Reassessment and Repeat Study

Occasionally students need to re-take an assessment or repeat part of their studies. Reassessment could be taken either in the Special Assessment Period (SAP) during the summer or during the next academic year with or without tuition.

The financial implications will depend on whether you are retaking with or without tuition.

Please note this information is for UK undergraduate students.

Please also see the student handbook for the different types of reassessments. 

Below you can find further advice on reassessment without tuition and reassessment with tuition.

Reassessment without Tuition

If you have made a successful mitigating circumstances claim, you are not normally charged tuition fees for any modules which are Permitted Repeat Attempts.

Below you can find more information about how reassessments without tuition impact student finance and accommodation.

Student Finance

You will not be eligible for student finance if you are not taking tuition/attending your course, for example if you are just taking exams or redoing coursework without going to lectures.

If you are undergoing reassessment without tuition during the next academic year you should: 

  • Notify Student Finance of your change of circumstance. For Student Finance England, you can normally log onto your online account to change your details.
  • In some cases you will have to complete a Change of Circumstances form (available from your online account) to notify Student Finance of the changes. Upload your completed Change of Circumstances form to your Student Finance online account.
  • The University must also confirm to Student Finance any changes to your course.
  • Keep checking your online account for any updates (under the ‘Letters and emails’ section).

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Bursary

You will not be eligible for the º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Bursary if you are not taking tuition.

The Hardship Fund

If you are in unforeseen financial hardship you can apply for help from the University’s Hardship Fund.

Accommodation

If you are on a Leave of Absence (LOA) while waiting to undertake your re-assessments you need to understand what happens about your accommodation contract. 

University Halls

Students sometimes wish to stay in halls whilst on LOA – this is not normally permitted but check with the Student Accommodation Centre for their up-to-date information. 

If you are due a refund of your room bond deposit, it is normally refunded within 30 days. 

Private Halls and Private rented accommodation

If you have signed a contract for a private hall or private house/flat you will probably be liable to pay rent to the end of the contract whether you live there or not. But if you do not wish to live in the accommodation, you can: 

  • Check to see if there is an early release (break) clause in your contract. 
  • Try to find a replacement tenant – The landlord or managing agent needs to agree to the transfer to release you from your contract. It is strongly recommended that you sign a deed of surrender or assignment. We can advise you further on this. 

 If you want to stay in privately managed halls or accommodation whilst waiting to rejoin your course and are on a Leave of Absence you retain your student status for Council Tax and will not normally be liable to pay it.

Reassessment with Tuition

If your reassessment is classed as Resit (normally when you had no Mitigating Circumstances and/or your Mitigating Circumstances claim was not successful), then the reassessment fee is a proportion of the full tuition fee. 

Check the cost of reassessment modules taken with tuition.  

Below you can find further information about how reassessment with tuition impacts student finance and accommodation.

Student Finance

Tuition Fee Loan

If you are taking a Resit with tuition you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. Fee loan entitlement is limited to the normal duration of your course plus one extra year. 

Tuition Fee Loans will normally be paid only for one additional year of study beyond the standard duration of the degree programme. The extra year is often referred to as a “gift year”. If the gift year has already been used due to previously changing course or an earlier repeat year and any period of repeat study is due to health or personal difficulties, you can request an additional year of funding.  You will need to provide an explanation and evidence of the difficulties having affected your studies to Student Finance. Student Finance England decide such a request under their Compelling Personal Reasons (CPR) procedure. SASS can advise and assist with preparing such a request.

Any previous years of study at higher education on a different course or at a different institution will normally affect Tuition Fee Loan entitlement. 

Maintenance Loan

Maintenance loans are not limited by how many years you have been studying. 

The amount of maintenance loan you receive may be adjusted if you only study part of the academic year, for example if you are only attending your repeat modules during semester two you will only receive half of the full year rate of loan. 

When you apply for your funding for repeat study you still need to apply for full-time funding (do not use the part-time application). 

You must notify your student funding body of your change of circumstance. 

  • Notify Student Finance of your change of circumstance. For Student Finance England, you can normally log onto your online account to change your details. 
  • In some cases you will have to complete a Change of Circumstances form (available to print from your online account) to notify Student Finance of the changes. Upload your completed Change of Circumstances form to your Student Finance online account.
  • The University must also confirm to Student Finance any changes to your course. 
  • Keep checking your online account for any updates (under the ‘Letters and emails’ section). 

Any period of repeat study can have an impact on your eligibility for future funding. It is important that you seek advice if you repeat any part of your course. 

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Bursary

The º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Bursary can be paid for repeat study with tuition. It is paid in proportion to the number of modules being studied and subject to the normal income assessment. If you are studying 30 modular credits or fewer with attendance, then you will not be eligible for the bursary. The bursary will continue to be available for subsequent academic year(s) after successful completion of the repeat study (subject to the other eligibility criteria being met).

The Hardship Fund

If you are in unforeseen financial hardship you can apply for help from the University’s Hardship Fund.

Accommodation

Reassessment with tuition will not normally require any changes to your accommodation arrangements.

Last Updated: 20th November 2023