Suspending Your Studies
Suspending means taking time out, usually for personal reasons, with a view to resuming your programme at a later date (usually the following academic year).
Suspending your studies
In order to suspend your studies you should first speak to your Guidance Tutor or Programme Leader 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 notify your School Office who will complete a Change of Circumstances form which will be sent to Student Finance England* to notify them of the changes. You should also let Student Finance England* know yourself that you are suspending. You can do this by complete a Change of Circumstances Form (C01) form, available to download from the Student Finance England website.
If it has been agreed by the University that you can suspend temporarily, Student Finance England* will normally suspend your financial support for up to one year and reinstate it when you return.
Suspending and your student status
If you suspend your studies you will not generally be entitled to any Welfare Benefits (unless you already have entitlement), as the Benefits Agency will consider you to be a full-time student. As a result, many students who suspend have no choice but to work to support themselves during any period of suspension.
Future support & the Previous Study Rule
If you decide to suspend your studies, your financial support is usually put on hold for the duration of the suspension as you will not be in attendance at the University.
You should be aware that suspending your studies may affect your remaining entitlement to financial support for when you plan to resume your studies.
Eligible students are entitled to financial support for the length of their programme plus one additional year, minus any years of previous study. This is known as the ‘Previous Study Rule’.
Example 1: a student suspends her 3 year programme during her 1st year. She resumes her studies in her first year again the following September. She is entitled to 3 years financial support for the remainder of her programme.
3 yr programme + 1 additional yr - 1 yr previous study = 3 yrs remaining financial support (3+1-1=3).
Example 2: a student is repeating the 2nd year of his 3 year degree programme and suspends during the year. He resumes his studies the following September, again in his 2nd year. He will be entitled to 1 year of financial support for the remainder of his programme.
3 yr programme + 1 additional yr - 3 yrs previous study = 1 yr remaining financial support (3+1-3=1).
The student in the above example would only receive financial support for year 3 of his programme and is required to support himself (or ‘self fund’) when he resumes his studies in his 2nd year. Where a student is required to self fund any years of their programme, this will always apply to the earlier rather than later years of the programme. During any ‘self funding’ years, students will not be able to receive a Tuition Fee Loan or Maintenance Grant support. Under the current rules, eligible students can continue to receive the Maintenance Loan until they have an honours degree.
Under the regulations, even if you suspend after one day of your programme, this will be counted as one year of previous study.
However, If you decide to suspend your studies for compelling personal reasons and can provide evidence of your circumstances, Student Finance England* has discretion to extend your support by one year.
Please note:
The information above sets out the basic principle of the Previous Study Rule. However, the interpretation of this regulation is not straightforward and there are a number of exceptions/variations which may apply, depending on your circumstances. If you are considering suspending your studies you should speak to Welfare & International Support for advice on your individual financial support and circumstances. We would also recommend that you speak to Student Finance England* to double check your remaining financial support entitlement before making a decision to suspend your studies.
Suspending on health grounds
If you are suspending due to illness, you should automatically continue to
receive your Maintenance Loan for the first 60 days of non-attendance at
University.
If there is a chance of your illness continuing for more than 28 weeks you should speak to Welfare & International Support about possible benefit entitlement. In order to qualify you will need to supply sick notes from your doctor for a continuous period of over 28 weeks.
If you are suspending on medical grounds and without funds because you are in the period between your financial support being suspended (60 days) and qualifying for benefit (28 weeks), you should contact Welfare & International Support to discuss the possibility of submitting an application to the Access to Learning Fund (ALF).
If you become well again during the period of suspension and are able to
work it may be possible to apply for Job Seekers Allowance. You should
discuss this with Welfare & International
Support
in Student Services.
If you suspend your studies, the University has a duty to inform Student
Finance England*, who may request that you return any loan and / or grant
you have received which was intended to cover periods when you were not
actually in attendance at University (unless you can provide medical
evidence).
During your period of suspension, you will NOT be expected to begin loan repayments even if you earn above the £15,000 per year threshold.
Suspending & tuition fees
Full time, undergraduate students who started their programme in or after
September 2006 will be charged £3290 per year in tuition fees (2009/10).
Certain full time, undergraduate students who started their programme
before September 2006 and subsequently suspend may be liable to pay this
higher rate of fee on their return to study, depending on their individual
circumstances. Please see
Welfare & International Support
in the Student Support and Wellbeing Centre for further advice.
If you are considering suspending your studies you are strongly advised to
contact Welfare & International
Support
and also the
Finance Department
to check the University’s fee charging policy. Depending on the date /
circumstances of your suspension, you may be faced with a bill
for tuition fees.
Suspending studies and your accommodation
If you decide to suspend your studies before mid December and you are living in University owned or managed accommodation you can usually give four weeks notice if you wish to leave. ( Please check with the Accommodation Office regarding the arrangement for your particular residence .)
If you wish to leave University accommodation after mid December (or for reasons other than withdrawal /transfer /suspension at any time of year) you will usually have to find someone to take over your room before you leave (this must be a Northumbria University student not already in University accommodation).
If you live in private rented accommodation you will need to speak to your Landlord and will usually have to find someone to take over your room.
Suspending for International students
International students who wish to withdraw from their programme or suspend their studies, should be aware that this may have implications for their immigration in the UK. It is compulsory that International students see an adviser in the Welfare & International Service for advice and complete the relevant paperwork before approaching their School to withdraw or suspend formally.
Where to get help
Welfare & International Support are available to give advice and information on the financial implications of suspending your studies
Contacts
Welfare & International Support
Student Support and Wellbeing Centre,
Ground Floor,
Northumberland Building,
City Campus,
Tel: 0191 227 4127
Student Support and Wellbeing Centre,
Allendale Building,
Coach Lane Campus,
Tel: 0191 215 6590
Email: sv.welfareandinternational@northumbria.ac.uk
*New Students in 2009/10 will apply to Student Finance England.
*Students who started between September 2006 and before September 2009 will apply to their Local Authority (or Student Finance England, depending on where they live).
*Student Finance England replaces the previous Student Finance Direct service
*UK Students from outside England should contact the following agencies:
N. Ireland: Education Library Board / Student Finance NI
Wales: Local Authority / Student Finance Wales
Scotland: SAAS (Students Awards Agency for Scotland)
Related links
Careers & Employment Service
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