Withdrawing from Sussex

Find out about temporarily or permanently withdrawing from your course, what support you can receive and who you need to contact.

Find the information you’re looking for

• requesting a temporary break from your studies
• leaving university permanently
• withdrawing while on a placement or study abroad programme
• postgraduate researchers
• other sources of advice
• what happens next
• housing
• fees and funding
• Direct Federal Loans
• using our services during temporary withdrawal

Requesting a temporary break from your studies

Taking a formal break from your course is called temporary withdrawal.

Students decide to take temporary withdrawal for a range of reasons. These can include health, family, academic and financial concerns.

On this page, you will find detailed information on some of the aspects to consider and how you may be impacted. This information may also be applicable if you have been temporarily withdrawn by your School Student Progress Panel (SSPP).

Student Advisors can advise on the temporary withdrawal process and look at the support available on campus, and in the local area, that could help you remain on your course. They will also explain the impact of temporary withdrawal on your funding, housing, personal life and direct you to International Advice if you hold a Student visa.

If you would like to discuss your request to take temporary withdrawal, you can contact a Student Advisor through My Sussex.

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Requesting to take temporary withdrawal, is a request and there are factors which are part of that request, such as the deadlines outlined below and when you anticipate returning to your studies.

The deadlines for withdrawal for the 2024/25 academic year are:

• Undergraduates – 11 April 2025
• Postgraduates – 27 June 2025

These dates are not relevant for all courses - students studying at ZJSU can find the relevant dates in your student handbook.

On the withdrawal request form, you will be asked to specify a preferred return date in the following academic year, at the start of one of the teaching blocks. Your return date depends on the teaching and learning completed at the point of withdrawal. It is the responsibility of the Progression and Award Board (PAB) to review the academic performance for the semester/stage and to confirm the re-entry date and any assessments that will be set before/after re-entry, or a repeat of the semester/stage, as appropriate.

If you would like to request temporary withdrawal, complete the withdrawal request form.

Leaving university permanently

The process of leaving the University is called permanent withdrawal.

If you're considering permanent withdrawal (e.g., for financial or academic reasons), you may wish to discuss this decision with a Student Advisor to understand what the implications are, and if this is the best decision for you.

If you have been withdrawn by the University, so cannot continue on your course as planned, you will want to consider the impact, options available and the best next steps.

You can contact a Student Advisor through My Sussex.

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If you hold a Student visa, it is important to understand the implications of withdrawing from the University. For advice on your Student visa contact International Advice.

You should also let your Academic Advisor (this is your Advisor in your School) know, as they will be providing you with a reference after you leave and may be able to support you if your issues are course- or study-related.

Fill out the withdrawal request form once you're sure you want to leave the University permanently.

Withdrawing while on a placement or study abroad programme

If you are currently on a placement year and wish to withdraw, you will need to contact the placements team at placements@sussex.ac.uk. You may also wish to discuss your decision with your placement tutor in your academic School.

You will need to follow the same process as withdrawing from your studies. On the withdrawal request form use the last day you attended your placement as your last date of attendance.

If you are currently studying on a study abroad programme at an institution overseas and wish to come home early, contact the Sussex Abroad team.

Postgraduate researchers

If you are a Postgraduate Researcher thinking about withdrawing from your course, discuss this with your Supervisor and your School’s Research and Enterprise Co-ordinator. For postgraduate researchers, the process of withdrawal is called intermission. There is specific information available through the Sussex Researcher School.

You may also wish to book an appointment with a Student Advisor if you have personal or health concerns related to your withdrawal.

You can contact a Student Advisor through My Sussex.

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Other sources of advice

You are advised to contact your Academic Advisor to discuss your course and find out about any changes planned for the next academic year. They may also be able to help address any study-related issues that contributed to your decision to withdraw.

Many students also discuss the decision with members of their support network, this can be family, friends or healthcare professionals.

The Careers service is available to you, so you may wish to seek their advice on next steps. You can make an appointment through CareerHub.

If you withdraw and receive funding from Student Finance England, the University automatically informs them of your withdrawal. However, you may also wish to also contact them yourself to discuss how it will affect your funding.

Find out more about how withdrawing will affect your fee liability.

If you have a visa

If you are a student studying with a visa, check the visa implications when taking a break from your studies.

What happens next

Once you have made a firm decision, and completed the withdrawal request form, a Student Advisor will process your temporary or permanent withdrawal and notify relevant departments.

Once this is processed you will receive formal confirmation of your withdrawal from Student Progress.

If you have taken temporary withdrawal, the University will be in contact with you to confirm your return to study.

Students who take temporary withdrawal on health grounds are required to complete the Fitness to Return process ahead of your return. You will be contacted by your academic School before your return to do this. You will need to provide a personal statement and supporting evidence (usually from a medical professional) to confirm that you are ready and well enough to come back and have all the support you need.

Housing

If you are in University-managed accommodation, you must also terminate your accommodation agreement. This is a separate process to the withdrawal from study.

For further information on how to terminate your contract contact housing@sussex.ac.uk.

You may also wish to ask Housing about your entitlement to university accommodation on your return the following year.

Fees and funding

Most of this information is only relevant if you are funded by Student Finance England. If you are funded by another funding body and have questions, email studentfunding@sussex.ac.uk.

Withdrawing from your course temporarily or permanently may mean you receive more money from your loan or grant than you are due.

Once you have confirmed your withdrawal from the University, your student record will be updated automatically, whether you choose to withdraw temporarily or permanently. This may take time to process.

Your fees will be amended in line with our Fee Liability Policy [PDF 123KB] or Rent Rebate Policy [DOC 24KB].

If you are leaving part way through a chargeable period, you’ll pay the full fee for that period. For example, a Masters student leaving in November pays tuition fees to the end of December.

If you have a scholarship or a bursary, this may be affected if you withdraw. See more about changes to a scholarship or bursary

• Fees and funding during temporary withdrawal

  Once your temporary withdrawal has been agreed, the University will contact Student Finance to tell them that you are no longer attending University and confirm your date of last attendance. Student Finance will use this date to re-calculate your maintenance funding for the year.

  Tuition fees and maintenance funding

  Depending on the point in the academic year when you withdraw, the University may recalculate the tuition fee due for the year.

  Students are only entitled to maintenance funding for the time they are studying. For the majority of students, funding will stop on the last day of attendance, even if your withdrawal is processed later than this. Student Finance will recalculate your funding entitlement for the year and issue a new entitlement letter. Depending on when you withdraw, this may mean that some of you maintenance grant and/or maintenance loan needs to be repaid. As long as there are no changes to your course, this will normally be deducted from the next grant or loan payment.

  If you do change course, this counts as an “interruption in studies”. This will trigger a demand from the Student Loans Company for any outstanding grant or loan before they will allow a student further maintenance or tuition fee funding. If you have any questions contact studentfunding@sussex.ac.uk.

  Temporary withdrawal on health grounds

  If you withdraw on health grounds, you are automatically entitled to an additional 60 days of funding from the date of last attendance. Holiday periods as well as term time are counted within this 60 day period. Depending on the date of last attendance, you may receive a funding award after you have taken temporary withdrawal. If so, you will not have been charged fees for this period.

  Claiming State Benefits whilst on temporary withdrawal

  Whilst on temporary withdrawal you are still considered a full time student, and are not eligible for state benefits in most instances. Exceptions include:

  • students who were eligible for benefits whilst studying (you should ask for re-assessment since your maintenance funding from Student Finance England will have stopped)
  • students who withdrew on health grounds but are recovered enough to work.

  If you have any questions or issues with benefit claims, email studentfunding@sussex.ac.uk.

  Funding on Return to Studies

  When you re-register you will need to:

  • pay any tuition fees due in full
  • set up a payment plan for your returning academic year.

  Find out more about paying tuition fees.

  Students on temporary withdrawal should apply for funding well before they plan to return. Normally this will be in February or March (if returning in September) and September or October (if returning in January.) Maintenance funding will be automatically agreed, but repeat years may cause issues with tuition fee funding.

  Students have a statutory right to an additional year’s tuition fee funding. However if you suspended your studies on health or personal grounds, such as a bereavement or a family crisis, you should apply for Compelling Personal Reasons (CPR) so you don’t use your gift year.

  Once you have applied for funding for your return to studies, you will need to write a letter to Student Finance asking for the interrupted year to be disregarded. Student Finance will then contact you asking for additional documentation. For instance, students who suspended due to ill health will need to supply a letter from a medical professional and a member of University staff (normally a Student Advisor or Disability Advisor).

  If you have any questions, or would like support during this process, please contact studentfunding@sussex.ac.uk.

• Fees and funding during permanent withdrawal

  If a student permanently withdraws from their course, they will go through a similar process to students on temporary withdrawal with regards to fee and maintenance funding. The exception is that any maintenance overpayment will need to be paid back immediately. Students who withdraw on health grounds are not entitled to additional funding.

  Claiming State Benefits after permanent withdrawal

  Ex-students are entitled to claim benefits as per other members of the general public and we strongly suggest that student who are taking permanent withdrawal to start a Universal Credit claim as soon as they can.

Direct Federal Loans

A Federal Loan is awarded under the assumption that you will attend university for the entire period for which funding was granted.

If you withdraw or take a break before completing 60% of a payment period, the University will inform the Department of Education and calculate the amount of funding that has been earned (the portion that you are entitled to) based on your period of attendance. If more financial assistance has been received than was earned, the excess funds must be returned to the Department of Education.

A student in receipt of Federal funds who takes temporary withdrawal will be classed as withdrawn for financial aid purposes.

Using our services during temporary withdrawal

You can continue using the Library, Sussex Direct, Canvas and your computing account and Sussex email while you’re temporarily on withdrawal from the University.

You can also access support from teams based in the Student Centre. However, during busy times, we may need to prioritise students who are fully registered.

You may wish to book an appointment with a Student Advisor before your return date to plan your transition back into studying and discuss any worries or concerns.

If you receive support from our Disability Advice team, funded by Disabled Students’ Allowance, this support will be suspended while you are on withdrawal.

If you are attending sessions from University Counselling Services, the number of sessions you are offered may vary while you are on withdrawal.

You can contact the relevant teams through My Sussex.

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