Senate regulation 3: Regulations governing fees

Downloadable version of Senate Regulation 3 (PDF, 229KB)

General

3.1

These regulations apply to all students registered at the University on a taught programme of study, and to associate students registered on one or more modules. They also apply to all students registered on a research degree programme.

3.2

All students are expected to ensure that they are able to fund their studies from initial registration through to completion.

3.3

All tuition fees are approved by the University Portfolio Management Group and published annually on the University’s website.

3.4

Any revisions to tuition fees take effect from 1 August in each year.

3.5

The collection or refund of fees, and the management of tuition fee debt, will be undertaken by the University unless otherwise agreed by the Director of Finance.

What is included in the tuition fee?

3.6

For undergraduate students, the tuition fee for the academic year includes all tuition on the compulsory elements of study required to complete the programme, for example, fieldwork and other compulsory academic components of compulsory modules.

3.7

The tuition fee for a taught postgraduate or research programme is inclusive of any ‘bench fee’.

3.8

The tuition fee includes the cost of all formal written examinations, except where arrangements are made to hold an examination at an alternative centre at the request of an individual student.

3.9

The tuition fee includes any requirement for an individual student to attempt one or more reassessments as set out in the relevant Senate Regulations, whether these have been awarded due to academic failure or mitigating circumstances.

Scholarships, bursaries and tuition fee discounts

3.10

The University makes provision for a range of scholarships and bursaries for qualifying students. Tuition fee discounts may also be available. Details of these are published on the University’s website.

Tuition fees and registration

3.11

The total fee for a programme of study is payable within the normal period of registration for the programme, as set out in the relevant programme specification.

3.12

The fees payable by Associate Students shall normally be charged on a pro-rata basis in relation to the volume of credit studied.

3.13

The fee for students granted exemption from study and assessment in recognition of prior learning may be reduced pro rata on the basis of a reduced normal period of registration.

3.14

A student becomes liable for the fee for the current calendar year at initial registration and then at successive annual re-registration points.

3.15

A self-funding student may pay tuition fees in the following patterns:

• the fee for the whole programme at first registration;
• the fee for the current calendar year at registration and re-registration;
• for students studying on campus, the fee for the current academic year in two equal instalments;
• for students studying by distance learning the fee for the current calendar year in three equal instalments or, where the technical capability for this has been implemented, the fee for the current calendar year in equal monthly payments.

3.16

Where a period of suspension of studies is approved for a student, their tuition fee liability and payment pattern will be frozen at the date of suspension. Any credit balances will be held by the University and applied when the student recommences the programme of study. When the student returns to study from the period of suspension a revised payment pattern will be calculated on the basis of the pattern of study to be undertaken.

3.17

Pre-Sessional English Students are required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure their place on the Pre-Sessional English Language course as set out in the relevant programme specification. If a student withdraws within 14 days of date the University received the non-refundable deposit to secure their place on the Pre-Sessional English Language the deposit paid will be returned in full.

Sponsors

3.18

Where a sponsor, for example a government or other funding body, agrees to pay tuition fees for an individual student, evidence of the sponsor’s financial commitment is required at registration and successive re-registration.

3.19

A sponsored student may have tuition fees paid in the following patterns:

• the fee for the whole programme at first registration;
• the fee for the current calendar year at registration and re-registration.

3.20

Where a sponsor fails to make payment in relation to an individual student, the student will become liable for all unpaid fees.

Financial hardship and tuition fee waivers

3.21

Where a student encounters significant and unexpected financial hardship during a programme of study s/he may make an application to the Director of Finance for a tuition fee waiver.

3.22

An application for a tuition fee waiver will only be approved where:

• the student is able to provide evidence of financial hardship and of attempts to seek alternative sources of funding;
• the financial hardship could not have been anticipated at the beginning of the student’s period of registration;
• the application for a fee waiver is supported by the student’s academic department such that the department is willing to fund half of the total fee waiver;
• the total fee waiver sought is no more than the tuition fee liability for one calendar year.

3.23

The Chair of the University Portfolio Management Group may, exceptionally, authorise a reduction in the tuition fee payable by an individual student, or group of students, at the beginning of the period of registration.

Overdue and unpaid tuition fees

3.24

A student who is experiencing difficulties in meeting tuition fee liabilities should seek advice from the Fees Payments Office where they are a Campus Student or the Distance Learning Administration Team where they are a Distance Learning Student. In exceptional circumstances, an agreement for a rescheduled payment plan, within an annual registration period, may be agreed by the Director of Finance. 

3.25

A student who does not pay a tuition fee, or a tuition fee instalment, by the due date will be reminded of the need to pay once. If payment remains outstanding, the student’s registration will be suspended and access to facilities and resources, including teaching and assessment activities, will be removed.

For students sponsored by the University on a Tier 4 visa, the suspension of registration will require the University to inform the UKVI that the student is no longer sponsored. One further reminder will be sent. If payment remains outstanding, the student will be withdrawn from his/her programme of study and deregistered

3.26

Where a student has agreed to pay tuition fees on a monthly basis under a fixed sum loan agreement regulated by the Consumer Credit Act 1974, a notice of sums of arrears will be sent to the student in line with the requirements of the Act.

3.27

A student will not be permitted to re-register at the next annual re-registration point for the programme if s/he has an outstanding tuition fee liability.

3.28

Where a student has been withdrawn for non-payment of tuition fees, s/he will not be permitted to resume the programme of study within the existing registration period. A student who has been withdrawn for non-payment of tuition fees may make a fresh application for registration on the same or a different programme of study, but s/he will first be required to settle any outstanding tuition fee debt and to demonstrate how circumstances have changed such that future tuition fee liabilities will be met.

3.29

No degree, diploma or certificate will be awarded to a student who has an unpaid tuition fee liability. The University will not certify academic credit or previous awards for a student who has an unpaid tuition fee liability. A student may make a subject access request under the Data Protection Act 1998 for data relating to his/her academic studies; such requests will be met but the data will not be presented in a certified form.

Tuition fee liability on withdrawal from a programme of study

3.30

Any student has the right to withdraw from the University within 14 days of their course start date without giving any reason. Where a student wishes to withdraw from their course within 14 days of their course start date they must send written confirmation by e-mail or letter to the University’s Registry department for Campus based students and Distance Learning Hubs for Distance Learning Students. The written confirmation must clearly state the student is withdrawing from their course within 14 days of their course start date. The University will then refund all tuition fees paid.

3.31

Where a student registered for a programme of study and assessment leading to an award approved by Senate chooses to withdraw permanently from the University or is determined to have withdrawn from the University in accordance with Senate Regulations, a fee liability will be calculated where the withdraw is after 14 days of the course start date.

3.32

Fee liability for UK/EU and International campus-based students:

A. Undergraduate or PGCE student

The fee liability for a student is determined by the term in which a student withdraws:

• Within 14 days of the course start date: Nil;
• Term one: 25% of the annual tuition fee;
• Term two: 50% of the annual tuition fee;
• Term three: 100% of the annual tuition fee.

B. Taught postgraduate students

• Annual tuition fees are based on 12 months of study in one academic year;
• A partially completed month is treated as a full month for the fee liability calculation;
• If a student withdraws within 14 days of the course start date the fee liability is Nil;
• For the first seven months of study the fee liability is determined as a proportion of the annual tuition fee based on the number of months in attendance prior to withdraw as a proportion of the number of months in an academic year;
• After the first seven months of study the fee liability is 100% of the annual tuition fee;
• Postgraduate taught students who take temporary leave are charged at the same rate as new students in the year they return. This can lead to an increase in the amount a student is required to pay overall.

C. Research postgraduate students

• Annual tuition fees are based on 12 months of study in one academic year;
• A partially completed month is treated as a full month for the fee liability calculation;
• If a student withdraws within 14 days of the course start date the fee liability is Nil;
• The fee liability is determined as a proportion of the annual tuition fee based on the number of months in attendance prior to withdraw as a proportion of the number of months in an academic year;
• The fee liability for a student who withdraws during a period of writing-up or during an approved period of academic registration extension is determined by the agreed writing up or extension fee based on the number of months in attendance prior to withdraw as a proportion of the number of months agreed for writing up or extension;
• Home/EU research postgraduate students who take temporary leave are charged at the same rate as new students in the year they return. This can lead to an increase in the amount a student is required to pay overall.

3.33

Fee liability for distance learning students:

• If a student withdraws within 14 days of the course start date the fee liability is Nil;
• The fee liability is determined by the course tuition based on by the number of months in attendance as a proportion of the number of months specified in the normal period of registration as set out in the relevant programme specification;
• A partially completed month is treated as a full month for the fee liability calculation.

3.34

Fee liability for Pre-Sessional English Language course students:

• If a student withdraws within 14 days of the course start date the fee liability is Nil;
• The fee liability is determined by the course tuition fee based on the number of weeks in attendance as a proportion of the number of weeks specified in the normal period of registration as set out in the relevant programme specification;
• A partially completed week is treated as a full week for the fee liability calculation.

3.35

Where a student withdraws and has received part funding for tuition fees from a third party or the University, this funding will be applied to the full academic year or normal period of registration when calculating the fee liability. 

3.36

The date of withdrawal is deemed to be the date on which the student notified the University of an intention to withdraw, or the date on which a decision was taken to withdraw the student from the programme of study.

3.37

Where a student has yet to make sufficient payment to cover his/her fee liability at the date of withdrawal, the University will seek to recover the outstanding sum.

3.38

Where a student or a sponsor has paid more than the fee liability at the date of withdrawal, a refund of the overpayment will be made.

3.39

Where a student in receipt of a scholarship or bursary chooses to withdraw permanently from the University or is withdrawn from the University in accordance with Senate Regulations, the University will seek to recover any overpaid funds at the date of withdrawal. Any such overpayment will be calculated on a pro rata basis.

Certificates and transcripts

3.40

A degree certificate will be provided free of charge to all graduating students. Replacement certificates are not normally issued; in exceptional circumstances a replacement will be subject to the payment of a fee.

3.41

A Higher Education Achievement Report will be provided free of charge to undergraduate students at the end of each level of study and at the end of the programme of study.

3.42

A full academic transcript will be provided free of charge to student following taught postgraduate programmes at the end of the programme of study.

Fees for other academic facilities and services

3.43

A student may be required to pay for certain services or facilities, including compulsory study elements of optional modules, optional residential activities, printing from computers in the open access computer laboratories, and photocopying. Details are provided at the point of service or in departmental literature as appropriate.

3.44

No degree, diploma or certificate will be awarded to a student who has an unpaid fee, fine, or charge which is associated with the delivery of academic (rather than commercial) services. The University will not certify academic credit or previous awards for a student who has any such unpaid fee, fine, or charge. A student may make a subject access request under the Data Protection Act 1998 for data relating to his/her academic studies; such requests will be met but the data will not be presented in a certified form.

Fees for commercial services

3.45

Fees for commercial services provided to students by the University are agreed annually and are published on the University’s website.

Schedule of tuition fees for each programme of study

3.46

The tuition fees for each programme of student are agreed annually and are published on the University’s website.

Tuition fee discounts

3.47

The following tuition fee discounts are available:

• Family discount. This is available to self-funding international students registering for a full-time programme of study if a close family member, for example spouse, sibling, or parent, has completed or is currently registered for a full-time programme of study at the University. A 10% discount will be applied for the second family member, or may be split between the two family members, from the beginning of the academic year in which the subsequent registration begins. This discount does not apply to programmes studied by distance learning. This discount will not be awarded if the student is also eligible for the Alumni discount.
• Previous University of Leicester graduate – Alumni discount. This is available to self-funding students who have successfully completed a degree course or PGCE programme at the University and subsequently register for a further programme at a higher level (campus-based or distance learning, but excluding the PGCE). This discount is also available to students who have successfully completed a degree course or PGCE programme and subsequently register for a research degree either campus-based or by distance learning. A 10% discount will be applied to the tuition fee for the second registration period. This discount will not be awarded if the student is also eligible for the Family discount.
• Members of staff of the University. This is available to direct employees of the University. A fee waiver may be agreed where an individual’s Head of School/Department deems the pursuit of a specific course to be directly relevant to the individual’s role in the University. The waiver is limited to the relevant part-time fee, adjusted in relation to the FTE of the individual’s contract of employment.
• Members of staff of the University of Leicester Students’ Union. This is available to staff employed by the Students’ Union who work for more than 16 hours each week on a contract of at least 12 months’ duration and who are not already students of the University. A fee discount of 50% will be applied to postgraduate research degree programmes, and a fee discount of 30% will be applied to all other postgraduate programmes of study.