangements. This may have implications for your progression or final award for the course and you may wish to discuss this with your course leader.

5.14.5 If you do not intend to resume your studies following your interruption, you must contact your course team to discuss your options.

 

5.15 Withdrawal from your studies procedure

5.15.1 Before making the decision to withdraw from your studies, it is important to consider your options. In the first instance, you should consult with your Personal Academic Tutor and/or the Students’ Union Advice Centre. You can also speak to the Careers Team to discuss your decision in further detail. They can offer you advice on the process and discuss the implications of the decision alongside any alternatives we may be able to offer you.

 

5.16 Applying for a withdrawal and deadlines

5.16.1 To withdraw from your studies you will need to complete the Withdrawal from Studies Form.doc. Before the withdrawal is processed, the form must be signed by the following members of staff; 

• The International Office if you are a student studying on a visa  
• Your Personal Academic Tutor (PAT)   

Once you have completed the form and it has been signed off, you need to submit it to your course team. It is your responsibility to ensure the form is signed and submitted in order to proceed with and complete the withdrawal process.  

5.16.2 Once withdrawn, you can apply to return to the University but you may not be allowed to return to the same programme of study. If you withdraw you must return your student Campus ID Card to either your school office or the iPoint. If you choose to return to study at a later date, you will be required to follow the admissions process and apply again to the University through the usual channels.

5.16.3 You must withdraw prior to the start of the main assessment period for your course.  If you do not withdraw before the final withdrawal/interruption deadline which is published University Academic Administration Timetable (this is usually the first week of May if you are a September starter, but ensure you have confirmation from your School), then you will be expected to continue on your registered course and engage with all aspects, including assessments and examinations until the end of the academic session. This will be expected of you, unless an exception is granted by the Dean of your current School and the Director of Registry (or nominee).

5.16.4 We will not take partially completed modules to a Course Assessment Meeting for the award of credit. Only those modules fully completed prior to withdrawal will be considered.

 

5.17 Fee liability for withdrawing students

5.17.1 Depending on when you withdraw, you may still be liable to pay a portion of your tuition fees.

5.17.2 For information regarding any costs you will incur relating to your fees should you chose to withdraw then please refer to Section 3 or contact the Student Finance Team.

 

5.18 Accommodation and council tax for withdrawing students

5.18.1 Managing your tenancy agreement and council tax can be complex and confusing when dealing with a withdrawal so we strongly recommend you seek advice from the Students’ Union Advice Centre and the Student Finance Team.

5.18.2 The implications of your withdrawal will depend on your accommodation provider and your immigration status.

5.18.3 If you are in private student accommodation you will need to review your tenancy agreement and discuss your circumstances with your landlord or an appropriate staff member at your accommodation.

5.18.4 If you live in private accommodation, it is unlikely there will be an obligation for you to leave following a change to your student status unless you are an international student studying on a student visa. However, you may choose to leave and return home, in which case, you must consider the terms of your tenancy agreement and what this means for you. If you decide to stay in your private accommodation, it is important to note that as you are no longer a full time student, you may be required to pay Council Tax.

 

5.19 Transfer to another course at The University of Huddersfield

5.19.1 Changing courses may be the right decision for you if you are no longer enjoying your current course or if your career plans have changed.

5.19.2 The success of a change of course will depend on a number of factors including, but not limited to, meeting the entry requirements of the new course and there being capacity to accept you into the cohort. You may be required to complete credits from your current course in order to transfer to the new one. If this is the case, you will be notified during the application process.

5.19.3 If you change to a new course you will be expected to complete its full academic requirements. Normally you will be required to start the new course at the beginning. However, if you have earned relevant credit in your current course, you may be eligible to carry this over to the new course. This may mean you can join the new course at a different stage. For more information on this process, please refer to the information in section 5.21 and the APL procedure in Section 3 of the Regulations for Awards.

5.19.4 If there are any specific gaps in your learning, you may need to complete additional modules before starting your new course, or alongside it.  The course team will make clear to you what you are able to carry over and any entry requirements which should be met.

5.19.5 If you are studying on a student visa, you must inform and obtain approval from the International Office by emailing immigration@hud.ac.uk if you wish to transfer course (or change research topics), prior to applying as there will be visa and possibly ATAS implications for any course transfer. If you are a sponsored student, you must obtain the consent of your sponsor for the new course before applying to transfer your studies. Any new offer may be subject to additional conditions which must be met before the offer is made unconditional.

5.19.6 If you wish to transfer to a different course within the University, you are strongly advised to follow the steps below:

1. In the first instance, you should book an appointment to speak with your course administration team. They may also refer you to the Careers Team, the SU Advice Centre, your PAT or the Admissions Tutor for the new course, if required. If you wish to transfer to another course as you feel you may be struggling with your studies, these colleagues will also be able to support you.
2. You should contact the Student Finance Team to discuss your fee responsibility. Your eligibility and entitlement for future funding may be affected if the new course has a different duration to your current course or if you have to repeat years.
3. If you are on an apprenticeship course, you must discuss this with your employer. You cannot transfer from an apprenticeship to a non-apprenticeship course. If you wish to do this, you must withdraw from one course and then apply for the other one separately. Please refer to the withdrawal procedure in section 5.14.

 

5.20 Transfer routes, deadlines and start dates

5.20.1 There are two routes to transfer your studies internally. It may be possible to transfer in-year rather than wait until the subsequent academic year, but this is not always the case.  

In-Year Course Transfer

All requests to transfer ‘in year’ should be made before the final interruption deadline which is published in the University Academic Administration Timetable (this is usually the first week of May if you are a September starter, but ensure you have confirmation from your School). You should contact your current Course Administrator who will provide you with an ‘in-year transfer form’ and return your completed form to your course team. This will be sent to the relevant School and Admissions Tutor for consideration. You may be required to meet with the School before the request is processed.

• If approved by the course team, the transfer will be processed by Student Records and you will be transferred to your new course within the same academic year. You will be notified via email.
• Alternatively, if the course deems it too late for an in-year transfer or this is not possible within the constraints of the course for the current academic year, you will be directed to the 'transfer into the next academic year enquiry form’.
• If the School is unable to offer you a place, you will be notified via email.

5.20.2 You may be able to change course during the same academic year, however, the time of year you apply to change course may mean it is not possible for you to begin your new course until the beginning of the next academic session. The timings as to when you can join your new programme may differ from course to course and your School will explain their decision making.

5.20.3 If you are unable to transfer in-year, you will have two options available to you;

• You agree to continue on your registered course and engage with all aspects of the course, including assessments and examinations until the end of the academic session.
• You interrupt temporarily from your current course to re-join the University on your new course in the next academic session. Your current course team will help you organise this. If you interrupt temporarily, it may affect your entitlement to student loans or other funding so please ensure you speak to the Student Finance Team to discuss the potential ramifications of this process.

5.20.4 If you do not interrupt before the final interruption deadline which is published in the University Academic Administration Timetable (this is usually the first week of May if you are a September starter, but ensure you have confirmation from your School), then you will be expected to continue on your current registered course and engage with all aspects, including assessments and examinations until the end of the academic session.

Next Academic Year Course Transfer

If you are a home student and you wish or are advised to transfer course in the next academic year, then you should contact your current Course Administrator who will provide you with ‘transfer into the next academic year enquiry form’. You must return your completed form to study@hud.ac.uk. 

Student Recruitment Team will then create an application record and send the application electronically to the new course’s administration team for a decision, with instructions on how to proceed.

• If the School proceeds with an offer, you will receive an offer letter via email. You will begin your new course at the beginning of the next academic year.
• If the School is unable to offer you a place, you will be notified via email.

If you are an international student and you wish or are advised to transfer course in the next academic year, then you should contact the International Office who will guide you through the appropriate process.

 

5.21 Transferring out to another institution procedure

5.21.1 If you decide that you want to transfer to another University here is the procedure you should follow;

• In the first instance, you should book an appointment to speak with your Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) and/or School Guidance Team to find out the process for transferring. If you wish to transfer to another institution as you feel you may be struggling with your studies, these colleagues will also be able to support you.
• You should contact the other University about their entry requirements and to ensure that there is a place available (you may need to reapply through UCAS). Transferring to a new University may affect how your final award is classified so you need to check their academic regulations. 
• You should contact the Student Finance Team to discuss your fee liability to both Universities. It is important that you establish what the fee charge will be at your new University before you transfer. Your eligibility and entitlement for future funding may be affected if the new course has a different duration to your current course or if you have to repeat years.
• If you are an overseas student transferring Universities will have implications for your immigration status and Visa. You need to contact the International Office to discuss this.
• If you are on an apprenticeship course, you must discuss this with your employer.
• Once you have spoken to the staff members above, then you can also book an appointment with either the Student Union Advice Centre or a Careers Adviser to discuss your options, including the benefits or challenges to moving to a different institution
• You should speak with your accommodation provider to discuss the implications of leaving your contract early. You might want to book an appointment with Hudlets.
• If you do decide to transfer to another University you will need to permanently withdraw (section 5.15) from the University of Huddersfield. If you have completed and passed enough credits, then you may be eligible for an interim award which will be issued to you once your results have gone through the formal procedure.
• Your School will inform you of the withdrawal procedure (also outlined in section 5.15). If you do not withdraw before the final withdrawal/interruption deadline which is published in the University Academic Administration Timetable (this is usually the first week of May if you are a September starter, but ensure you have confirmation from your School), then you will be expected to continue on your registered course and engage with all aspects, including assessments and examinations until the end of the academic session. This will be expected of you, unless an exception is granted by the Dean of your current School and the Director of Registry (or nominee). 

5.21.2 If you have followed the above steps and decide that you want to transfer to another institution, you will need to contact your course team as soon as possible and they will support you in completing the relevant documentation, including the withdrawal form.

 

5.22 Using previous credit earned at The University of Huddersfield to return and complete your course or transfer your studies

5.22.1 If you return to study a different course or wish to transfer your course where modules for Approved Prior Certified Learning (APCL) consideration can be mapped to match the core credits of the new award, APL can be approved for up to one third of the value of the new award. For full information on this procedure, please refer to section 3.3 of the Regulations for Award.

5.22.2 If you are returning to complete your degree having previously accepted an interim award from the University of Huddersfield, you will be required to rescind your interim award. When you have completed the outstanding credit, your final degree classification will be calculated using the standard algorithm and will include the marks you obtained previously, where appropriate. Normally, if you return to complete your degree there is no limit on the number of credits you have achieved previously, or have left to achieve to come back and complete your study.

5.22.3 If you return at a later date to the University to complete the same course for which you were withdrawn or withdrew from, any modules which were failed and are now being repeated will be capped at the minimum pass mark.

5.22.4 In accordance with Section 3.5.1 of the Regulations for Award, the University will not normally consider applications to re-join the University if previous credit or experience which has been gained more than 6 years prior to the year of application.