Policies

Consumer disclosures

As required by the William D Ford Federal Direct Loan Program – Standards for Participation we need to provide the following information as the University of Leicester is an institution that offers Federal Student Aid. Please contact the US Loans Team (USloans@le.ac.uk or +44(0)116 252 3733) if you have any queries regarding this information.

Please note, the University’s standard Senate Regulations also apply.

Funding available

The University will email all registered campus-based students, who are identified within the University student records as being United States citizens or eligible non-citizens, on an annual basis information that will inform recipients that the University participates in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program.

In order to access US Student Federal Aid, students must first complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and specify University of Leicester as a nominated school. The University’s Federal School Code is G22291. The information the University requires in order to process an application will also be included. A paper copy of the instructions will be sent upon request.

For further information regarding the funding available to US students studying at the University of Leicester, please visit our loan types and loan eligibility pages.

The scholarships, discounts and funding available to undergraduate, postgraduate taught and research applicants are published on the University website.

Ineligible programs

The University of Leicester is unable to approve Federal Title IV funding for the following:

Loan counselling

Entrance counselling

The University of Leicester requires entrance counselling to be completed via studentloans.gov to be completed before any loans will be approved. This provides detailed information on the rights and responsibilities of student borrowers. For returning students requesting further funding, the University requests entrance counselling is completed for each loan year.

Exit counselling

The University of Leicester invites borrowers to complete exit counselling via studentloans.gov once all disbursements have been received. All students receive the exit counselling guide via email; this guide was created by the US Department of Education. The relevant counselling information will be provided to all students who are graduating, withdrawing from the University or reducing their study intensity to less than half time. Any personal contact information provided by these students will be shared with their loan servicer within 60 days. This is as per the agreement the student made when signing their Master Promissory Note (MPN).

PLUS Counselling

Borrowers with poor credit history are required to complete PLUS counselling before loans can be approved. The University of Leicester requires PLUS counselling to be completed via studentloans.gov before a PLUS loan will be approved.

Annual Student Loan Acknowledgement

From the 2021-22 Award Year, any student or parent borrower wishing to receive a Federal Loan will be required to complete the Annual Student Loan Acknowledgement (ASLA). This has been implemented to ensure students and parents are acknowledging their responsibilities to repay the loan, any previous borrowing and the remaining eligibility for further Federal Loans. It will also help develop further understanding of how loans affect borrowers’ financial future.

National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS)

Any students receiving Federal Loan whilst at the University of Leicester will have details of their borrowing submitted to NSLDS. This information will be accessible to authorised users at other institutions, lenders and guarantee agencies.

US Department of Education loan information

When a student or applicant contacts the University regarding funding, the information we provide will be the information published by the US Department of Education.

Intercollegiate Athletics Programme participation

The University of Leicester does not have an Intercollegiate Athletics Programme as defined by the US Department of Education. Find more information regarding Sports Scholarships and sports facilities at the University of Leicester.

Refund and return to Title IV Aid Policies

Educational Loans Code of Conduct

In order to avoid conflict of interest, the University of Leicester, its staff members and any agents acting on behalf of the University are prohibited from:

  • Securing revenue-sharing agreements with lenders
  • Accepting gifts from lenders, guarantors or loan servicers
  • Entering into contract arrangements with lenders
  • Directing borrowers to particular lenders
  • Offering funds for private loans such as opportunity pool loans
  • Refusing to process or delaying process of loan applications
  • Receiving compensation for serving on a lender’s advisory board

Private loans

All students, applicants and family members considering securing a private educational loan in order to fund studies at the University of Leicester should investigate their eligibility for Federal Student Aid. Please be aware Federal Student Aid funding may offer more favourable terms and conditions compared to those offered by private educational loans and the associated lenders.

The University of Leicester does not have any current preferred lender arrangements with private lenders. Any such arrangements would be published here.

Please note the University of Leicester advises students that we are only aware of Sallie Mae in terms of private lenders that are willing to work with us. This does not mean Sallie Mae are a preferred lender, we are willing to work with any private lender students decide to use.

The University does not solicit, extend or make private educational loans so is not subject to the Federal Reserve’s regulations on private educational lenders.

Available courses and Cost of Attendance

The list of available taught courses and research courses and the associated fees are available:

Information relating to living costs is also available.

All students requesting Federal Student Aid at the University of Leicester are required to complete a Cost of Attendance form. It is based on the student’s tuition, living and other expenses after their Expected Family Contribution (EFC) has been accounted for. The Cost of Attendance includes estimated living expenses for students studying in Leicester that are reviewed annually.

Study Abroad courses

Students enrolled at the University of Leicester as a study abroad student as approved by their home institution may be considered to be enrolled at the home institution when applying for assistance under the Title IV programmes.

Many undergraduate students have the opportunity to study at another institution as part of their degree; this is usually undertaken in an additional year of study.

The available institutions vary based on the subject area a student is studying. A student would become ineligible to receive further Federal Student Aid if the elected to attend an institution not listed as eligible.

University Senate Regulations

All students at the University of Leicester, regardless of the source of their funding, agree to follow the University’s Senate Regulations when they register for a course.

Withdrawal process

Students considering permanently withdrawing from their studies are advised to speak with their academic department and if necessary any of the support services at the University. When considering withdrawing the financial implications students are to take into consideration the impact this will have on any funding and the amount owed to the university. Information regarding the withdrawal process for all taught students and postgraduate research students can be found on the University website. Student withdrawals are processed on the University’s student record system by the following teams:

The form that should be completed by withdrawing students and their academic department is available here. The withdrawal date is determined as the last engagement date agreed by the academic department on the withdrawal form that will normally be attendance at a scheduled event or the submission of/attendance at an assessment and is not necessarily the last date of attendance.

Suspension process

A suspension of studies is an approved period of absence away from your programme of study. If something is affecting your ability to study and you need to take some time away then you may apply to suspend your studies and return at a later point. 

Support for students with disabilities

Information about the services, facilities and support available to students with disabilities is provided by our AccessAbility Centre.

Drug and alcohol information

The University has signed up to Alcohol Impact, a national initiative, which entails working closely with the Students' Union and other partners to promote a culture of safe and responsible drinking.

There is drug and alcohol support available from Turning Point through the Students' Union. Turning Point are a leading social enterprise, providing health and social care services in over 300 locations across England. They work with people who need support with drug and alcohol use aiming to inspire and empower them to discover new possibilities in their lives.

Textbooks

Information relating to required and recommended reading will be provided by your academic department. If you have any queries regarding the reading lists, you can speak to your programme administrator, personal tutor or module leader. You are free to purchase your books from whichever shop you wish to, the University of Leicester Library will be able to confirm if there are copies available for you to borrow. The Library can also provide you with guidance on how to remain within Copyright Laws when you are studying.

Data protection and privacy notices

The University is required to be compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Information concerning how your personal data is looked after and your rights to access this information is available on our website.

Information Assurance Services maintains and supports the University’s Code of Practice for Data Protection that is designed to ensure full compliance with the legislation, and provides the following services:

Development and maintenance of polices designed to ensure compliance with the Data Protection legislation.

  • Implementation of policy and required procedures for compliance.
  • Provision of advice and guidance to all areas of the University.
  • Undertaking of audits to monitor compliance.
  • Processing of requests for information made under the provisions of the legislation.
  • Management of complaints procedures.
  • Management of relations with the Information Commissioner’s Office and other external bodies.
  • Promotion of awareness of data protection compliance matters and the provision of training where necessary.

As an institution participating in the Federal Student Aid program, the University is subject to the information security requirements established by the Federal Trade Commission for financial institutions. All data and Personally Identifiable Information (PII) relating to the administration of Federal Student Aid including financial information provided by students and their parents is collected, accessed, stored, distributed and disposed in line with the University’s Information Security Policy. The access to this information is restricted to only the staff members with a responsibility for the administration of Federal Student Aid.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

For more information regarding FERPA, visit the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA affords students who have attended a post-secondary institution the following rights related to their education records:

  • Inspect and review information in your education record
  • Request amendment of your education record
  • Consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information in your education record
  • File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education (Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202)

If you have any concerns regarding how your US Federal Loan has been processed you have the right to make a complaint to the US Department of Education. However, it would be preferable for you to contact the US Loan Team prior to doing this so we can attempt to resolve the issue you have. Confirmation of the rights the FERPA provide are communicated annually to all applicable enrolled students.

Retention, completion and transfer rates

Graduate destination and satisfaction data

Information regarding the employment rates and type of employment along with other information from the Destination of Leavers of Higher Education and National Student Survey is available on Discover Uni.

Accreditation of prior learning

For information relating to the transfer of credits gained at other institutions, please review the University’s APL Policy.

University accreditation

The University of Leicester received its Charter from King George VI on 4th December 1950.

The University is included on the list of officially recognised higher learning institutions that can award degrees published on the government website.

The University also appears on the Office for Students (OfS) Register. The Register lists all the English higher education providers officially registered by the OfS. It is a single, authoritative reference about a provider’s regulatory status.

External debt collection

If any tuition or accommodation fees a student is liable to pay for remain outstanding, the overdue debts may be referred to STA International, the University’s external debt collection agency.

Health and safety information

The University has a duty of care under civil law to everybody on University sites. Our Safety Services provide information in relation to health and safety including what to do in the event of a fire alarm.

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