To not tell uni I’m leaving but not attend

[Catsandmorecats]

Hi. I’m at the end of term 1 at uni soon and will be ending my studies once exams are done this week (multiple reasons, not going into that) but I could really do with the maintenance loan. What would happen if I didn’t tell uni I was leaving and just still got the maintenance loan? But then just didn’t attend?

Or if I do tell them I’m leaving do I still pay the 9k for the full year even if I’ve only done half?

You must talk to your uni about this—not exactly the same situation but when I left a course a few years ago I was overpaid on a bursary and they expected that money back immediately. If you don’t tell them you’re leaving then you might also get stung with the following years tuition. Speak to them and they will support you to make the best decision. It might actually still be the best thing financially to complete the course and do the conversion year rather than having wasted a year and having to start again on a new degree if you still do want to study law. Honestly just go to your university’s advice centre. They’re generally really helpful and want what’s best for you.

OP, don't know what age you are but have you spoken to your parents about this.

If you act quickly you might be able to find someone to take over your room and rent.
Good luck.

Talk to the uni, is it an option to change subjects?

Please talk to your tutors and the finance office at your uni. You don't have to tell them you didn't know about Scottish law - just say you want to qualify in England. I really think you'll feel better about both finances and academics if you talk it through. I don't think claiming the loan after you drop out is an option and doing this is likely to cost more in the end as they might charge you for the full year.

You need to ask student services how accepting the loan will affect any future applications for funding to study.

I left in my first year, many years ago. Student services told me it'd be better if I left in semester 1 rather than 2 as if I left in 2 it'd affect future loan applications.

This was a VERY long time ago and things may have changed, but please speak to Student Services for advice.

but I could really do with the maintenance loan. What would happen if I didn’t tell uni I was leaving and just still got the maintenance loan? But then just didn’t attend?

Academic and Head of Department here: this is fraud.

If your personal ethics allow you to cheat & lie, go ahead.
However:

• attendance is usually taken in universities,. Your absence will be noted
• your absence will be noted re assessments

*When you finally come to withdraw legally, staff will be asked to note the last time you attended.

Be prepared for them to date it back to the time when they last saw you.

You will then be responsible for repaying the loan and any maintenance grant from that time.

But if you want to start your life as a liar and a cheat, go ahead. But no member of university staff will lie for you, however.

And if you want to continue to study law, think very carefully about lying and cheating. It could very well follow you in your future career.

stegosaurus1990

for a new degree there will be no record

Of course there will be records if cats applies in the future for student loans. And if she has defaulted on repaying loans she has appropriated fraudulently then those records will make future applications difficult.

It’s fraud if you just take the money and not actually study.

And if you want to continue to study law, think very carefully about lying and cheating. It could very well follow you in your future career.

100% agree with this. Being so casual about committing fraud doesn't bode well for a career in law.

Firstly; you don’t need to be attending classes to ‘be at uni’

You do at DD's uni. The students don't have to attend lectures, but they must attend seminars and lab practicals. Attendance is checked, and the students have to notify absences.

Students' Union first for advice before approaching the university.

Dual qualification as a lawyer in Scotland and in England/Wales might be a very attactive thing in years to come - think if Brexit happens and then there's a successful independence referendum in Scotland which rejons the EU.

Don't do anything fradulent - you will end up not being allowed to become a Solicitor/Barrister.

You are tied to the year contract you sign when you move in. It's excactly like private renting... you still have to pay your rent even if you leave.

@viques

Someone said upthread that there would be a record of her having “failed” the first year. That will not count to another degree and is what I was referring too.

I don’t know and am sure somebody can confirm, but I doubt there’s an academic database similar to the police from which universities all refer to before allowing a student to enrol?

My daughter had to pay back her hardship loan when she quit uni in the first term

Don’t do this, it’s obviously fraudulently claimed student finance if you’re don’t intend to go to university. They will ask for it back for immediate repayment (so not the usual student loan repayment terms).

Basically what happens is that the university will withdraw you and inform student finance at the same time. They use your last attendance as the date you left, so if the last time you attended was eg in October and your term ends in December, they will actually want repayment from October instead of just from the next term.

I did this in 2013.

I dropped out of uni in March and still received the final instalment of my student loan. It was only the most basic loan that you could get though- was around £1K. By maintenance loan do you get one of the higher, means-tested ones?

Anyway, I have never paid back a penny. I received a phone call from some rude woman at the SLC telling me I had to (I explained I had no money), she said I had to make arrangements to repay £10 a month.

I never did 🤷‍♀️

I now just get a letter from them once a year saying that I owe it and threatening me with legal action- but it’s been six years and they’ve done nothing.

The SLC are so incompetent they don’t know their arse from their elbows I wouldn’t worry

Oh and flame away everyone, I don’t care

Basically I want to start part time at open uni instead so will still end up with a degree but I am really not passionate about any subject and feel like there’s no point in dedicating 3 full time years to something I hate doing

Have you looked into the transfer options to another course? When I was in uni people moved about in the first term. There maybe a service for it in your uni.

At my uni registers go around every lecture/lab/seminar. It would be very clear if I just stopped going and they would be within their rights to remove me from the course and inform SLC when I last attended.

Yes, first year isn’t really that important - you should still have the option to transfer both course or university with some institutions. Law can be an awkward subject for transfers though - definitely email the universities that you’re interested in now and see what they say before deciding on dropping out now.

You might find some English institutions with January 2020 entry (albeit they probably won’t be your first choice.)

If you do drop out, tell student finance and your university ASAP. You don’t want to be liable for extra payments. Think about it, if you don’t intend to return you may still be charged for January’s tuition fees as student finance will be giving the tuition payment to your university soon. It would obviously be easier long term to stop this payment from happening.

@WitchesGlove I’m not going to flame you because frankly it’s none of my business but are you not afraid they will eventually take action and send the bailiffs?

You would probably be liable for paying the full years fees.

University will kick you out. Student loan company make you pay back the loan.

Happened to me, although I was quite ill at 18 and hospitalise and forgot to tell uni o was leaving.

I paid the student loan company back at £5 a month - they won’t take it out of your wage like a normal loan it has to be set up like a payment plan.

If you let them know now, you won’t be liable for the full year’s tuition. It will be pro-rata

It’s called fraud. Don’t do it. You could end up getting arrested and having a criminal conviction for dishonesty. That’s not going to do much for your career prospects.