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If I dropped to part time PhD, could I go back to full?

I'm a PhD student. My university messed up my finance multiple times, and even though it is completely their fault, they've said they won't help me fix it. I had a fee waiver, which they then messed up so I lost it, and then I went through SFE to get a student loan, and they messed up my payment plan.

Payment dates were 1st April 2023, 1st July 23, and 1st Oct 23. I paid April no problem, paid July, and they've told me at the start of September that they didn't get the July payment. I gave proof (payment confirmation and bank statement) but they've said it's insufficient evidence and they aren't willing to help me out any further (like they've helped me out to begin with LMAO). Unless I can pay the July payment AGAIN, plus the October payment, by 1st October, I'm suspended from my studies (technically I'm suspended now but it's not gone on the system and I don't plan to tell them that).

My next year of finance from SFE needs to be applied for by October. If I'm not enrolled, I can't get SFE for 2024, in which case I REALLY can't pay them and will have to drop out. My supervisor has said she wants to get me a fee waiver, but can't if I'm not enrolled.

So, my options are, basically:

- come up with a few thousand by 1st October to be fully reinstated which then lets me go through SFE for 2024. This is going to be impossible.

- dispute the payment issue with uni. I can go citizens advice or mum has a friend who is married to a lawyer and he's said if I need help, I know where to find him. However, I also work for the uni and need to be at the uni for the next few years, and this feels very scorched earth.

- drop to part time. As I've already paid 1/3rd of the full time fees for the year in April, which they acknowledge, and part time is 1/2 the price, so I've paid 2/3rds of the fees for doing this part time. If I dropped to part time, I would only owe less than a grand on my first year, which is doable. I could then go through SFE on time and would have time to dispute the lost July payment while still being able to continue my studies.

However, I don't want to be a PhD student for 7 years, and part time means no waiver at my uni, so for third year, which would be the start of the second year of my course, I would want to go back to full time. I have seen PhD students at my uni go from full to part, and from part to full, but I have never seen anyone go full to part to full.

Is this possible? Of my three options, which makes most sense? Is there another solution I'm not considering?

(edited 7 months ago)

Reply 1

gjd800

I've never heard of it happening but I also don't know if it is possible.

Given the change in fee status etc, I'd imagine that many places would be reluctant. But I don't know this as fact.