[abhiebs]

Hi everyone,

I have a major issue with Cass Business School.

I received a conditional offer from Cass Business School to start my masters.
It stated that I have to achieve a certain average final bachelor grade (2.0 German system).
I had to pay the deposit by the 17th May, when I didn't know my final grade yet.

I paid the deposit.

I received my last results in early June that showed that I would NOT MEET the conditional offer (final grade: 2.2, that's worse than 2.0).
Then I emailed them in order to get the deposit refunded.
The conditional offer states:
"Applicants who fail to meet a conditional offer will have their deposit refunded after providing appropriate proof of a valid attempt."
Therefore it should not be a problem to receive the deposit back, right?
They asked me to provide a proof - I only received my official transcript yesterday, so I scanned it and emailed it to them.

Today I received the answer: We are happy to accept this grade anyway and can upgrade your offer to an unconditional one.

However, I have made other arrangements now because I relied on their statements. I need my money back because thinking I wouldn't go to Cass, I have not applied for a student loan etc.


Are they obliged to pay me my money back? They cannot just say 'if you don't meet the conditions you get the money back' and then I request the refund and they just change the offer to unconditional so they can keep the money?

I am completely lost, I don't know what to do because I need my money back. It's 2000£ so not a small amount to get over easily...
I would be grateful for any help


Cheers
Abhi

[sj27]

So it took them two months to tell you that they woukd give you an offer anyway? When you first emailed them to tell them you had missed it, did you also tell them what the grade was, or did they only see that when you sent them the transcript?

Also, have you actually told them that you changed your plans in the intervening 2 months and want your deposit back, or are you just assuming they won't give it to you?

[Teenage Pirate]

Have you told them you WON'T accept the offer even on the improved terms? Call them, explain that. Say you made alternative arrangements.

[abhiebs]

Hi sj27.
To clarify: I emailed them on June 12th saying (not exact wording) 'Hi Cass, I know I have accepted your conditional offer by paying the deposit, but now I have not reached the conditions, so please pay me my money back because I can't study at Cass.' I also included my grade!

They answered: Hi Abhi, please provide a proof before we can look at your case.

And when I emailed them now, I told them that I have made other arrangements now because I thought that not meeting the conditions (quite obviously right?) means you are not allowed to start your studies at that university.

They have not said they are not paying it back, but in the June email I already said THIS is my grade, please pay the money to this account, period.
And there was no reaction (I would have expected 'We will pay as soon as we have a proof' etc).
In the email I sent just recently I put it very precisely: Now here you have the proof, please pay the money NOW, this is my bank account details, ASAP, thank you.
And the answer showed no reaction towards that.
She didn't say anything regarding the money, only 'Hi Abhi, we can upgrade your offer yo an unconditional one because we're happy to accept you even with the 2.2 grade'...
She completely ignored what I wrote.

I have answered her now (again) that I have not made any arrangements to start at Cass.
Next step would be specifying further, which includes not having applied for a student loan, having no apartment, having signed a contract at another university... or well maybe I shouldn't tell her that?
I mean I only signed the contract at the other uni because the offer was unconditional and I thought I couldn't go to Cass. I have also made arrangements for a scholarship at the other uni, signed a contract for an apartment there and bought furniture (it's not in the UK so I can't just change to Cass now)...


@ Teenage Pirate
I have not used this exact wording but I have emphasized that I cannot just accept the unconditional offer now because I was thinking the entire time 'I don't meet the conditional offer so I can't go to Cass' and have made completely other plans that cannot be changed anymore now.

[Cass Business School]

Hi Abhiebs

Sory to hear you have an issue with your deposit. If you can drop me an email at tim.anderson.1@city.ac.uk with your full name, student number and the course you applied to I will investigate. I am sure we can sort this out for you.

Cheers
Tim