Dropping out of university is a big decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. It’s important to weigh up all of your options before making up your mind.
Communicating with your university and with Student Finance England is essential before committing to withdrawing from your degree programme. Your university can give you advice and support on what options are available to you. For example, you may be able to suspend your studies for a period of time instead of dropping out of university. You may even be able to switch to part-time studies.
Contact your university directly for all the information you’ll need before making a decision.
University Drop-Out Rate
As valuable an experience as going to university may be, it isn’t necessarily the right choice for everyone. It is not uncommon for students to drop out of university midway through their studies. Figures published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) for courses that began in the academic year 2019-2020 show that 5.3% of UK students did not complete their university degree program.
Drop-out rates vary considerably between institutions. For example, London Metropolitan University has the highest drop-out rate in the UK at 18.6%, while the University of Cambridge is the lowest at 1%.
Whatever your reasons may be, Developing a Student can provide the support and resources you need to make dropping out of university as straightforward and pain-free as possible.
Withdrawing From University
If you decide university life isn’t the right fit for you or if your circumstances have changed so that you’re no longer able to continue your studies, it’s essential to speak with your tutor or director of studies directly. Oftentimes, university costs add up and it can become difficult to get by. Your only choice may be to drop out of university.
Your university may be able to provide the support that allows you to continue with your studies. This may include transferring to part-time studies or to a different institution closer to home. We’ll look at this in further detail below in the Suspending your Studies section.
If you are considering withdrawing from your studies but are unsure whether you want to leave university entirely, take the time to explore our guide on changing your course. You may realise that a different degree programme transfer is the perfect option for your interests, needs and wellbeing. Another option that’s available to students is to transfer universities.
Your institution can provide the support you need during the process of leaving university. Contact student support services if you require advice or support.
Repaying Your Student Loan
You will necessary to notify Student Finance England that you have withdrawn from your studies as soon as possible. They will inform you on how to proceed with the loan repayment, and notify you of maintenance loan overpayments.
For those that withdraw from their studies before completion of their degree, you are still responsible for repaying your maintenance loan along with any tuition fee loan paid by student finance services to your university.
The amount of tuition fee you have to repay depends on the date you withdrew from your studies. If you did not complete the full academic year, you would not be required to repay the full year tuition fee.
| Date | Percentage of tuition fees to be repaid |
| From the 1st day of the 1st term | 25% |
| From the 1st day of the 2nd term | 50% |
| From the 1st day of the 3rd term | 100% |
For more information, visit our guide on university costs.
Suspending Your Studies
Alternatively, you may want to consider suspending university studies. People choose to suspend their studies if they require a break from university due to a change in their circumstances. The reasons people choose to suspend their studies include
- Health issues
- Financial difficulties
- Maternity, paternity or adoption
- Immigration matters
If you are considering suspending your studies, speak with your tutor or director of studies. You will be required to inform your university of the reason for which you want to suspend your degree programme. Upon approval, you will be able to discuss an expected return date.
Just like withdrawal from university, you’re required to inform Student Finance England of a study suspension. Student finance will stop all upcoming tuition fee payments to your university until your studies resume.
In addition, you may be eligible to receive student finance support during your suspension period. However, this is dependent on your financial circumstances. It’s also possible that you suspended your studies due to a caring responsibility or illness. In these cases, you’d need to provide evidence such as bank statements or a letter from your university or college. Cases are assessed on an individual basis.
If you have to suspend for health reasons, you are eligible for full student finance for 60 days after you suspend.
Summary
In the event that you have to suspend your studies for financial reasons, you may want to consider finding a job to help with tuition fees. Our specialised job board contains jobs for students across the UK. Check back regularly for new opportunities in your area.
Are you considering dropping out of university? Be sure to check out our Undergraduate studies section for more information and advice, or to find help in your area.
