What to do if they drop out...

[brooksghost]

DC at Uni and struggling with ASD/Anxiety issues, not eating, cannot manage daily tasks like washing, shopping etc. Told us tonight they aren't coping and thinking about coming home and re-starting in September at a more local Uni. We are really worried and just need some info so they can make a decision.
If they want to start over in September, how does that happen?
Do they reapply through UCAS now or wait until clearing? What happens with references or are they stored on the original application?
What happens with loans/fees etc?
Any info gratefully received.
Many thanks.

Mate of ds’s didn’t like his uni once there and left in the first term. Sooner than this tho. According to ds he did it soon enough that he didn’t have to pay much in the way of hall fees and uni fees.

He reapplied that winter and started at a different uni the following Sept.

Your dc might have to pay this term's fees I would imagine. But they can reapply for next year. Is that a good idea tho? Sounds as if the whole experience is too much of a challenge. Would it be any more achievable in a local uni? Or do you mean they would live at home - in which case yes, I can see that would be helpful.

www.gov.uk/student-finance-if-you-suspend-or-leave/getting-student-finance-while-you-suspend-your-studies

www.ucas.com/undergraduate/student-life/getting-student-support/changing-or-leaving-your-course

I would give them the option of restarting but also discuss whether there is anything that could be done at their current university which would make them less anxious/happier. Have they spoken to anyone on the welfare side?

Is your young person willing for you to talk to student support on their behalf to see if anything can be put in place. I know not a given for a young person with an ASC and anxiety (looking at you ds2). I also heard of one young person in similar circumstances receiving support from social services (shopping and cooking I believe) to help them continue their degree. So these are 2 options that could be investigated before withdrawing completely.

best thing my DD did. We paid off student loan as it was small enough. And hall fees to the end of term. They got a job and are thriving.

The most disappointing aspect t that the Russel group uni had no interest in finding out why she left, it was to go with the lack of rigour and number of lecture hours.

My ds did this. He left a few months into his first year. He then took a year off then went back and did a different course. He'd been in halls originally and absolutely hated it and hated the course.When he went back he found a room in a private house and was much happier. He still owes 4k from that first year but just gets it deferred at the start of every year. If he hadn't gone back to Uni and had got a job, he would have had to start paying it back at an arranged amount, I think it was £50 per month.

My DS (also has ASD) dropped out of Uni at the end of his 1st year. He said he didn't like the course - although I'm sure there were other issues we didn't get to the bottom of.
He was adamant he still wanted to go to Uni to do a different degree. He took a year out, got a retail job, wrote a new personal statement (was switching from a science to a humanities degree) reapplied through UCAS (his old head of 6th form thankfully provided another reference). He grew up a lot in that year back at home. He did move away again for Uni (didn't seem to have the daily living issues your DS has) and successfully graduated and went on to do a Masters.
The downside is an extra year of student loan.

On the question of references, we as a school save our students' UCAS references for just such circumstances as this. Students contact us early in the next cycle (ie next September/October) and we allow them to reapply through school (using the current Buzzword) and we attach the updated reference and send the form off to UCAS. Some schools/colleges may prefer the student to apply independently but will provide an email address for them to put on the form. UCAS then contact the school/college requesting the reference.

My son has left his uni course and seems lost. Does anyone have any advice for how to help him. He started games design course but didn't make friends on his course or at his accommodation, he tried one society but didn't get any confidence or social life from that. He has terrible eczema problem linked to his anxiety issues, this was under control but he had a bad flare up when he came to a crisis point in January. He has always been atopic , asthma, ezcema, nut allergy. He is home with parents and a younger sibling, he is on antidepressants and we found a Psychotherapist for him. He isn't seeing friends and couldn't cope with a job right now. He plays computer games and spends time playing piano but it feels like he is so far away from being OK and I don't know how to parent this. He is 18, very sensitive, very bright, very unhappy. Does anyone have similar experience? Thanks

If you start a new thread people are more likely to read your post and be able to help you.

Agreed you should start a fresh threads.

but as a starting point, help him with logistics. Has he told his uni, completed any required forms, updated student finance, cancelled accommodation for next year?

Then let him have a bit of a rest. Piano and computer games are fine for a little bit of a reset. Would he go on a daily walk with you? Plenty of water and decent meals. As good as sleeping pattern as he can. Health first.

Is he in a good routine dealing with his health issues? I’d prioritise that.

Is he engaging with friends online?

And then once you’ve got that all set, think about his next steps. A bit of volunteering? Tutoring music? Give the therapy time to work. But dropping out of uni, particularly when ill health is involved is really tough on them, and a softly softly approach is appropriate.

Cost us a ruddy fortune when DS dropped out in 2nd yr. All the UCAS loans stopped immediately so we had to fork out to cover his remaining (for that year) Uni fees & accommodation debts. DS would have ignored the demands for money & racked up several CCJs, which I couldn't contemplate. <Shudder>

Other than the extra student loan to pay back it was exactly what my daughter needed to do. After a year out due to burnout (she left 2nd term) she restarted at OU.
This has made uni much more manageable and she is now at the end of her first year. It has taken all the additional social stress away and she can focus just on the academic side.

The OU sounds like a possibility when he is well. Is the funding the same for OU?