Leaving university

What is the impact of leaving university?

If you decide that leaving the university is the best option for you, there are a number of issues to be aware of.

Once you withdraw from university, you will not qualify to continue living in student-only or university accommodation. You will also need to start paying council tax and, if you have a student account, inform your bank of your decision. However, if you aren’t employed, you may qualify for social security benefits.

Please don't forget you can visit the Student Advice Service for information, advice and support so that you can make an informed decision and a smooth transition into life after university. The Careers Service is also available to help you prepare for your career.

How do I leave university?

To withdraw from the university, you will need to notify your course leader in writing of your intentions. They will then advise you and arrange an official leaving date with the course office, which is used to calculate your fees.

Before you leave, it is a good idea to meet with your course leader or personal tutor to get a reference. You may be able to discuss the wording with them in advance. You are also advised to contact the school office for a transcript, which contains details of the modules you have taken and could be used to count towards a course in the future.

If you have a ‘distance contract’ or ‘off-premises contract’ then you can cancel it within a period of 14 days from the day on which you accepted its terms, without giving any reason. If you cancel during this period, we will reimburse to you all payments you’ve made that relate to it. Beyond the 14-day cancellation period, you must inform the university of your decision to withdraw according to section 15 of our tuition fee policy.

How will leaving university affect my student finance?

The rules for undergraduate and postgraduate students are different, so it is important you understand the consequences of withdrawing from your course rather than intermitting, which is what we call suspending your studies or taking time out.

Tuition Fees

If you have enrolled as a new student on an award bearing course and you decide to withdraw within the first two weeks of the start of your academic year, the university allows you to withdraw without charge. 

If you withdraw at some point during the academic year, you will be liable for tuition fees for all or part of that year. How much you are charged depends on when you leave the course: during term one would be 25% of the annual fee, during term two would be 50% of the annual fee and if you leave at any point during term three you will be charged the full 100% of the annual fee.

Please refer to the university’s tuition fee policy on the Student Contract page for exceptions and further details.

You need to formally agree an end date with your academic school.

If you are being funded through Student Finance, you should inform them of the change as they will need to cancel any further payments of your Tuition Fee Loan. The university Academic Registry department will also notify Student Finance of your withdrawal.

Maintenance Loan

As with the Tuition Fee Loan, once you withdraw from your course your Student Finance funding for living costs will also stop. You need to formally agree an end date with your academic school and inform Student Finance about your change in circumstances. If you leave at the end of the academic term and notify Student Finance immediately they will be able to suspend further payments until they receive formal notification from the university, however it is not always possible to process the withdrawal before your next instalment of Maintenance Loan is due.

Any overpayment of Maintenance Loan will be calculated from the day you withdraw from the course, but you will not be asked to repay any funding received for any period of study until you reach the relevant repayment threshold.

If you are looking to continue your studies in the future, please contact the Student Advice Service to find out how any previous study may affect your future funding. You can check the repayment policy for all Student Finance products.

University of Brighton Bursary

If you are eligible to receive bursary payments from the university, these payments will also stop when you withdraw. You may be asked to repay some or all of any bursary payments made to you in the current academic year. You should contact the Bursaries team by email bursaries@brighton.ac.uk or telephone 01273 643310 to discuss this.

Postgraduate Masters Loan

As with undergraduate courses, where a postgraduate student withdraws from their course, all future payments of Postgraduate Masters Loan will be cancelled. However, unlike the Maintenance Loan for undergraduates, any overpayment of PG Loan will be calculated by reassessing the maximum loan available to that student. You should therefore notify your academic school and Student Finance immediately to ensure that the next payment of PG Loan is not released and minimise any overpayment.

If you owe tuition fees, rent for university accommodation or any other sundry debts such as library fines, please contact our Income department by email income@brighton.ac.uk without delay.

If I leave, can I come back to university in the future?

If you withdraw you will permanently leave your course and the university system. If you decide to return to study in the future (at Brighton or elsewhere), you will need to re-apply as a new student.

If you do decide to re-apply in the future, you will be able to use your transcripts as evidence of previous study. You will also be able to ask your tutors to provide you with references. 

Can I leave with any kind of qualification?

Depending on the course you have studied and what stage you have reached, you may be eligible to receive an exit or intermediate award if you withdraw before you complete your course.

You should discuss this possibility with your course leader. You can find full details about exit and intermediate awards in the General Examination and Assessment Regulations for Taught Courses (GEAR).

How will leaving university affect my employability?

Although there are some professions that require the attainment of a degree, there are still areas of work that you can pursue without university study.

Generally speaking, employers are interested in why applicants have behaved in a certain way and what they have learned from their experiences; so if you feel that leaving university is a positive change and can explain why, then it needn’t necessarily hinder your employment prospects.

Our Careers Service is here to offer you support with job hunting and career planning so you don’t have to go it alone. You will continue to have access to the Careers Service even after you have left the university.

For more information, see Changing or Leaving your Course (pdf) by Colin Dewar.