Aegrotat degree

Hello,I suspended my studies during my third year for health reasons a few years ago and have had to defer in the years following due to complications with my health and disability, so have not since returned. I've run out of student finance years but have been told by SFE I can reclaim the year I suspended for health reasons via Compelling Personal Reasons. I have done this process once before for a different year and I intend to do this for the year I have not yet claimed so I have one extra year of funding. Because I cannot defer/intercalate any further years and am still too unwell to return, my uni have offered me an Aegrotat degree. This is an unclassified honours degree that is given to people where disability has stopped them from completing their degree but whom they believe would have achieved a degree based on their grades, if not for life circumstances. This would mean I would have to withdraw from my studies with an unclassified degree at this current time. If I was to accept the Aegrotat, I then have a two-year window where, if I feel well enough, I can re-enrol at my university to complete the modules and assessments remaining. This would effectively equate to one final year of study as I have 120 credits left to complete. On completion of these remaining credits I would leave university with a classified Bachelor's degree to effectively 'top up' the unclassified Aegrotat degree. I cannot find anything online from Student Finance England about whether they would fund a return to studies for this year, where I would return to top up from Aegrotat (unclassified degree) to a Bachelors (classified degree). I also didn't know if CPR could be used for the 'top up' the Aegrotat degree, or would receiving the Aegrotat degree in the meantime impact my ability to claim CPR and get funding?When I call SFE I just get someone reading from a script who won't put me through to someone who can answer my question or an assessor. Please can anyone advise? I just want concrete confirmation that I can apply to student finance for this before I accept the offer of an Aegrotat from my university, with the view of returning to complete it fully in the next 1-2 years. The last thing I want is to withdraw and then find out that I can't go back because its not covered by student finance. If someone could help or even give me a way to get through to someone at student finance who could help I'd be forever grateful. My university want an answer urgently but I'm struggling to be able to find any guidance or assurances on it, and I'm running out of time

Reply 1

Leah SLC

Official Rep

Hi there. Just to confirm, when you return, you will be completing the final year of your current course? Or are they specifically moving you to a 'top up' version of the course? Thanks, Leah.

Reply 2

ALS30

Original post

by Leah SLC

Hi there. Just to confirm, when you return, you will be completing the final year of your current course? Or are they specifically moving you to a 'top up' version of the course? Thanks, Leah.

Hello,

sorry for my slow reply- I was just clarifying with my university: I believe I will still be considered as completing the final year of my course rather than being moved to a ‘top up’ version. Does this mean that I can still get student finance once I‘ve applied for CPR for my 2020/2021 year?

Reply 3

Drew SLC

Official Rep

Hi there,

Yes if you were to get Compelling Personal Reasons for that year then this would be allocated to your final year of study.

Thanks, Drew

Reply 4

ALS30

Original post

by Drew SLC

Hi there,
Yes if you were to get Compelling Personal Reasons for that year then this would be allocated to your final year of study.
Thanks, Drew

Thanks for the info. To clairfy then- getting an aegrotat degree in the meantime wouldn’t make a difference to me getting student finance once I am well enough to resume my studies and finish my third year?