Transferring universities for nursing

Hiya!

Basically I started university in September and I'm feeling so home sick I know that I would be much happier living nearer home. I was just wondering is it very easy to transfer universities bearing in mind that I'm doing nursing. I absolutely love my course & I don't want to quit, so is it possible to finish my first year & then move for my 2nd? If so how do I go about doing this?

Thank you in advance!

Reply 1

theresheglows

You may get more answers from people who know about this more specifically in the nursing forum.

Generally most unis are not keen on transfers, but it depends on the unis involved and their individual policies. You current uni would have to approve the transfer, and you would have to find a new uni who would be willing to accept it.

It would be best if you talked to someone at you current uni about this as they may be able to give you some advice.

It's normal to feel homesick and it becomes easier with time. You are only halfway through your first year so it is normal to feel this way, by this time next year you will probably feel much more comfortable at uni.

Reply 2

Ronove

Original post by theresheglows

I'm just going to point out that I'm not sure it has anything to do with the current university, actually. Generally when transferring to another uni (where it is possible, I'm obviously not aware how possible it is with nursing), the question is whether the new uni will take you in/give you credit for what you've done so far at the old uni, not whether the old uni will 'approve' anything (no-one's forcing you to stay, after all).

Reply 3

theresheglows

Original post by Ronove

Yes, it probably is more to do with whether the new uni would accept you onto the course and accept the work you have already done. Perhaps talking about approving the transfer was the wrong way of putting it. It's unlikely that your current uni wouldn't permit it, but you would need their help, most universities have a process which involves paperwork and meetings with tutors and pro-deans; & they would have to agree to forward your credits & marks to the new university.

You would also have to make sure that your financial support can be transferred to the new uni.

Reply 4

Ronove

Original post by theresheglows

I'm fairly sure there's no need for their help or any meetings with anyone or any need for 'forwarding' of credits or marks. All you need is your transcript detailing credits passed and units covered. It would make absolutely no sense for that kind of power to be in the hands of the university you're leaving. Certainly when I enquired about finishing my degree at the OU, all they needed was my transcript.

Financial support would have nothing to do with the uni you're leaving either.

Reply 5

theresheglows

Original post by Ronove

The process depends on the uni, at mine you go to student services, and if you decide to go ahead you to go a meeting with your personal tutor and a pro-dean for a talk about your options and for them to give you advice. If you decide to go ahead you have another meeting in which they go through the withdrawal paperwork with you and help you fill it out. You have to go through the whole official process otherwise you cannot keep your credits. Then you have to contact the Registry to organise producing a transcript for you, and they contact the uni you are transferring to and confirm your credits. I haven't done it myself, but this is taken from the student handbook and the experience of someone I know who was thinking about it last year. This is the medicine faculty I'm talking about here though and at my uni they are very into pastoral care.

Their practice for students who are transferring in is to contact the old uni and confirm what is on your transcript.
Perhaps they are just particularly pedantic, but I should imagine there are other unis out there that have similar practices and don't just take your transcript at face value.

Financial support is up to SFE of course, I didn't mean to lump it in with the rest of what I was saying (although I was under the impression that SFE need your uni to confirm that you are not attending there anymore if you withdraw).

Reply 6

Ronove

Original post by theresheglows

I think you need to separate the recommended route given in the handbook and desired by the uni that is being left (no uni wants to lose a student) and the things that actually need to be done. The student getting their transcript issued by the old uni, and the new uni ringing up to verify it, are not things the old uni can realistically cock up for the student. They can be slow about it like most uni admin can be, but the student has a right to their transcript and the uni is hardly going to refuse to talk to a member of staff from another uni who calls up wanting to know if a document is genuine. I'd be interested to know what the deal is at your uni re. not being 'allowed to keep' credits if you don't follow the route you describe. It doesn't sound like anything that would actually stand up if challenged.

You register every year for Student Finance and usually have to confirm that you've enrolled for the new year. Either way, a phone call to them from you will ensure you switch. They have no interest in paying tuition fees to the wrong university and then having to recoup the payment.

Reply 7

theresheglows

Original post by Ronove

Of course not, I never suggested that they would. I was just pointing out that your old uni is involved on some level, even if its just providing a transcript and talking to the new uni on the phone.

Original post by Ronove

I'd be interested to know what the deal is at your uni re. not being 'allowed to keep' credits if you don't follow the route you describe. It doesn't sound like anything that would actually stand up if challenged.

Basically if you don't follow their formal withdrawal process, which tbh is not hard to do anyway as it's easier than trying to organise it on your own, they can classify you as a dropout. The paperwork is to update your student record so your results can stand. Technically a request to withdraw has to be approved by the uni, I can't think of a reason why they would refuse, but that's red tape for you; it's probably just a tick-box filing exercise so they know what you are doing.

The university is the awarding body so it is their prerogative as to what they do if you don't finish your course without properly informing them. Academic bureaucracy can be sticklers for protocol if challenged and any challenge is not going to be very strong if your defence is that you just couldn't be bothered to talk to people and fill out a form.
Why would you try and make things difficult for yourself? Ignoring the official route means ignoring a pathway to get what you want which they have already set up for you so that you don't have to figure it all out yourself. Being difficult isn't going to make you any friends in the uni offices, they wouldn't prevent it from going through but they don't have to go out of their way to help you (which in my experience they will if you do things properly and are nice about it - things can be much faster and smoother that way).
Besides, you may require a reference from someone at your uni, in which case going about it properly is the best way as this is not something they are obliged to do.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 8

deviant182

Original post by chloelouise18

I'll help you out here since the replies above seems to have become a debate on who knows what.
With nursing it is a little harder as universities will have different placements that last a different amount of time and you will need to cover everything in line with nmc guidelines.
Talk to your tutor and your university admissions and the university you wish to transfer to.
As the NHS pays the tuition fees then this will also need to be rectified with the bursary people. If you also get a student loan you would need to contact them and tell them of transferring. It isn't hard to do and I know people have done it but they have had to do a placement or extra work during the summer to cover what they may have missed before progressing to the next year.
Overall, your best bet is to contact the uni you want to transfer to and see if they will accept you. Then contact your existing university and see how credit transfer works as it isn't merely about credits but about your practice and theory hours on the course.
If is doable. :smile:

Nursing is a difficult course and you do need that support network. So if you feel moving will be best then do so. But make sure you're doing it for the right reasons and best of luck :smile:

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