The Student Room Group

Transferring to different University but need help

First year at the University of Manchester doing Politics and International Relations, kinda struggling and was considering a transfer to another university, got a few questions though:

- Can you transfer straight to 2nd year?
- If you have to start from 1st year again, can the government help you out with funding at all?
- Should i see my first year out before applying? I am on course for a first grade in my first year, so wondering if i should finish the year for some sort of leverage when applying.

Currently looking at:

- Leeds
- Warwick
- Lancaster
- Exeter
- Newcastle
- York
- Nottingham
- Birmingham
- Bath
- Cardiff
- Sheffield

Would any of these unis be seen as a step down from Manchester in terms of reputation among the uni and course?

Any answers appreciated, thanks!
(edited 4 years ago)
Original post by aaronaag
First year at the University of Manchester doing Politics and International Relations, kinda struggling and was considering a transfer to another university, got a few questions though:

- Can you transfer straight to 2nd year?
- If you have to start from 1st year again, can the government help you out with funding at all?
- Should i see my first year out before applying? I am on course for a first grade in my first year, so wondering if i should finish the year for some sort of leverage when applying.

Currently looking at:

- Leeds
- Warwick
- Lancaster
- Exeter
- Newcastle
- York
- Nottingham
- Birmingham
- Bath
- Cardiff
- Sheffield

Would any of these unis be seen as a step down from Manchester in terms of reputation among the uni and course?

Any answers appreciated, thanks!

If this is your first experience of degree level study than you could still get funding to begin another degree course - whether unis would allow you to transfer into Year 2 or would want you to restart from Year 1 depends on how close your course is to the one they run in terms of modules so you would need to check with each uni individually.

But there's no guarantee you would be happier at any other uni - it's not clear why you are struggling at Manchester and obviously it would be difficult socially to start a new uni in Year 2.
Original post by aaronaag
First year at the University of Manchester doing Politics and International Relations, kinda struggling and was considering a transfer to another university, got a few questions though:

- Can you transfer straight to 2nd year?
- If you have to start from 1st year again, can the government help you out with funding at all?
- Should i see my first year out before applying? I am on course for a first grade in my first year, so wondering if i should finish the year for some sort of leverage when applying.

Currently looking at:

- Leeds
- Warwick
- Lancaster
- Exeter
- Newcastle
- York
- Nottingham
- Birmingham
- Bath
- Cardiff
- Sheffield

Would any of these unis be seen as a step down from Manchester in terms of reputation among the uni and course?

Any answers appreciated, thanks!

1. You get a gift year, so assuming you havent used student finance before then you get a spare year of finance which you can use for a false start i.e they will finance your degree from year 1 if you wish.
2. You could start from year 1 or transfer direct to year 2.
3. If you are on for a first or high 2:1 then seeing year 1 out will aid your application although if you have great A levels and develop diagnosed medical reasons for leaving you can go that way.
4. Not sure about politics and IR, which ones are the best so would go traditional and research each course for suitability in addition to reputation.
Original post by aaronaag
First year at the University of Manchester doing Politics and International Relations, kinda struggling and was considering a transfer to another university, got a few questions though:

- Can you transfer straight to 2nd year?
- If you have to start from 1st year again, can the government help you out with funding at all?
- Should i see my first year out before applying? I am on course for a first grade in my first year, so wondering if i should finish the year for some sort of leverage when applying.

Currently looking at:

- Leeds
- Warwick
- Lancaster
- Exeter
- Newcastle
- York
- Nottingham
- Birmingham
- Bath
- Cardiff
- Sheffield

Would any of these unis be seen as a step down from Manchester in terms of reputation among the uni and course?

Any answers appreciated, thanks!

What aspect are you struggling with? Presumably not academically, if you are likely to be graded as a First for your first year? What help have you sought out with your issues?

Did you originally look at any of the universities you name when you were looking to apply originally? Given that the entry requirements are likely to have been similar to Manchester (my daughter applied to four of them for IR and MFL and her offers ranged from AAA at Exeter to ABB with the A in her MFL at Leeds), what made you choose Manchester (or more pertinently, not choose any of the others, if you applied there?).
Original post by aaronaag
First year at the University of Manchester doing Politics and International Relations, kinda struggling and was considering a transfer to another university, got a few questions though:

- Can you transfer straight to 2nd year?
- If you have to start from 1st year again, can the government help you out with funding at all?
- Should i see my first year out before applying? I am on course for a first grade in my first year, so wondering if i should finish the year for some sort of leverage when applying.

Currently looking at:

- Leeds
- Warwick
- Lancaster
- Exeter
- Newcastle
- York
- Nottingham
- Birmingham
- Bath
- Cardiff
- Sheffield

Would any of these unis be seen as a step down from Manchester in terms of reputation among the uni and course?

Any answers appreciated, thanks!

Hi there @aaronaag

If you are really set on moving universities (but keeping the same course) unless a university accepts a mid year transfer you would need to complete your year. As @999tigger says, you get a "gift" year from Student Finance for this type of thing. Otherwise, I'd recommend starting to contact the universities you're interested in and enquiring about transferring to second year, if that really is what you want. They will probably want to see transcripts of your current course if that's what you want to do, to check if your current course content matches theirs. Otherwise as you have 3 years of finance remaining, you could start again in first year.

Fi :horse:
Reply 5
Avatar for aaronaag
aaronaag
OP
8
Original post by Isinglass
What aspect are you struggling with? Presumably not academically, if you are likely to be graded as a First for your first year? What help have you sought out with your issues?

Did you originally look at any of the universities you name when you were looking to apply originally? Given that the entry requirements are likely to have been similar to Manchester (my daughter applied to four of them for IR and MFL and her offers ranged from AAA at Exeter to ABB with the A in her MFL at Leeds), what made you choose Manchester (or more pertinently, not choose any of the others, if you applied there?).

Mainly just settling in and the social aspect, my accommodation system has been pretty complicated at Manchester and that has sort of alienated me from meeting new people etc.

I originally chose Manchester because i just enjoyed the city, and obviously I knew the reputation it had and the course seemed right up my alley.
Reply 6
Avatar for aaronaag
aaronaag
OP
8
Original post by Liverpool Hope University
Hi there @aaronaag

If you are really set on moving universities (but keeping the same course) unless a university accepts a mid year transfer you would need to complete your year. As @999tigger says, you get a "gift" year from Student Finance for this type of thing. Otherwise, I'd recommend starting to contact the universities you're interested in and enquiring about transferring to second year, if that really is what you want. They will probably want to see transcripts of your current course if that's what you want to do, to check if your current course content matches theirs. Otherwise as you have 3 years of finance remaining, you could start again in first year.

Fi :horse:

So for my current year I used Student Finance. So if i transferred to another university to restart my first year perhaps (most I have contacted cannot take me straight through to second year), would I still be eligible for any sort of financial help?
Original post by aaronaag
So for my current year I used Student Finance. So if i transferred to another university to restart my first year perhaps (most I have contacted cannot take me straight through to second year), would I still be eligible for any sort of financial help?

Yes. This year would count as your gift year of funding. You’ll get full funding for the length of your new course (so even if you switch to a 4 year degree elsewhere it would be fine).

The only problem would be if you need to repeat/restart again because the same problems crop up at your new university.

If you’re applying for first year entry then you need to get your ucas application in by the January deadline (including a reference - ideally from your current university) so you need to get a wiggle on.

There’s a University Transfer FAQ thread at the top of the applications, clearing and ucas forum. The first post will answer most of your questions
Original post by aaronaag
So for my current year I used Student Finance. So if i transferred to another university to restart my first year perhaps (most I have contacted cannot take me straight through to second year), would I still be eligible for any sort of financial help?

Hi there @aaronaag

Yes, this year would count as your "gift year", but it means you would only have the funding left to complete a degree and if you wanted to change again you would need to self-fund at least a year, which is why you need to ensure that you are certain about a transfer or restarting your degree at another university.

As @PQ says, you would need to get your UCAS application in by the January deadline with a reference from your university, so you would need to hurry if this is definitely the course of action you want to take.

Fi :horse:
Original post by aaronaag
First year at the University of Manchester doing Politics and International Relations, kinda struggling and was considering a transfer to another university, got a few questions though:

- Can you transfer straight to 2nd year?
- If you have to start from 1st year again, can the government help you out with funding at all?
- Should i see my first year out before applying? I am on course for a first grade in my first year, so wondering if i should finish the year for some sort of leverage when applying.

Currently looking at:

- Leeds
- Warwick
- Lancaster
- Exeter
- Newcastle
- York
- Nottingham
- Birmingham
- Bath
- Cardiff
- Sheffield

Would any of these unis be seen as a step down from Manchester in terms of reputation among the uni and course?

Any answers appreciated, thanks!


Hello,
Each university will be different so it's best to email them straight away! If you can transfer into second year then obviously carry on studying this year! Unis will probably ask for your modules to see if they'll help you into second year. If you do have to start again I believe that SFE will fund an additional year, you can find more information here: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/student-finance/going-back-to-uni-or-repeating-a-year
Maybe try and visit some other unis to see how you'd feel studying there - Lancaster is 50 mins from Lancaster so you can always pop down (it's quite different!).
I think it's most important to focus on how you'd feel at the uni and if the course is better suited than focusing on the reputation.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Charlotte :smile:
3rd year Biological Sciences with Biomedicine
Reply 10
Avatar for aaronaag
aaronaag
OP
8
Original post by Liverpool Hope University
Hi there @aaronaag

Yes, this year would count as your "gift year", but it means you would only have the funding left to complete a degree and if you wanted to change again you would need to self-fund at least a year, which is why you need to ensure that you are certain about a transfer or restarting your degree at another university.

As @PQ says, you would need to get your UCAS application in by the January deadline with a reference from your university, so you would need to hurry if this is definitely the course of action you want to take.

Fi :horse:

Obviously I am still considering my options, would i be able to wait until after the January deadline?
Original post by aaronaag
Obviously I am still considering my options, would i be able to wait until after the January deadline?

For starting again from Year 1, you would be competing with everyone applying in the normal way for a place and applicants are only guaranteed equal consideration provided they submit their application by the January deadline. In practice, though, universities will often still accept late applications.

For transfer into second year, it may well not matter exactly when you apply, since by its nature a mid-course transfer is much more an individual, case by case activity.
Original post by aaronaag
Obviously I am still considering my options, would i be able to wait until after the January deadline?

You should apply by the deadline if any of your choices are likely to close to applications on the deadline.

There’s plenty of time to consider your decision after applying.

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