Withdrawal from Studies Procedure

5.22 Withdrawal from Studies Procedure

5.22.1 If you experience circumstances that significantly impact your ability to continue studying, then it may be appropriate for you to withdraw from your research degree. This might be because you cannot commit to your research or you have decided that studying is no longer right for you at this time.

5.22.2 When you have withdrawn, you will no longer be considered a student and you will not be permitted to resume your programme at a later date. If you decide you would like to study with us again, you will need to re-apply to the University through the usual admissions process.

5.22.3 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 supervisor, your School PGR Admin Team or the Students’ Union Advice Centre. 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.

5.22.4 If you are an international student with a visa, you may also wish to discuss the implications of a withdrawal with the Immigration and Compliance Team. 

 

5.23 Applying to withdraw

5.23.1 Each School manages their own withdrawal procedures. Please contact your School PGR Admin Team for more information on how to withdraw.

5.23.2 If you withdraw, you must return your student Campus Card to either your School Office or the iPoint.

5.23.3 You will lose access to your University accounts within 10 working days of the withdrawal being processed. Therefore, we advise that you download any documents or correspondence that you wish to keep from your University accounts before you submit you apply to withdraw. To download your training records from SkillsForge, please log in, go to "My Training, Development & Skills", then select "Development Summary" for a complete list by date of Training and Courses which you have attended. Alternatively, select "My Completed Activities" for an overview of the last couple of years divided by Researcher Development Framework skill areas and from where you can print off the details of the sessions if required. 

 

5.24 Fee liability for withdrawing students

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

5.24.2 For information regarding any costs you will incur relating to your fees should you chose to withdraw then please refer to Section 3: Student Finance Introduction, or contact the Student Finance Office.

 

5.25 Accommodation and council tax for withdrawing students

5.25.1 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 Office. 

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

5.25.3 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.

5.25.4 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. 

 

5.26 Recognition of Prior Learning for returning students

5.26.1 Doctoral students (excluding Professional Doctorates) who voluntarily withdraw and subsequently wish to return to complete their research may be eligible to re-apply via the Recognition of Prior Learning Procedure.

5.26.2 The Recognition of Prior Learning procedure permits a student to resume their research under a new registration, provided they submit their new course application within two years of their date of withdrawing.

5.26.3 A Recognition of Prior Learning assessment will be undertaken as part of the application process, which will determine the point at which you can restart your research depending upon your past progress and any developments in your subject area. There is no guarantee that you will be permitted to return to the same point at which you left and you will be liable to pay full tuition fees from your point of re-entry, even if this means repeating part of your previous studies. For further information about the Recognition of Prior Learning process and assessment, please see the Graduate School’s website.

 

5.27 Transferring out to another institution procedure

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

  1. In the first instance, you should book an appointment to speak with your supervisor or the School’s Director of Graduate Education 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

  1. If you receive any funding, 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.
  1. 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.
  1. 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.
  1. 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.
  1. If you do decide to transfer to another University you will need to permanently withdraw from the University of Huddersfield. Your School will inform you of the withdrawal procedure (also outlined in section 5.23).