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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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Original poster

Withdrawing from university

19 replies

LightandAiry · 10/08/2021 21:40

Hi, I hope someone may be able to advise.

My ds was very unhappy during his first year at university. He is saying he will make an effort for the first couple of months, but if he can't make uni work on a social level, he may withdraw.

Does anyone know how this will affect funding if he wants to start again somewhere else? I think any more funding would be refused, or just 1 year and two terms available.

His problems are not academic as he passed his first year with some very good grades. He was just so dreadfully lonely, deoressed and anxious like many of them this year

Thanks in advance.

OP posts:

Mumteedum · 10/08/2021 21:46

He will be able to get 4 years of funding in total so as he's passed his first year, if he withdrew into his second year then he'd still be able to get funding to do his second and third year elsewhere but it may be harder to apply directly to second year somewhere else.

I would get him to talk through his feelings with personal tutor as soon as he starts back and speak anytime to student services about options if he went that route.
Last year was unlike any other so it's hard to say whether he'll settle better or whether he just doesn't click where he is. I know our uni is planning on lots of support for the second years as they missed a lot last year.

heidbuttsupper · 10/08/2021 21:47

Where in the UK are you OP? SAAS provide 5 years of funding. It sounds like your son has had 1 full year of funding. To ensure he does not get 'charged' for a 2nd year, he needs to withdraw before 30 Nov.

This only applies if you are in Scotland...!

titchy · 10/08/2021 21:51

In England students are entitled to funding for the entire length of the course plus one year. So if he quits now and goes elsewhere he will get funded, but no room for retaking a year. If he starts a second year and is liable for fees (liability starts two weeks after term starts) then that will reduce future funding. So leaving mid November means he'd be funded for another degree, apart from one term.

titchy · 10/08/2021 21:52

NB - if he quits for physical or mental health reasons and these can be documented, SFE can take that into consideration and may waive the loss of entitlement.

burnoutbabe · 10/08/2021 22:00

Pretty sure if you enrol for year 2, that counts as a full year even if you withdraw pretty quickly, (England)

hellcatspangle · 10/08/2021 22:01

If he's unhappy it's better to leave before starting second year. Why was he unhappy - was it the course or the social side mainly?

Is it possible to take a year out? One of mine did that, worked and travelled and reapplied elsewhere for the following academic year - it was the best decision they ever made.

Oliveandsage · 10/08/2021 22:13

If he enrols for 2nd year, that counts as a full year for funding reasons even if he withdraws straight away.

You get three years of funding from student finance, plus a ‘gift year.’ If he withdraws before starting his second year, he will be entitled to full funding for another 3 year course further down the line.

He could, potentially, apply for compelling reasons to gain access for full funding for a further degree if he drops out in his second year, therefore ‘writing off’ one of the years he studied allowing for full funding - he would still have to pay it back. However, I have been through this process and documentation required is doctors letters, etc for proof on why they should grant an additional year - if he sees a doctor regarding anxiety that should cover it.

The above poster is incorrect, if he withdrew in November the whole year is counted for student finance, not the 3 years minus one term if he reapplied.

Hope that makes sense - I went through the compelling reasons path myself in 2018, after withdrawing from my first degree in the second year.

SusieSusieSoo · 10/08/2021 22:28

Can he transfer to a uni near to home for years 2&3 rather than give up altogether?

PaulGallico · 10/08/2021 22:33

I don't think he should force himself back into year two. If he does and stays a couple of months then that will be an additional year of funding. Maybe take a year out? Or transfer into year two at a different Uni. He still has 3 years funding left

Original poster

LightandAiry · 10/08/2021 22:34

Hi thanks for replies.

Heidbutt - I am in England

Hellcat - he feels duty bound to go back as he's got a houseshare and doesn't want to let people down. Very hard to persuade him otherwise and said he feels he needs to give it another go.

He was unhappy due to social side - first term he felt ok, made housemate friends, then came home and got depressed due to lockdown, went back found dynamics changed among housemates and felt like an outsider. Got more depressed, came home saw GP at home, got extentions on his work and passed the year. Sensitive issue for him as felt lonely before uni and hoped uni would be his chance to get a social life. Awful experience.

Age 19 he needs to make his own decisions but needs to know the facts. It sounds like if he withdraws in year 2 there's only 1 more year of funding available.

OP posts:

titchy · 10/08/2021 22:44

It sounds like if he withdraws in year 2 there's only 1 more year of funding available.

If he's seen his GP and the depression was recorded it's likely SFE would allow future years to be fully funded. They're usually quite generous (no guarantees obviously).

Original poster

LightandAiry · 10/08/2021 22:48

Paul - I agree but it is so hard to get him to listen due to feeling duty bound to do his house share. I want him to withdraw and try the local uni. The rot has set in and his mindset that he'lm be unhappy there wont change.

OP posts:

Original poster

LightandAiry · 10/08/2021 22:55

Thanks Titchy I don't think I can dissuade him from going back really.

Hopefully it will work out but as Mumteedum says it's hard to know whether he will settle or if it's the wrong place for him. Hopefully with field trips and activities opening things can get better but he is a shy person and has to make an effort like never before! He says 2 of the societies he wanted to try have closed down

OP posts:

SmithfamilyRobinson · 17/08/2021 23:23

@LightandAiry my DS is in a similar position only worse... he had a disastrous 2nd year after being unhappy in his 1st year. I have discovered he has chronic and debilitating social anxiety. He has failed 2nd year whilst his MH deteriorated. And what we discovered is that people with MH issues don't make good decisions... he wouldn't go to the GP (he basically had a breakdown at Christmas). I got him a private counsellor who coached him in the steps he needed to function. However whatever he did do, it wasn't enough and his appeal was turned down. Who knows, he didn't read the instructions or attach all the relevant information? He had no contact with the department until just before this point and when he did get in touch the uni did organise 6 weeks of online counselling with a private contractor. Make sure everything is documented! Now we are picking up the pieces we realise that the Student Union/Guild have people who can support students going through appeals... as it stands now I am seeing the full picture (no work handed in all year), an appeal would take up to 8 weeks and have little chance of success. We are looking at alternatives (2 year degree), somewhere else, a fresh start, and transferring some 1st year credits. Same issue with the house share except I have guaranteed it for the year! I would be hopeful that they/ we can find someone to take over the tenancy. There's a small fee to do this with the agent.
It's great your DS is talking to you - try and get him to seek some support - get him to copy you in or proof read any correspondence with his department about extensions or support he needs.

Mumteedum · 18/08/2021 10:03

@SmithfamilyRobinson that sounds tough for you and for your Ds. It's hard for staff to help because students often don't respond to email when they're not feeling good. I've 'gone the extra mile' for some of mine which can work when they then open up and have less of a hurdle to speak to a staff member, but I have had lots in this position in the last two years. It takes a lot of effort to keep on top of the non engaging students and where they're at. Lots of referrals and working out the if this then that scenarios.

Hope it works out for you all.

SmithfamilyRobinson · 18/08/2021 10:50

Thank you @Mumteedum - a search on MN alerted me to the kindness of people behind the scenes if only they knew the full picture.This is why I hope that anyone reading this realises that an early intervention is critical. The financial consequences of these two years are not to be sniffed at. My DS erroneously thought he could just re-do the year. This option is not available (at least for humanities not medical disciplines at his uni). If he'd understood the support/appeal process he could have suspended his studies. Who knows?

Mumteedum · 18/08/2021 20:26

@SmithfamilyRobinson

Thank you *@Mumteedum* - a search on MN alerted me to the kindness of people behind the scenes if only they knew the full picture.This is why I hope that anyone reading this realises that an early intervention is critical. The financial consequences of these two years are not to be sniffed at. My DS erroneously thought he could just re-do the year. This option is not available (at least for humanities not medical disciplines at his uni). If he'd understood the support/appeal process he could have suspended his studies. Who knows?

Well I think it's a bit chicken and egg. Students often don't tell us what's going on before it's too late. And this year has been a bumper year of students (and staff!) with difficulties. It's hard for everyone.

Appeals are a last resort but I would think they're likely to be more lenient than ever. Staff support of appeals can count for a lot, so see if any lecturers will email support for appeal to student records or whoever it is.

Hope it works out.

Mumteedum · 18/08/2021 20:32

I do think that students increasingly don't seem to understand they enter into a contract when they start uni. We have course handbooks and module guides and talk to them about deadlines and reassessment and still they don't hand work in, and just assume it's no biggie cos they can just give it another go. Well, no not always. If you don't hand work in, don't communicate and only get in touch after reassessments have been missed or failed..then it becomes very difficult.

Most staff do their best make students understand this and there are always those that fall through the cracks when mental health issues strike but the leap from school to uni has never been bigger, imo.

Original poster

LightandAiry · 18/08/2021 22:27

Hi SmithfamilyRobinson thanks for posting, this year really needed to go well for your ds by the sound of things. I've heard it's usual to have a wobble during the first year and this year it's been impossible for them to improve the experience.

It's good that he did counselling - my ds refused counselling but he is taking a low dose of meds for depression and anxiety, which I hope lifts him up enough to make an effort at uni. A low point was having a panic attack in front of house mates. I just hope the uni make an effort for the 2nd years; they've missed out on all the freshers' stuff and my ds hasn't been there since March.

He wouldn't contact his personal tutor when he stopped doung work - only met him for 10 minutes last September but at least did the extenuating circumstances form.

I hope your ds can take things forward step by step; a fresh start sounds good. Thank you re advice on documenting everything.

OP posts:

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