Changing my course next year but completing this year.

Hello. I’m currently studying primary education at university and am a first year and haven’t been given any student finance before this year. I am changing university and starting again from first year on a different course due to not liking my current university and having a change in career. I am completing this year in my university as I have accommodation to pay for and want to finish the year and get something out of my time so won’t be dropping out. I have reapplied for 2nd year in my current course for the year 25/26 and this is yet to be approved as my mum has sent all of the evidence in and it needs to be confirmed. My question is my last day in university is 18/06/25 and I am aware that the April instalment for the loan is meant to cover my expenses over summer. So if I tell my university in July that I won’t be returning will I be asked to repay part of my student loan? Should I wait until re enrollment to tell my current university I won’t be attending to prevent me from having to re pay any of the loan? Also I am aware it can take up to 8 weeks for finance to be processed. I am aware I can change my university and course online for student finance
, however I will be living at home instead of in accommodation so will my application need to be cancelled and submitted again? The only reason I haven’t applied with my first year new university is because I haven’t had all of my offers yet and haven’t firmed. I have a good idea of which one I will go for and am sure of the change. How long will the change take to process? and when should I let student finance know that I am changing my course so I can get my funding in time for September? (when my new course starts) I’m worried it won’t be processed in time as I am from a very poor family and don’t have savings and will rely on my student finance coming in on time. If anyone could help me with this I’d be grateful.
Thank you.

Reply 1

Graeme SFE

Official Rep

8

Original post by Courtney22.

Hello. I’m currently studying primary education at university and am a first year and haven’t been given any student finance before this year. I am changing university and starting again from first year on a different course due to not liking my current university and having a change in career. I am completing this year in my university as I have accommodation to pay for and want to finish the year and get something out of my time so won’t be dropping out. I have reapplied for 2nd year in my current course for the year 25/26 and this is yet to be approved as my mum has sent all of the evidence in and it needs to be confirmed. My question is my last day in university is 18/06/25 and I am aware that the April instalment for the loan is meant to cover my expenses over summer. So if I tell my university in July that I won’t be returning will I be asked to repay part of my student loan? Should I wait until re enrollment to tell my current university I won’t be attending to prevent me from having to re pay any of the loan? Also I am aware it can take up to 8 weeks for finance to be processed. I am aware I can change my university and course online for student finance
, however I will be living at home instead of in accommodation so will my application need to be cancelled and submitted again? The only reason I haven’t applied with my first year new university is because I haven’t had all of my offers yet and haven’t firmed. I have a good idea of which one I will go for and am sure of the change. How long will the change take to process? and when should I let student finance know that I am changing my course so I can get my funding in time for September? (when my new course starts) I’m worried it won’t be processed in time as I am from a very poor family and don’t have savings and will rely on my student finance coming in on time. If anyone could help me with this I’d be grateful.
Thank you.

Hi Courtney,

We'll only ask you to repay some of the April instalment if the university tells us that you withdrew before the end of the academic year. Have they confirmed that they'll class you has having completed the full year?

About your new application, you can change your living location later by clicking 'view or manage': it's under the 'university and course' section.

Thanks, Graeme

Reply 2

Courtney22.

OP

2

Hi thank you for your reply. I am planning on staying the year and then withdrawing. My last lecture is 18/06/25 and I would like go let them know I won’t be returning as soon as possible however to not be charged for overpayment I assume I’d have to do this in August? I don’t have a problem with doing this in August however is it possible to change the 25/26 student finance before I officially drop out of the uni I’m in. So for example tell student finance about me starting first year again for the next financial year around May/June so it will be sorted in time for September but still get my finance for this year in the uni I’m in now as I won’t be officially withdrawn until August?

Reply 3

Stephen SLC

Official Rep

7

Hi there, yeah you can update the new application at any time, this will just mean that with ourselves we will have you starting the new course from September. This can be done at anytime, but we do advise as soon as possible, to save any delays.
It will be fine to see out the remainder of this academic year then just change over to the next, but depending on when the university advises of any withdrawal, this may cause a slight overpayment, but this will be confirmed at the time, once received. Thanks, Stephen.

Reply 4

Courtney22.

OP

2

My university at the moment don’t know my decision is final to transfer as my previous option was to transfer within the university. However due to financial issues back home this isn’t possible. Is it better to just cancel my application for year 2 now and start again with my new course?
Many thanks, Courtney Brown

Reply 5

Graeme SFE

Official Rep

8

Original post by Courtney22.

My university at the moment don’t know my decision is final to transfer as my previous option was to transfer within the university. However due to financial issues back home this isn’t possible. Is it better to just cancel my application for year 2 now and start again with my new course?
Many thanks, Courtney Brown

We'd say there's no need to cancel your application, that's okay.

Feel free to make the change whenever you can: if your university confirms that you've withdrawn but still completed the year then that's fine with us.

Thanks, Graeme

Changing my course next year but completing this year.

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