The Student Room Group

Transferring Masters degree course

Hi, I am enquiring on behalf of my daughter - She started a full time Masters degree in September that is in a different subject to her undergrad. Due to a combination of reasons including unexpected health problems that will be ongoing, she is wanting to transfer onto a Masters programme (at the same university), that is in the same subject as her undergraduate degree, as she feels sticking to a subject she is already well versed in would be better managed given her circumstances. The university has said she can transfer, but because of the late date, she would have to wait to restart in September.
Can you please advise how this would work with Student Finance?
She has had 1 of 3 her post graduate loan instalments. Her current fee liability remains at 25% of the fees for the course she is in currently, which she has paid. This rises to 50% on 11th Jan, and her next loan payment would have been due on the 12th Jan.
If she requests a transfer now this will mean there is a break between courses, and so I understand this will mean all future loan payments will be stopped.
My questions are however:

1. Will she be told she has an overpayment and have to pay some back.

2. Will she be able to carry over the remainder of the loan to the new course in September?

3. Is it possible to get additional PG funding under compelling reasons because of her health issues?

Many thanks

Reply 1

Original post
by kh76
Hi, I am enquiring on behalf of my daughter - She started a full time Masters degree in September that is in a different subject to her undergrad. Due to a combination of reasons including unexpected health problems that will be ongoing, she is wanting to transfer onto a Masters programme (at the same university), that is in the same subject as her undergraduate degree, as she feels sticking to a subject she is already well versed in would be better managed given her circumstances. The university has said she can transfer, but because of the late date, she would have to wait to restart in September.
Can you please advise how this would work with Student Finance?
She has had 1 of 3 her post graduate loan instalments. Her current fee liability remains at 25% of the fees for the course she is in currently, which she has paid. This rises to 50% on 11th Jan, and her next loan payment would have been due on the 12th Jan.
If she requests a transfer now this will mean there is a break between courses, and so I understand this will mean all future loan payments will be stopped.
My questions are however:
1. Will she be told she has an overpayment and have to pay some back.
2. Will she be able to carry over the remainder of the loan to the new course in September?
3. Is it possible to get additional PG funding under compelling reasons because of her health issues?
Many thanks

Hi,

Just to clarify is your daughter receiving the Postgraduate Master's funding currently? How long is her current course she is on? Is the course full time or part time?

You mentioned the university will transfer her to the new course, so will she stay on the current one till September or Suspend/Withdraw?

Thanks,
Claire

Reply 2

Original post
by Claire SFE
Hi,
Just to clarify is your daughter receiving the Postgraduate Master's funding currently? How long is her current course she is on? Is the course full time or part time?
You mentioned the university will transfer her to the new course, so will she stay on the current one till September or Suspend/Withdraw?
Thanks,
Claire

Hi - yes she is receiving a postgraduate loan, and as I stated above she has received the first of 3 instalments. The fact she is transferring means no, she will not be continuing on her current course. However because of the late date, she is unable to join the course she is transferring to until the next academic year - i.e. Sept 2026. I assumed because she is transferring as opposed to leaving, this would be treated as a suspension of studies and not a withdrawal, but she would need to get that clarified, although it is my understanding that a withdrawal would mean she would have had to reapply to the uni, which she does not. She also has a bursary from the uni that they have agreed to carry over to her new course, so again this suggests it is not a withdrawal.
Her current course is full time for 12 months, and the new course will be the same
(edited 2 months ago)

Reply 3

Hi there,

Would the university be classing her as a new student for the 2026/27 academic year? Have they already sent a Change of Circumstances Suspension to us?

Thanks, Drew

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