Authorised interruption of study

If you need to take an authorised interruption of study, our policy for postgraduate taught study explains the fees you will need to pay.

The definitions and circumstances in which an authorised interruption of study applies are detailed in the University’s Authorised Interruption of Studies policy. Taking an authorised interruption of studies may have implications for the tuition fees you are charged. 

Authorised Interruption of Studies policy

For all students, the same policy applies to tuition fees if you interrupt your studies, as detailed in the section headed ‘Self-funded students’.

However, for students whose fees are partially funded by specific funders detailed in this policy, account will be taken of the specific constraints applied by those funders in terms of when tuition fees can be paid to the University. For these examples, students should contact the Fees and Student Support team for advice on their specific circumstances.

Contact the Fees and Student Support team

Self-funded students

The tuition fee policy on authorised interruption of study for self-funded students applies to the majority of students, including those whose fees are being paid in full or in part by another sponsor. Where exceptions for specific sponsors or funders apply, these are detailed below.

Tuition fees are only adjusted for a period of interruption of more than three months. If you interrupt for a period of three months or fewer you will need to pay the full annual tuition fee.

If you interrupt for a period of more than three months, the tuition fees are adjusted proportionally. We will recalculate the fee on your invoice for the months in attendance prior to the interruption of studies. For example, if you study with us for seven months then interrupt, we will charge you 7/12 of the annual tuition fee.

When you return to your studies, the remaining months for the year of study will be invoiced at the rate of tuition fees for the session that you commenced your interruption of study. 

Tuition fees paid by Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for full-time students

Some students are eligible to apply to the Student Award Agency Scotland (SAAS) for support with the cost of study, including tuition fees. In most cases, SAAS will only cover part of the tuition fee. These fee arrangements affect the tuition fees you will need to pay if you are funded by SAAS and interrupt your studies.

If a proportion of your tuition fees are paid directly to the University by SAAS, the date and length of period of interruption will affect what SAAS pays to the University and the recalculation of your overall tuition fee due. This may also affect any remaining proportion of your tuition fees which you pay directly to the University.

Contact the fees team for advice

In addition to the above, we will notify SAAS of your interruption, which will allow them to recalculate any living cost support you have applied for, according to their policy.

Students in receipt of funding from Student Finance England or Student Finance Wales 

If you are in receipt of a loan from Student Finance England or Student Finance Wales and you use this loan towards tuition fees, you are treated as a self-funding student by the University.

We will notify your funding body of your interruption to allow them to recalculate any support according to their policy.

Tuition fees paid to the University by Student Finance Northern Ireland 

As described in the section ‘Whose responsibility is it to pay?’, some students are eligible to apply to Student Finance Northern Ireland (SFNI) for support with the cost of study, including tuition fees. In most cases SFNI will only cover part of the tuition fee. These fee arrangements affect the tuition fees you will need to pay if you are funded by SFNI and interrupt your studies.

If a proportion of your tuition fees are paid directly to the University by SFNI, the date and length of period of interruption will affect what SFNI pay to the University and the recalculation of your overall tuition fee due. This may also affect any remaining proportion of your tuition fees which you pay directly to the University.

Contact the fees team for advice

In addition, we will notify Student Finance Northern Ireland of your interruption, and they will recalculate any maintenance payments according to their policy.

Interrupting your studies when you are studying an individual course being studied as part-time intermittent study and invoiced at course level

If you need to interrupt your studies when studying an individual course, this is treated as a withdrawal. The same policies apply as in relation to a withdrawal from studies.

  • Started: If you interrupt from an individual course that you have started, the course fee will be due in full.
  • Not started: If you have not started the course, and the course is removed from your student record by your school, you will not have to pay the fee. 
  • Starting the course in a future session: if you start the course in a future session, your course fees may be subject to an annual increase. 

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