Withdrawing Or Suspending Studies Finance Guide
Information for Undergraduate Home (UK) Students.
Fees & Funding Advice
The rules are complex and in some situations the decision of Student Loans Company (SLC) is discretionary.
This information is for guidance only. You should contact us for help and support, or further advice if you are thinking of suspending or withdrawing from your course, so that we can discuss your individual circumstances.
What Happens To My Student Finance?
If you decide to withdraw or suspend (“intercalate”) from your course, there are a number of finance related issues you will need to be aware of, and to plan for.
It is very important that you understand these issues before you make a decision, so that you don’t find yourself in an unexpected situation. It is also vital that you follow the correct procedure to withdraw or suspend – just not attending or not submitting work, does not mean that you have withdrawn.
If you are thinking of withdrawing or suspending, please read more on this dedicated page.
Tuition Fees
Your tuition fees will be re-calculated on the following basis:
| Agreed date of withdrawal/suspension | Fee liability points | Percentage of fee liability |
|---|---|---|
| Prior to the start of week 3 of teaching, as indicated on the published academic calendar. | n/a | nil |
| Start of week 3 of teaching, as indicated on the published academic calendar. New students 14 calendar days from the day after you register or start of week 3 of as indicated on the published academic calendar, whichever is later. | Liability 1 (L1) | 25% |
| From the first day of term following the Christmas vacation as indicated on the published academic calendar. | Liability 2 (L2) | 50% |
| From the first day of term following the Easter Vacation up to the end of the academic year, as indicated on the published academic calendar. | Liability 3 (L3) | 100% |
If you’re thinking about withdrawing or suspending your studies, speak to the Student Funding team first. They can explain how this might affect your finances.
To avoid being charged fees for the next term, you must:
- Formally confirm your withdrawal or suspension.
- Complete the task on MyPortal, go to “My Enrolment Information”, then “Request a Change to my Enrolment”.
- Do this on a working day before the new term starts.
This rule applies to all students, even if you don’t get a tuition fee loan. The Leeds Conservatoire Tuition Fee policy provides full details.
Note that the date of withdrawal or suspension is not necessarily the last date of attendance on a register. Being absent from timetabled sessions does not constitute withdrawal, there is a formal process to go through. If you have been absent from formal classes but are still accessing the facilities or engaging with the services, you are still considered to be registered.
Once the withdrawal/suspension form is completed, a copy of the form is sent to Student Services and the Fees and Funding staff will automatically notify Student Loans Company, and also notify them of the revised fee loan amount, if applicable. Within a few weeks, Student Loans Company will write to you with a revised entitlement letter.
Maintenance Loans
Maintenance loan entitlement is calculated on the basis that you are a full-time student for 3 academic terms, although if you are in your final year, the amount is lower to take into account that you will cease to be a student in the May of your final year.
If you suspend or withdraw early from your course, the amount you are entitled to will be re-calculated and it’s possible that you will have been overpaid due to the nature of the termly payment schedule (i.e. this means that you have received more money that you are entitled to, due to the suspension or early withdrawal).
Your entitlement will be re-calculated and communicated to you in a new entitlement letter. If there has been an overpayment, you will receive a further letter explaining that the overpayment needs to be paid back.
Overpayment of Maintenance Loan
Student finance will write to you about any overpayment – it is important to respond to this letter!
If you have withdrawn altogether, the overpayment cannot be re-covered as part of the normal re-payment process, but will need to be recovered as soon as possible by SLC.
If you are unable to pay back the overpayment immediately, you should contact them after receiving the overpayment letter, and ask if they will agree to an affordable monthly repayment plan. Do not ignore letters about overpayments as you risk being charged a higher rate of interest on your loan.
If you have suspended with the intention of returning to Higher Education at Leeds Conservatoire or another provider, the overpayment can be deducted from your next loan payment. If you suspend on the grounds of ill health, your entitlement will automatically be calculated with an extra 60 days added on, so you may find there is no, or very little overpayment.
If the removal of your funding for the duration of your suspension will cause you severe financial hardship, you can request that your funding be extended, by completing a “financial hardship confirmation form” providing detailed evidence of your financial commitments. We can supply this form if required. SLC may agree to extend support during the suspension period, but this is not automatic.
Leeds Conservatoire Bursary
The bursary is paid in either 2 or 3 instalments, depending on your year of entry. If you withdraw during the academic year, no further bursary payments will be made, but we will not ask you to re-pay any instalments which you have already received, providing the correct tuition fees have been paid.
Applying for Student Finance If You Return to Higher Education
If you return to study after suspension, or decide to study a new course after withdrawal, you will need to re-apply for finance in good time before the start of the academic year. You should log into your online account and apply, using your original customer reference. Do not create a new account. You should apply as a returning student if you previously suspended, but apply as a new student if you have previously withdrawn.
Effects on Finance for Future Study
If you decide to withdraw early from a course, or you need to repeat years of study, your previous study may affect your future entitlement to funding.
The general rule is that you’re only eligible for a tuition fee loan for the length of the current (new) course plus one year (assuming you don’t already have an equivalent level qualification).
Support will be reduced by the number of years you’ve previously studied. Note that even one day’s attendance will be considered as a year of previous study in the calculation for any future Tuition Fee Loan.
There is an exception to this rule in that any years of study where there were compelling personal reasons, as to why you had to withdraw or suspend, are not counted, if you can show sufficient evidence (e.g. a doctor’s letter explaining how an illness affected your ability to study).
Council Tax
Suspension – when you suspend your studies you are still registered with Leeds Conservatoire as a full-time student. This means you are exempt from paying council tax, as long as the other adults you live with are also full-time students.
Withdrawal – When you officially withdraw from your studies you will become liable to pay Council Tax and if eligible can apply for benefits.