Tuition fee refund policy 2025–26

Source: https://sheffield.ac.uk/study/policies/tuition-fee-refund-policy Parent: https://sheffield.ac.uk/new-students/tuition-fees/undergraduate-overseas

This Tuition Fee Refund Policy applies to students who are in full-time or part-time attendance (including Distance Learners).

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If you are considering, or have decided to take leave of absence, withdraw entirely or transfer to another university, you will need to know how this will affect your tuition fees.

This policy provides essential information on tuition fee refunds. You should also ensure you complete the Change of Status form, sign and submit to your department, promptly.

Grounds for refunds

• Tuition fees will be refunded in the following instances:
• Student withdrawal from the course (either by the student or initiated by the University).
• Leave of absence, except in cases where your period of leave of absence ends in the same academic year; if you are a postgraduate research student and you take leave of absence for a period of less than 6 months within the same academic session (for PGR students, the registration start date marks the start of a 12 month academic session). For more information on the leave of absence process, refer to:
  • Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught students (staff or student login required)
  • Postgraduate Research students
• Transfer or downgrade from a Masters qualification to a Diploma or Certificate qualification, except where:
  • the transfer or downgrade is the result of a failure to progress on the higher qualification;
  • academic services (teaching/supervision) for the higher award have been received. Please contact your department for advice.
• Exceptions to the refund tables, below:
• Early submission of a thesis by a postgraduate research student: calculated on a pro-rata monthly basis.
• English Language Teaching Centre: where students start later or leave earlier than expected; take a leave of absence or withdraw: calculated on a pro-rata weekly basis on receipt of a completed Change of Status form.
• Tuition fees will not be refunded in the following instances:
• The withdrawal of a unit or module does not of itself constitute grounds for a refund. Tuition fees typically cover the annual provision of teaching, academic support and other services in respect of 120 credits for undergraduate students (total number of credits taken by undergraduate students each academic year) and 180 credits for postgraduate taught students (total number of credits taken by postgraduate taught students each academic session). Whilst there may be occasions when students may not be able to access some modules, the total number of credits will remain unaffected and therefore no refund will apply. If you think you may be entitled to a tuition fee refund, contact the Student Fees team.
• Leave of absence - where your period of leave of absence ends in the same academic year; if you are a postgraduate research student and you take leave of absence for a period of less than 6 months within the same academic session (for PGR students, the registration start date marks the start of a 12 month academic session).
• Transfer or downgrade from a Masters qualification to a Diploma or Certificate qualification where:
  • the transfer or downgrade is the result of a failure to progress on the higher qualification;
  • academic services (teaching/supervision) for the higher award have been received. Please contact your department for advice.

How refunds are calculated

The following tables set out how the University calculates refunds. Please note that:

• refunds are calculated based on the programme start date; not on the day when a student completes registration. Registering late in the academic year does not negate the need to pay tuition fees from the start of the programme;
• the cut-off dates for the Student Loans Company (SLC) funded students mirror the SLC payment dates;
• SLC-funded and sponsored students should be aware that the University will notify instances of leave of absence and course withdrawal, alongside with changes in fees to Student Finance England or the equivalent funding body;
• SLC-funded students who change their course part-way through an academic year should contact the Student Fees team for advice on how this will affect their fees.

Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Students

Tuition fee refund calculator

The tuition fee refund calculator is intended to help you calculate how a leave of absence or withdrawal could affect your tuition fee.

Tuition fee refund calculator

1. These dates relate to students whose registration start date is 29 September 2025, attending a full academic year. The dates should be adjusted for cross-sessional students according to the ‘start of registration’ date. If your full registration period is for one semester only, or you are on a Continued Professional Development Programme, contact the Student Fees team. The above dates will be adjusted accordingly, for students with a Registration Start Date earlier than 29 September 2025 eg
2. PGCE "Self funded" students with a Registration Start Date of 1 September 2025 (exception of SLC funded students - table above applies).
3. Fee deposits are non-refundable.
4. Distance Learning courses: 10% of the annual tuition fee is retained for Residential Weekends. (unless charged separately by the department eg Orthoptics).
5. Languages for All: Students withdrawing from Languages for All modules should seek this guidance about refunds

Postgraduate Research Students

(Self-funded and Sponsored)

1. These dates relate to students whose registration start date is 29 September 2025. The dates should be adjusted for cross-sessional students according to the ‘start of registration’ date. If your full registration period is for one semester only, contact the Student Fees team.
2. Distance Learning courses: 10% of the annual tuition fee is retained for Residential Weekends.
3. Languages for All: Students withdrawing from Languages for All modules should seek this guidance about refunds

How refunds are applied

If fees were paid by Debit or Credit Card or a Direct Bank Transfer, the refund will be made to the same account. The method of refund will be determined by the amount of tuition fees paid and owed up to the point of application. Therefore, subject to individual circumstances, a refund can be:

• a direct refund of tuition fees already paid
• a reduction in the tuition fees due
• a tuition fee debt reduction.

If you change your degree course, you submit your thesis earlier than anticipated or if there is any other kind of interruption to your studies, and you need to know how this Policy will affect you, contact the Student Fees team.

Tuition fee refund policies from previous academic years

• Tuition fee refund policy 2024-25
• Tuition fee refund policy 2023-24
• Tuition fee refund policy 2022-23
• Tuition fee refund policy 2021-22
• Tuition fee refund policy 2020-21
• Tuition fee refund policy 2019-20
• Tuition fee refund policy 2018-19
• Tuition fee refund policy 2017-18
• Tuition fee refund policy 2016-17
• Tuition fee refund policy 2015-16

Related information

• Taking a leave of absence (student login needed)
• Withdrawing from the University (student login needed)
• Tuition fee information for current students (student login needed)

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