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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Can my uni throw me out immediately? Really upset pls help

177 replies

incrediblydistraught · 04/06/2019 11:31

Late paying last installment for my masters degree, having some financial difficulty. I went in and spoke to them and asked if would be ok to finish paying by August followed up with call last week.

They have suspended me now and can't access any of my student accounts. I have called and am really distraught I can't fucking cope I have just spent £8000 and a whole year trying to make myself more employable AND THE WHOLE THING IS A FUCKING WASTE.

Nobody could say if they will let me finish. I don't know what to do I feel so misled as far as I knew it was ok to finsih paying by August and then suspending my email how the fuck can I communicate with anyone at the uni to even try t o resolve it????????

Shaking with fear no matter what I do how hard I try it all gets taken away from me I am a laughing stock. I have paid £8000 all for nothing, my grades are all good and its all for nothing.

OP posts:
Pgqio · 04/06/2019 11:33

So sorry you're going through this. No advice but I'll bump so someone else can help.

Lazypuppy · 04/06/2019 11:35

What did they say when you called?

Maybe its automatic if a payment is missed, and someone needs to go in and give you you're access.

When you asked to delay payment what did they say? When did you approach them, before or after missed payment?

MatildaTheCat · 04/06/2019 11:35

Call them and make an appointment to go in and discuss the situation calmly. I do hope it works out for you.

The work you have done wouldn’t be wasted even if the worst happened, I know several people who have studied for masters and not completed to course and have used this as part of their cv.

PurpleDaisies · 04/06/2019 11:36

Speak to student services. I’d have thought that as soon as you make the payment, everything will unfreeze.

lalalonglegs · 04/06/2019 11:37

That sound horrendous but it should also be fixable. It sounds to me as if there is a system that automatically cuts you off if you default on fees - the best thing you can do is go into the university and speak to someone in the administration. Do you have anything from anyone you spoke to last time saying that you could make a late payment/they would consider waiting for final payment. Try not to panic and good luck.

Original poster
incrediblydistraught · 04/06/2019 11:37

I already did go in to discuss the situation and this was what was discussed. But the person at the decision making meeting must have denied that as an option, and then nobody communicate dthis to me just suspended me.

OP posts:
GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 04/06/2019 11:38

Calm down.

Phone them, make an appointment and go and see them in person.

If it was agreed that you could complete payment in August (was it actually agreed? Your OP was a bit unclear about this) then it might be as simple as an error that your email has been suspended.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 04/06/2019 11:38

Sorry, cross post. You need to speak to them in person.

Original poster
incrediblydistraught · 04/06/2019 11:38

Honestly, I can't handle this. This degree was me rebuilding my confidence after years of shit and was doing so well and its all for NOTHING.

OP posts:
HouseOfGingerbread · 04/06/2019 11:39

Your uni should have a department called something like Student Services, Student Welfare or possibly Registrars. Contact them for advice. If there's a graduate students association or similar, contact them too - if not, speak to the Students Union. You won't be the first person in this situation and it can be fixed, you just need someone to point you in the right direction.

SilverDragonfly1 · 04/06/2019 11:39

This might be a 'computer says no' issue. Your best bet is to go in again and speak to finance and to student support, explaining that you have been given to understand later payment would be okay. If you have any names of who you spoke to or written proof, take that too.

It would be in their interests to have a good result from you to add to their league tables. But at the same time, August may be too long for them to wait for payment and you might try putting the payment onto a credit card or getting a small loan if you can (I know this may not be possible).

Good luck, I do hope it works out.

Bluntness100 · 04/06/2019 11:40

I'd agree, call them or go in. This may be a computer issue. Don't make assumptions. Just be calm and talk to them,

Fucklt · 04/06/2019 11:41

In my experience with several universities, they are always willing to set up a payment plan of instalments if a student is unable to make a payment. Especially for a final payment.

Suspension of online access is automatic and a simple call should resolve this once your agreed payment plan is in place.

Most will also direct you to other financial support such as hardship funds.

Don’t panic, it’s not as dramatic as you think it is right now.

HomeMadeMadness · 04/06/2019 11:41

Don't panic OP it's probably an automatic action that happens while things are resolved. I think it's very unlikely they'll throw you out like that when you clearly intend to pay. Like PP said contact student services and any graduate students association and they'll be able to give you specific advice.

FizzyGreenWater · 04/06/2019 11:41

You go in, like you did before, and ask for a meeting with the finance office. You also go to student support and explain the situation and ask for help.

There are a couple of gaps in your OP - did they agree to let you finish paying by August? You don't specify that, so I suspect they did not - or you left it hanging maybe hoping it would all be ok. Similarly you say you called but not what was said - did you actually get through? If you haven't been communicating with them, the suspension makes more sense. I suspect there's more to this than meets the eye.

It's more than likely that you can sort this out, but you need to stop reacting like this and make contact in person. 'How can I even communicate with anyone to resolve it if they've suspended my email?' - easy, you phone and make an appointment and you go see them in person... but you know this. No need for hysteria and the edge of 'but what can I do it's now THEY who are making it impossible' - that's not the case.

Go in and talk to your personal tutor, student support, and finance, in person, and be honest.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 04/06/2019 11:42

Stay calm and contact them again. Arrange to go in and talk to someone. Unless there is more to your payment history it is very unlikely that they will have cut you off permanently.

All Uni's like to have as many completions as possible, it makes their stats look better, gets them more students. So they will be very used to deferred payments and will not refuse someone who has made contact and made a sensible offer. This will be an error. Someone has pushed the wrong button or forgotten to override the automated system.

Original poster
incrediblydistraught · 04/06/2019 11:43

The person who denied my payment by August is on holiday so the person I spoke to gave me the number for his boss. She is the one I spoke to and couldn't say exactly what will happen. She has to go off and speak to iother people or something.

OP posts:
FizzyGreenWater · 04/06/2019 11:43

Sorry missed some additional posts there. So you've had a meeting? However, this doesn't make any sense:

I already did go in to discuss the situation and this was what was discussed. But the person at the decision making meeting must have denied that as an option, and then nobody communicate dthis to me just suspended me.

Sorry, no. Either you are at fault or they've got the wrong end of the stick somehow and THINK you're at fault (ie have not stuck by whatever was agreed at the meeting, etc.)

Go to student support first, take your paperwork, and have a chat.

LittleMustelid · 04/06/2019 11:44

If the university system has flagged you as a debtor then it’s likely that email etc have been automatically suspended. If you have a late payment agreement in place then when that’s been entered into the system your access should be restored. Just give them a call to check that they’re doing this. Once the debtor flag is removed you’ll be OK again.

noseoftralee · 04/06/2019 11:44

They don’t want you to fail. It is not in their interests to let you fail. But you need to take some concrete steps towards engaging with them today. Make contact with your tutor and the welfare office.

bibliomania · 04/06/2019 11:45

The University will want to make an arrangement with you so that you finish paying off and you get the Masters degree. It is in nobody's interests for this not to happen.

I would phone through to the Finance Office and ask to speak to the person who deals with student fee debt. In my university, they'd make a plan with you so that you can pay off in instalments. They will be very reluctant to let you finish the programme and get the award without having fully paid up, because it can be harder to get some people to finish paying at that point.

Your money has not gone down the drain. You could end up with a delay in finishing the programme depending on when you can pay off the remainder, but that's not the end of the world.

Talk to the Finance Office, and if you need help doing this, ask your Students' Union.

Original poster
incrediblydistraught · 04/06/2019 11:46

There's no gaps.

I went in and explained the curve ball circumstance and asked could i pay later - the guy I spoike to said August would be thelatest date possible to pay. I agreed to this. But this wasn't official, to be official it has to be approved by what I think now are a panel who must analyse all the outstanding fees owed by students.

They decide to fuck you off and suspend you or allow your payment plan and mine hasn't been approved. I don't know why.

OP posts:
WonderTweek · 04/06/2019 11:47

Sorry to hear this is happening to you, but try to stay positive. Like a PP said, universities are usually pretty flexible with payment plans and they want to see students finishing their degrees and not finishing is not good for their stats. It's awkward that they have disabled your email as you might be receiving emails regarding this, but I'm sure a student advisor can help if you go in and speak to them. Good luck!

myDHhasahobbyanditsnotcycling · 04/06/2019 11:50

You really need to calm down. I understand why it's so overwhelming, but if I was you I would go for a run (honestly!)

Call or go in person to make an appointment to discuss and see how it can be resolved. At worst, use your private email if you have to.

DogInATent · 04/06/2019 11:52

Late paying last installment for my masters degree, having some financial difficulty. I went in and spoke to them and asked if would be ok to finish paying by August followed up with call last week.

You've said what you asked for, but you haven't said what the answer was? Did they tell you they'd accept this arrangement? Who were you talking to - your course tutor/director or the accounts office? (they'll both need to be involved).

Sit down, put the kettle on, have a brew and get clear in your mind:

  • where you are with the financial side of things? - what have you paid? what do you still owe? how far behind are you with payments
  • where are you with the academic side of things? - are all your assignments up to date? how are your grades vs. the requirements?
  • how are you going to get things back on track? - you need a written down plan of how you're going to be able to afford the payments you owe and any payments beyond that. That means a very simple summary of what cash you have, what income you have, what income you expect, and how you'll cover your living costs. You need to persuade the uni you will be able pay by August as you propose and that it's not just a hollow promise - believe me, they will have heard it all before.

Once you've got the facts clear in your head and written down, ring your course office and request and urgent meeting with your tutor and/or the course director.

At that meeting you want them to agree to your proposal, but you also need to find out what has to be in place to make it happen. Do you need to fill out a student hardship request? Does it need to be approved by the course director? It will not happen based on a chat and a follow-up phone call. Uni's have procedures to follow. You will need to fill in some sort of request and have it approved.

Have you contacted the uni's student support service for help?