Dropping out - financial implications

Hi, my son started uni in London in September. He went back after Xmas but I've just found out he's not been attending at all and has now filled in the forms to drop out. ( he's also told SFE he has dropped out and is waiting to hear back re next steps)
He received a payment at the beginning of January and has paid his halls of Residence fee with that to cover until April, from what I've read this will be classed as an overpayment and needs to be paid back immediately.
I'm absolutely distraught now. What the hell are we going to do, I'm a single mum on benefits so he was getting the full 13k... plus he's in a private HofR so he's tied in for the full year which means we have £2k to pay to them in April as well.
Has anyone been in this situation? How long do they give you to pay back the overpayment? I'm working it out at around £6k before we even think about tuition fees...

Reply 1

normaw

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Peppapig1234

The amount of maintenance loan that is due to be repaid is worked out on a pro-rata basis. For example, if the loan for this term covered 16 weeks and you withdraw after 6 weeks, you'd be required to repay 10 weeks. Although the repayment is due immediately, you can arrange repayment plans if it would cause financial hardship. Your son's uni needs to inform SFE of the formal withdrawal date.

Don't worry about the tuition fee loan (or the maintenance loan before your son's withdrawal date) as this will be repaid under the standard terms of plan 5 student finance. Repayments start the year after a student leaves uni once they earn above the income threshold (currently £25,000 per year).