Student Responsibility to Pay Fees

Payment of tuition fees is the student’s responsibility. It means a student must make sure the tuition fees are paid, even if they are not paying the tuition fees themselves (for example, if a Sponsor or the Student Loans Company is paying the tuition fees on behalf of the student).

Tuition fees for all courses are payable on an annual basis.

Payment of Fees or Arrangements to Pay

Registration requires a binding undertaking from the student to pay the required tuition fees for the course on which they are registered. A student must pay in full or have an agreed arrangement to pay the tuition fees before commencing study at the University.

The University will provide students with the opportunity to pay their tuition fees or set up an arrangement to pay their tuition fees as part of the registration process. All tuition fees must be paid in accordance with the requirements explained in the Your Fees Your Responsibilities Home Students or Overseas (including EU) Students Your Fees Your Responsibilities Overseas (including EU) Students guidance, which can be found here: Finance.

Application to the Student Finance England (SFE)

It is the student’s responsibility to apply promptly to Student Finance England (SFE) if they are applying for a Tuition Fee Loan for the payment of tuition fees. It is to ensure that timely payment is made to the University. A student remains responsible for paying course fees at all times. If the SFE refuses to pay the tuition fees as the student is not eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan, the student remains responsible for their payment.

Payment of Fees by a Sponsor

Arrangements may be made for a student’s tuition fees to be paid by a sponsor; however, in the event of a default by the sponsor, the student remains liable for the tuition fees. Family members are not regarded as sponsors.

Deposit Refund Policy - Student Route Visa Applicants and Students

The Deposit Refund Policy applies to international applicants and students who require a Student Route Visa to study at Canterbury Christ Church University and are required to pay a deposit as part of the admissions process. It outlines the circumstances under which the University will refund or not refund this deposit.

Refunds are issued in specific situations, such as the withdrawal of the offer by the University, failed visa applications (with exceptions), or if the refund is requested within 14 days of payment. Sometimes, such as exceptional personal circumstances, refunds may be granted at the University’s discretion. The refund process may take up to 30 working days. Refunds are only issued to the original payer using the original payment method.

A deposit will not be refunded in the following circumstances:

If UKVI refuses the Student Route Visa because of fraud (e.g. use of fraudulent documents).
If the applicant receives a visa, enters the UK, but does not join the course by the required start date and remains in the UK (including cases where asylum is claimed). The University will notify UKVI accordingly.

Annual Fee Increases

If your course lasts longer than one year, tuition fees may be subject to an annual inflationary increase.

The year-on-year tuition fees for courses set in line with the maximum Government tuition fee cap will rise with any subsequent inflationary increase in the fee cap approved by Parliament. The University will publish information about the level of any inflationary increase on its website following a government announcement.

The year-on-year tuition fees for all other undergraduate and postgraduate courses, where the UK Government does not set the tuition fees, will rise each year during the course in line with the initial release of the Retail Price Index (RPI) for September, two years prior to the academic year for which the fees are being agreed. The University will publish information about the level of any inflationary increase on its website following the publication of the Office of National Statistics.

Other Costs

You may have to meet other costs in addition to your tuition fees. It depends on your course.

We provide details of the additional costs on a course basis under the course information in the online Undergraduate Prospectus and the online Postgraduate Prospectus.

The Additional Course Cost Information sets out what is included in the tuition fee and what we consider as additional costs. It applies to all students.

Tuition Fee Sanctions

Purpose and Principles

If you do not pay your tuition fees on time, or if there is no arrangement in place to pay, or if you have failed to make an agreed-upon payment arrangement, we will apply sanctions.

Our approach to the non-payment of tuition fees ensures that:

Debt recovery is handled fairly, proportionately, and transparently;
Students are supported with additional time where possible whilst they resolve financial difficulties;
Access to learning is protected.

Staged Response to Non-Payment

Stage	Trigger	University Response	Student Rights and Support
Stage 1	Missed tuition fee payment or instalment	Reminder and invitation to contact the Finance Team. We may contact you by email or telephone to offer the opportunity to discuss late or missed payments.	Where students default, we try to get them back on track with their existing payment arrangement or through offering a payment plan if one is not already in place. Offer an opportunity to discuss payment options.
Stage 2	Missed payment(s) with no engagement or agreed resolution	Formal written reminder and renewed offer to discuss late or missed payments We will include a warning that the University may apply sanctions if the debt remains unpaid.	Offer the opportunity to discuss payment arrangements Student signposted to the Student Wellbeing and Support Team for support
Stage 3	Missed payment(s) with no agreed resolution	Notice of potential sanctions and notification that the debt will be referred to the University credit control team if a resolution cannot be reached.	Student signposted to the Student Wellbeing and Support Team for support.
Stage 4	Persistent non-payment despite support and review	Notification of sanctions and recovery actions.	Minimum 14-day advance written notice; a last opportunity to engage or settle the account to avoid sanctions being applied.
Stage 5	Continued outstanding tuition debt at the end of the academic year, lack of engagement with the Finance Team or making an agreement to pay	Academic sanctions may be applied (see Section 3) It may include referral to an external debt collection agency or the commencement of legal proceedings (see Section 4)	Right to appeal and to resolve debt at any time to lift sanctions.

Academic Sanctions: Conditions and Limitations

We apply academic sanctions only as a last resort, after all reasonable steps have been taken to support the student and resolve the debt.

Academic sanctions are applied only:

In relation to outstanding tuition fee debt;
After sending reminders, and signposting the availability of advice from the Student Financial Support Team;

The sanctions we may apply are as follows:

Termination of registration or prevention of progression from one year or stage to the next, subject to:

Written decision and appeal rights.
Reversal upon resolution or agreement of a realistic payment plan which resolves the debt on a timely basis.

Withholding of the final award, transcript of their studies and/or confirming the award or providing a transcript to any third party
Preventing attendance at a graduation ceremony.
Not permitting admission to any other course offered by the University.

Before any sanction is imposed, students will be notified of the sanctions and when they will be applied and the opportunity to present mitigating circumstances. Sanctions will be lifted upon resolution of the debt or may be lifted on agreement of a realistic payment plan which resolves the debt on a timely basis.

Learning access protections:

Sanctions will not restrict access within the academic year of study to:

Teaching or supervision;
Learning resources, including Blackboard (the Virtual Learning Environment)
Assessments;
Core digital or library resources.

Use of External Debt Collection Agencies or Legal Proceedings

We may refer the outstanding debt to an external debt collection agency and/or begin legal proceedings.

We will do these where internal efforts to resolve unpaid tuition fee debt have been exhausted, and:

The student has not responded to several reminders; or

It has not been possible to agree a realistic and timely payment plan despite offers of support; and

The student has been signposted to the Student Wellbeing and Support Team for support;

Before we use External Debt Collection Agencies or Legal Proceedings:

Students will receive a final written notice at least 14 days in advance;
The notice will set out:

The amount owed
A final opportunity to pay or agree to a payment plan
Contact details for the Finance Team
Information about the complaints procedure
A warning that referral may affect the student’s credit status

Support

Students may request support from the Student Wellbeing and Support Team at Canterbury Christ Church University. The Team can discuss with the student any financial difficulties, mental health, caring responsibilities, and other vulnerabilities.

Where appropriate and reasonable, the University may consider alternative repayment terms or suspend action if appropriate.

The University is committed to upholding its duties under the Equality Act 2010. Any hardship review will consider a student’s individual circumstances, including disability, age, caring responsibilities, mental health issues, bereavement, or other situational vulnerabilities. Reasonable adjustments will be made to processes and repayment expectations to ensure students are not placed at a disadvantage.

Appeals and Complaints

Wherever possible, the University will seek to resolve any difficulties informally at the stage at which the matter arose. Students have the right to request a review of any:

Academic sanction
Debt decisions

You should start by discussing any issues with the Finance Department Credit Control Team.

If you cannot resolve the issue informally with the Finance Department, you may make a formal complaint using the University’s Student Complaints Procedures. You can refer any unresolved appeals and complaints to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) after the completion of internal procedures.

Withdrawing (‘Leaving’) or Interrupting (‘Taking a break’) from a Course

The University recognises the investment that students are making in their higher education. Some students may choose to leave their course early or take a break from their studies. You must decide in a timely manner to avoid incurring any unnecessary fee debt. Deciding to leave your course early or take a break from your studies is a major decision with potentially far-reaching consequences for your future personal development, as well as career and employment aspirations.

If you are a new student and you take a break (interrupt) / leave early (withdraw) within the first two weeks of your Course start date, then the University waives the tuition fees, and you are not liable for any tuition fees.

In other circumstances, if you withdraw from, or are permitted to interrupt, a course, any remission or refund of tuition fees or any tuition fee liability due will be calculated in accordance with the Your Fees Your Responsibilities Home Students or Your Fees Your Responsibilities Overseas (including EU) Students guidance, which can be found here: Finance.

Informing a Funding or Bursary Body of Changes in Circumstances

It is your responsibility to inform the relevant funding and bursary body promptly of any changes in your circumstances regarding your studies, including withdrawal from the course, interruption, or ceasing to attend. Where required, the University will confirm a change in circumstances.

Refunds and Compensation

We have a Student Refunds and Compensation Policy that outlines the terms under which we will make refunds and provide compensation to and on behalf of students.

Student terms and conditions