Compensation
ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý's student compensation and refund policy.
- Introduction
- Definitions
- Undergraduate and postgraduate taught students
- Postgraduate research students
- Eligibility
- Opportunity to transfer programme
- External review
- Compensation plan
- Payments
- Individual claims process
- Group claims process
- Consideration of claims for compensation or refunds
- Changes to this policy
1. Introduction
1.1 This Student Compensation and Refund Policy ("Policy") is part of the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý's student protection plan and reflects the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý's commitment to the student experience and to supporting students to achieve their academic outcomes.
View the student protection plan
1.2 Before applying for a refund or compensation under this Policy, the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý expects students to have completed the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý's student complaints procedure first.
1.3 If you submit a formal complaint through the student complaints procedure and have that complaint upheld, you may wish to apply to the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý for a refund or compensation, including financial compensation, under this Policy.
Students can apply for a full or partial refund of tuition fees, and a full or partial refund of wider expenses incurred in the course of studying at the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý. Compensation may take the form of a financial refund, price reduction or repeat provision of service.
This Policy does not replace the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý's tuition fee refund policy, which applies to situations where a student voluntarily elects to withdraw, transfer or take a leave of absence period away from their studies).
1.4 This Policy covers situations that are outside the control of students: where the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý is no longer able to preserve continuation of study for one or more students; where there has been prolonged disruption to a programme of study; or where the programme of study has been subject to significant change.
This Policy sets out the circumstances in which the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý will refund tuition fees and other relevant costs to students where appropriate.
1.5 The ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý considers refunds and compensation to be a remedy of last resort and is committed to using its best endeavours to ensure that all students are able to continue and complete their studies.
However, it recognises that it is important to explain how the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý will compensate students in the unlikely circumstances where this will not be possible.
1.6 The ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý is not liable for events outside of its control, as set out in the Terms and Conditions upon Acceptance of an Offer.
1.7 Students are advised that in addition to the rights set out in this Policy they also have additional statutory remedies under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
2. Definitions
2.1 A refund means the repayment of sums paid by a student to the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý or an appropriate reduction in the amount of sums owed in the future. This may include tuition fees, other course costs or accommodation costs.
2.2 Compensation means some other recognisable loss suffered by the student. This can fall into two categories:
2.2.1 compensating the student for wasted out-of-pocket expenses they have incurred, which were paid to someone other than the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý (such as travel costs); or
2.2.2 an amount to recompense for material disadvantage to the student arising from a failure by the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý to discharge its duties appropriately.
2.3 Compensation may take the form of a remedy without a financial payment, such as an apology or a goodwill gesture, but could also take the form of a discount, a financial payment or some other form of benefit.
2.4 A reference to the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý no longer being able to preserve continuation of study means that the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý has terminated or intends to terminate:
2.4.1 an academic programme of study on which an individual has accepted a place before that individual can enrol as a student;
2.4.2 an academic programme of study on which a student is enrolled before that student has completed that course; or
2.4.3 a postgraduate programme of research study.
3. Undergraduate and postgraduate taught students
3.1 In circumstances where the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý is no longer able to preserve continuation of an academic programme of study, and students have already commenced study on that programme, students may make a claim for compensation where they are forced to withdraw from the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý.
This will only apply when the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý is ceasing to deliver an academic programme of study before registered students of that programme of study have completed their studies and where the student and the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý have failed to agree on a suitable alternative programme on which to transfer, at this or another university.
Should such a transfer result in additional costs relating to tuition fees or travel costs, students can also apply for financial compensation in respect of these additional costs.
3.2 The ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý will always aim to teach students to the end of their programme of study even when a decision has been taken to close a programme of study and to cease admissions to it.
4. Postgraduate research students
4.1 For postgraduate research students, the programme of study means the funding period as defined by the sponsor of the research. In the case of self-funding students, this is their tuition fee paying period.
These dates are recorded at the point of registration as a research student of the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý. In circumstances where a postgraduate research supervisor leaves the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý, we will always seek to make sure that alternative supervisory arrangements can be put in place to allow for the completion of the programme of research.
4.2 We will not compensate students who a) personally elect to move to another university with their original supervisor or b) reject any reasonable offer of alternative supervisory arrangements, unless they can evidentially demonstrate that these are in fact manifestly unreasonable.
Where alternative supervision is unavailable, and the student is forced to withdraw due to unavailability of appropriate supervision, the student will be eligible to apply for compensation under this Policy. The policy does not apply to students who withdraw for other reasons (eg immigration, visa or financial reasons).
4.3 If the student is forced to withdraw from the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý due to non-continuation of appropriate research provision, and does not transfer to another university to continue their research study, the student may apply for compensation.
Students in these circumstances may also transfer to a different postgraduate research programme of study at this or another university (not with their original supervisor). If this results in additional costs relating to tuition fees or travel costs, students may also apply for financial compensation in respect of these additional costs.
5. Eligibility
5.1 This Policy applies to all students currently enrolled at the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý and any applicants who have accepted a place on a relevant programme of study.
5.2 This Policy will not apply to individuals who have completed their studies at the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý unless, in accordance with the student complaints procedure, they have submitted a complaint within six months of the end of their registration period that becomes upheld.
6. Opportunity to transfer programme
6.1 In the unlikely event of the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý not being able to 'teach out' students on a programme that is being discontinued, students will be offered the opportunity to transfer to another programme at the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý.
If there is no suitable alternative programme at the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý, the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý will support students to transfer to a suitable programme at another UK university.
6.2 Where a postgraduate research student is no longer able to be supervised on their original research programme, alternative supervision will be sought.
If no alternative supervision is available, an alternative research programme may be offered in a related area of study. If there is no feasible alternative research programme that is acceptable to the student, and the programme of study is therefore ceased by the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý, the student, or their sponsor, can apply for a refund and/or compensation.
7. External review
If a student remains dissatisfied with the outcome of a claim for compensation under this Policy, the student may be able to apply for a review of the claim by the ("OIA").
This is an independent review scheme external to and independent of the ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý's complaint procedure. The OIA will normally only review issues that have been dealt with through the student complaints procedure.
The (student login required) in the Students' Union can offer further advice on an external review.
8. Compensation plan
8.1 The ÀÖ¾ºÌåÓý will put in place a Compensation Plan relevant to the circumstances of the individual student or students. This includes provision for compensation in respect of additional costs reasonably incurred by students as a result of any transfer of programme or cessation of programme of study.