SUSPENDING OR TRANSFERRING YOUR COURSE 2008/09

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If you require this leaflet in large print, in braille or in electronic
format please ask in the Student Services Department
Advice for International Students
Student Services
Call: 0800 716925 Visit: www.glam.ac.uk/glamlife
Information in this brochure is correct at time of print, but may be
subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, call or check
our website: www.glam.ac.uk/glamlife
WITHDRAWING/ SUSPENDING OR
TRANSFERRING YOUR COURSE
2008/09
www.glam.ac.uk/glamlife
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STUDENT SERVICES
STUDENT SERVICES
Advice for International Students
intending to:
• Withdraw from their present course of study
• Transfer to another course • Suspend their studies
“
Most people find that life at University is not how
they imagined it would be. Sometimes it’s better,
sometimes it’s worse but mostly it’s just plain
different!
”
The following information has been
compiled to assist you if you are
considering leaving or changing your
current course of study. If you have
experienced a situation which has
affected your ability to study and led you
to considering withdrawing from your
course, you may be able to apply for
mitigating circumstances. Your Faculty
Advice Centre will be able to advise you
on whether it is possible for you to apply
for Mitigating Circumstances and direct
you to other appropriate people, so
make sure you discuss your situation with
them first. You may also wish to seek
advice from your personal/progress tutor
or your scheme/award leader.
The first section of this leaflet lists
helpful contacts and sources of
information, all of whom will be more
than happy to offer their assistance
should you require it.
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Then, if you do decide to withdraw,
transfer from your course or suspend
your studies, please follow closely the
instructions given in the second section.
The third section outlines the financial
implications and the fourth section
outlines the immigration implications.
4.3 Suspending your studies
If you have a student visa stamped in
your passport then you must let the
Home Office and the Police (if
applicable) know if you are suspending
your study. Please refer to the detailed
instructions listed in section 2.4-2.5 of
this leaflet.
As you were issued a student visa to be
in the UK, if you suspend your studies,
the UK government will expect you to
return to your home country until you
are able to resume your studies.
4.4 Withdrawing from your course
If you have a student visa stamped in
your passport then you must let the
Home Office and the Police (if
applicable) know if you are withdrawing
from your studies. Please refer to the
detailed instructions listed in section 2.42.5 of this leaflet.
As you were issued a student visa to be
in the UK, if you withdraw from your
studies, the UK government will expect
you to return to your home country.
4.5 Immigration procedures and Data
Protection Issues
To see this important message in full you
can check the following weblink:
http://international.glam.ac.uk/visas/
The University can/ will disclose
identifying information on students to
UK Immigration under several conditions
including:
• Those who enrol but then defer their
course
• Those who attend initially but
subsequently drop out/ withdraw
• Those who fail to pay their fees and
are excluded
• Those who are excluded for any other
reason
• Full-time students who transfer to a
non-eligible part-time course
• In response to valid requests from
Immigration Officers at Entry Clearance
Posts overseas/ Port of Entry
• In response to valid requests for
attendance information from the
UK Border Agency, Home Office.
If you consider that such a disclosure
would be likely to cause substantial
unwarranted damage or substantial
unwarranted distress to yourself or
another person then you should write to
the Information Compliance Officer, LCSS,
University of Glamorgan, Pontypridd,
CF37 1DL Tel: 01443 484118
Email: [email protected]
If you have any concerns or any questions
about the information provided in this
leaflet, please do not hesitate to contact
the International Student Support
Service, Student Services,
C Block Tel: 01443 482080
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://glamlife.glam.ac.uk/
intsupport
• Those who accept an offer but do not
enrol
• Those who enrol but do not attend
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STUDENT SERVICES
STUDENT SERVICES
Immigration implications of
transferring, suspending your studies
or withdrawing from your course
4.1 Upcoming changes to the
immigration rules
Tier 4 of the new points based
immigration system regarding students is
to be introduced in phases from the end
of March 2009, and information provided
in this section is therefore subject to
change. For up to date information on
the upcoming changes and how these
will affect you please visit
http://intsupport.glam.ac.uk/
4.2 Transferring course or institution
If you have a student visa stamped in
your passport then you must let the
Home Office and the Police (if
applicable) know of any changes you
make to your course or University. Please
refer to the detailed instructions listed in
section 2.4-2.5 of this leaflet.
It is important to bear in mind the
following when deciding on a course/
institution where you will study:
The course must be either:
• A recognised full-time degree course or
postgraduate studies at a publicly
funded institution of further or higher
education; or
• A period of study and/ or research in
excess of 6 months at a publicly funded
institution of higher education where
this forms part of an overseas degree
course; or
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• A weekday full-time course involving
attendance at a single institution for a
minimum of 15 hours organised
daytime study per week of a single
subject or directly related subjects; or
• A full-time course of study at an
independent fee paying school
The course must be provided by either:
• A publicly funded institution of further
or higher education; or
• A bona fide private educational
institution which maintains satisfactory
records of enrolment and attendance;
or
• An independent fee paying school
outside the maintained sector.
Please note that the Department for
Education and Skills has developed a
register of publicly funded and private
learning providers in the UK. The register
is a list of genuine education and
training providers in England, Wales,
Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Home
Office will not grant leave to enter or
remain in the UK as a student unless the
institution where you plan to study is on
this register. You can access the register
on the following website: http://www.
dfes.gov.uk/providersregister/search.
cfm
Advice available to help you make the
right decision
Before you rush into making a decision regarding your studies, have you considered
all of the options available? The following information gives a brief overview of who
you can go to for advice. If however, you are unsure and just need to talk to someone
about withdrawal, suspension of study or transferring your course or institution, then
please contact your Faculty Advice Centre in the first instance.
Faculty
Location
Cardiff School
of Creative &
Cultural
Industries (CCI)
Ground Floor
01443 668527
Atrium Building
[email protected]
Faculty of
Advanced
Technology
(FAT)
G221
Rhondda
Building
(G Block)
01443 482540
[email protected]
01443 482139
or 01443
654355
[email protected]
Room B131,
Faculty of
Health, Sport & Morgannwg
Building on the
Science
Treforest
Campus
Telephone
Email
Glyntaff
GT 01443
students may
483021
consult the
Student
Support Advisor
in room GT160
on the Glyntaff
campus
Faculty of
Humanities &
Social Sciences
Room D105,
Ely Building
01443 483499
or 01443
483323
[email protected]
Combined and
Foundation
Studies Unit
Room D118,
Ely Building
01443 482704
or 01443
483745
[email protected]
Ground floor of 01443 654261
Glamorgan
Business School Cynon Block in or 01443
room H33
654176 or
01443 482955
[email protected]
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STUDENT SERVICES
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Immigration issues:
If you have any queries about the
immigration implications of your decision
to transfer, suspend your studies or
withdraw from your course then please
book an appointment to discuss your
concerns with an International Student
Adviser in the International Student
Support Service. To book an
appointment contact the Student
Services reception in C Block or call
01443 482080.You can email staff in the
International Student Support Service on:
[email protected]
Comprehensive immigration advice can
also be found on Glamlife in the
International Student Support Service
section here:
http://intsupport.glam.ac.uk/
Study issues:
If you are thinking of leaving or
transferring because you are struggling
with the academic content of your
course or with managing your study,
please have a chat with your personal/
progress tutor or your scheme/ award
leader. You might also like to contact the
Education Drop-in Centre. Staff there
could possibly provide you with the
support and information you need to get
you through a difficult stage in your
study. The Education Drop-In Centre can
be found in the Treforest campus on the
second floor of the Learning Resources
Centre, near the Law Section (01443
482990, at Glyntaff in room GT102
(01443 482990) or at the Cardiff
Campus in the Atrium Learning
Resources Centre (01443 668674).
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Information about the Education Drop-In
Centre can be found on Glamlife here:
http://edic.glam.ac.uk/
Career issues:
It's worth exploring the possibility of
transferring to another course of study,
either now or in the future. If you would
like to have an informal chat with a
Careers Adviser about this or indeed any
other aspect relating to your course/
career options then please contact the
Careers Service on 01443 482080,
email: [email protected] or call in to
the Careers Service in Student Services
(C Block). Useful careers advice can also
be found on Glamlife in the Careers
Service section here:
http://careers.glam.ac.uk/
For CCI students, please ask to make an
appointment at the Advice Centre.
Financial issues:
You may also have finance related
questions that you wish to discuss,
including any debts you might have with
the University. If so, then a Student
Money Adviser in the Student Money
Service will be happy to assist you in this
area. You can call into the Student
Money Service in Student Services
(C Block) or telephone 01443 482080 to
make an appointment. Email:
[email protected] You can also find
information about financial issues on
Glamlife in the Student Money Service
section here:
http://studentmoney.glam.ac.uk/
For CCI students, please ask to make an
appointment at the advice shop.
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Financial implications of withdrawing
from your course:
3.1 Withdrawing from University and
its impact on Tuition Fees
• If you have paid a deposit to secure a
scholarship or an offer letter from the
University, you will only be refunded
the deposit if you can provide evidence
that your application for a visa has
been refused.
Please note:
If you started your course in
January/February, and you did not have
to pay full fees on enrolment, the
following dates will apply to you: 50%
before the start of the third term, 75%
before the end of the traditional
academic year and 100% after.
3.2 Refunds
• If the fees for your course had to be
paid in full on enrolment, they will not
be refunded.
• If the fees for your course did not have
to be paid in full on enrolment the
following regulations apply:
- 50% of the full fee is due if you
transfer, suspend your studies or
withdraw before the start of the
of the second term.
- 75% of the full fee is due if you
transfer, suspend your studies or
withdraw before the start of the
third term.
- 100% of the full fee is due if you
transfer, suspend your studies or
withdraw any time on or after the
start of the third term.
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• If you have already paid all or part of
your fees a refund calculated on the
above regulations will be made. The
effective date of withdrawal will be the
date stated on the University's central
recording system (i.e. the date that was
agreed between you and your Faculty).
• Tuition fees will only be refunded to
the original fee payer. If the fees have
been paid by a parent, spouse, partner,
sponsor or employer, the refund will be
made directly to them or any other fee
payer as appropriate.
• Refunds are made by BACS or by an
International Money Transfer direct to
the original fee payer's bank account.
• You should apply for a refund in
writing to the Revenue Unit at the
following address: B111, Morgannwg
Building (B Block), University of
Glamorgan, Treforest, Pontypridd, CF37
1DL. Email requests should be sent to
[email protected]
Personal issues:
You may find it useful to speak to one of
our counsellors. Counselling provides a
supportive environment in which you can
talk over difficult issues. This can help
you increase your understanding of
problems so that you can arrive at your
own decisions. You can call into the
Counselling and Advisory Service in
Student Services (C Block) or phone
01443 482080 to make an appointment.
You can find details about the
Counselling and Advisory Service on
Glamlife here:
http://counselling.glam.ac.uk/
For CCI students, please ask to make an
appointment at the Advice Centre.
Accommodation issues:
You may find it necessary to discuss
issues related to your accommodation
contract (i.e. in Halls or with a local
landlord) with Accommodation
Services in Glamorgan Court or phone
on 01443 482845 (24 hours). If you live
in University accommodation and have
any problems then you may want to
contact the Resident Tutors by email:
[email protected] The resident tutors are
responsible for the welfare and discipline
of resident students on a day-to-day
basis. Information about accommodation
can be found here: http://www.glam.
ac.uk/accommodation/
Health issues:
If you have any concerns about your
health then please contact the
University’s Health Service on 01443
482081. Alternatively, call into the
Health Centre in T Block, Treforest
campus, for a chat with nursing staff an appointment is not necessary.
Email: [email protected]. Go to
http://health.glam.ac.uk/ for further
information about health issues.
Faith issues:
The Chaplaincy team is here to help you
regardless of whether or not you are
religious. They offer a completely
confidential and non-judgmental service.
The Chaplaincy can be contacted on
01443 654060 / 01443 480480 (email:
[email protected]). Information
about Chaplaincy Services in the
University can be found at
http://chaplaincy.glam.ac.uk/ and
further information about all faiths in
and around all of the University
campuses can be found at
http://www.glamfaith.org/
If you are unsure of the most appropriate
person to speak to, please contact your
Faculty Advice Centre for further
assistance.
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All students should ensure they
complete the following once they
have decided to withdraw/ transfer or
suspend their studies:
2.1
Go to your Faculty Advice Centre and
complete the appropriate withdrawal/
transfer/ suspension of studies form and
ensure that you have complied fully with
the withdrawal/transfer procedure in
your Faculty. This will ensure that all
relevant interested parties are properly
informed of your intention to leave/
transfer.
2.2
Make sure that you agree with your
Faculty Advice Centre an effective date
of withdrawal/transfer/suspension of
study. This is the date that will be used
for fee calculations.
2.3
Ensure that you make arrangements for
any transcripts/credits that you have
achieved to be awarded by contacting
your Faculty Administration Office.
2.4
If you have a student visa stamped in
your passport you must let the Home
Office know of any changes you make to
your course or University. You will need
to send them a letter outlining the
changes and, if applicable, an official
student status letter confirming the
change you have made. You should send
these by special delivery to the Home
Office at the following address and keep
a copy for your records: UK Border
Agency, Notifications Team, Compliance
Team South, 8th Floor, Lunar House, 40
Wellesley Road, Croydon, CR9 2BY
2.5
If you are required to register with the
Police then you will need to inform them
of any change to your circumstances. You
can call 029 2077 4270 to discuss your
change of circumstances and if necessary
you can book an appointment at the
Nationality Office, Rumney Police Station
(Newport Road, Cardiff, CF3 4FD).
2.6
As a matter of courtesy you should
inform your financial sponsors of the
change you have made to your course.
These may include relatives, your
employer or any other relevant sponsor.
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6