If you are thinking about suspending or withdrawing from your studies solely for financial reasons, please contact the Money Advice 

Your student finance provider will adjust your entitlement based on your last attendance date. They will work out any overpayment you may have received and will contact you to discuss repayment. If you do not repay, they will deduct your overpayment from the funding you are due to receive in future years. The Money Advice and Funding Team can help you complete an SFE Hardship Fund form for every year of your studies. This overpayment will then be moved from year to year.

When you suspend or withdraw, your tuition fee liability will be worked out again using your last attendance date. The following table applies to most undergraduate courses at the university. Please note that some students will be subject to a different refund policy. Students studying for a PGCE should refer to their school policy.

How to suspend or withdraw from your studies

You should read our full guidance on suspending or withdrawing from your studies.

Once your suspension or withdrawal is confirmed, the University will inform your student finance provider of your last day of attendance. The student finance provider usually takes around six weeks to process this change of circumstances, after which point they will get in touch with you about any overpayments you have received. This includes any maintenance loan payment you have received that covers beyond your last date of attendance. You may also receive your next maintenance loan instalment during these six weeks, which you will be asked to repay in full.

However, if your suspension is due to ill health or pregnancy, you will be entitled to keep 60 days’ worth of overpayment of maintenance loan following your last day of attendance.

Returning to study

You should apply for student finance as early as possible before you return to study to avoid delays.

When you return after a suspension, the tuition fee loan will usually be calculated on a pro-rata basis. You should get the full maintenance loan as, even if you are studying as a part-time variable student, you will remain on a full-time course code so would be eligible for full-time funding. Therefore, do not apply for part-time student finance funding. If you are registered part-time on your supplementary year, apply for full-time funding as normal.

Think ahead about where you will live on your return. If you are struggling financially on your return to study, you may wish to apply to the Financial Assistance Fund.