Ian Fisher
University Secretary and Legal Officer
University of Central Lancashire
Preston PR1 2HE
Tel: (Office) 01772 894003
Email:
By email only:
26thFebruary 2016
Ref: FOI 1073
Dear Mr Dukes,
I am writing in response to your request for information regarding student contracts and enrolment (Ref FOI 1073).
The information we are able to provide is as follows:
On Student Contract with the University:
- When are Pre-enrollment and Enrollment contracts formed between the University and a student who has accepted offer of a place?
There is only one contract. The contract is formed at the point an applicant accepts an offer of a place on a course.
- At which of the two contract, Pre-enrollment or Enrollment, stage is the student responsible for paying tuition fees?
There is only one contract. As stated in the University’s Tuition Fee Policy, students become liable for payment of tuition fees when they complete the enrolment process.
On Unilateral suspension of student’s enrollment/registration by the University:
- If the University offer letter stipulated a deadline date (say, 01/10/2015) by which all new student must enrolled but the University unilaterally took the decision not to complete a new student enrollment until a month (say, 01/11/2015) after the offer letter's enrollment deadline, does the student becomes responsible for tuition fees payment on the 01/10/2015 (when he is a non-enrolled student) or on the 01/11/2015 (when the student becomes fully enrolled)?
The University would not ‘unilaterally’ take the decision not to complete a new student enrolment ‘until a month…after the offer letter’s enrollment deadline…’ as you state.
New studentsmust complete all parts of the enrolment process by the given deadline. In year 1, students must enrol online and check their personal details, as well as provide original certificates for their existing qualifications and satisfactory documentation to provide their identity (ID). They must also pay or make arrangements to pay the relevant course fees by that deadline. If one or more of these required elements is not completed e.g. ID documents are not provided, the University will not be able to complete the full enrolment process. Where a student cannot complete the enrolment process for justified reasons, the University may agree to an extension of the enrolment deadline to enable a student to fulfil all the enrolment requirements.
When a student subsequently finalises the administrative task of enrolment, the fee is due for the course on which the student is studying, for the duration of that course from start to finish. If an extension of the enrolment deadline has been agreed with the University, this may mean that the course has already started; however a student may be engaged in study prior to the finalisation of full administrative enrolment. Courseshave pre-arranged start dates; they do not start for a particular student on the date on which that studentbecomes fully enrolled.
- Will the University allow the non-enrolled student to access University’s services, including research study supervision, in the period between 01/10/2015 and 30/10/2015?
If an extension to the enrolment deadline has been agreed with the University and as a result, a student’s course has already begun, a student is still permitted to engage in study, which includes accessing University services and research degree supervision prior to the finalisation of full administrative enrolment. Completion of the full enrolment process is ultimately required; however delays do not prevent study.
If the enrolment process is not fully completeby the given deadline or the agreed extended deadline,a student will be withdrawn from their programme and access to the University’s facilities will be terminated.
On Student voluntarily suspensions of research study:
- If a research student has voluntarily suspend studies, what university's services is he entitled, or not entitled, to during the period of study suspension?
You have not specified what you mean by ‘voluntarily suspensions of research study’; however at UCLan, ‘suspensions’ are referred to as ‘Authorised Interruptions to Study’. We have answered your question on the basis that you are referring to Authorised Interruptions to Study.
Research studentsare expected to complete their programme in a continuous period of study; however they may apply for an Authorised Interruption to Study in certain circumstances. If an application is approved, all study is expected to cease for the agreed period of interruption. Students are not permitted to make use of facilities during the interruption;however they are expected to make contact with their supervisors from time to time. This is set out in the Academic Regulations(L4.3.7), Assessment Handbook (15.3.5) andResearch Student Handbook (2.1.4).
- Which university’s regulation is he subjected to during the period of study suspension?
The University’s Academic Regulations (L4.3.4 to L4.3.7) and Assessment Handbook (Section 15) govern Authorised Interruptions to Study.
- Are tuition fees to be paid in accordance with the University’s fee scheduled during the period of his study suspension?
Appendix 2 of the University’s Tuition Fee Policy specifies a student’s liability for fees during an Authorised Interruption to Study.
- If tuition fees has been paid in advance, and the student resume study after a period of suspension and was able to complete his study within the University’s scheduled date for study completion, would the University refund the fees over the period when the student was on study suspension?
Remission of fees for periods of Authorised Interruptions to Study is set out in the University’s Tuition Fee Policy (Appendix 2).
Tuition fees due will be set out in the offer letter for the course.As an example, for research degrees e.g. a full-time Masters by Research, it is expected that a student will study and pay for one year of study; however if additional time is required over the one year to complete the work and submit a thesis, further fees will be charged during the second (final) year. If a student has an Authorised Interruption to Study during the initial year which, by definition, means that they are not studying during the period of the Authorised Interruption to Study, remission of fees for the period of the Authorised Interruption to Study will be given in line with the Tuition Fee Policy.On resumption of study after an Authorised Interruption to Study, a student will be liable to pay any fees required in order to complete the remainder of the course. The one-year initial study period will have an end date incremented by the length of the Authorised Interruption to Study, as will the end of programme date (end of year two).
On Research Study supervisions and examiner arrangement:
- What is the University’s Masters and PhD supervisors’ average timescale for providing feedback to thesis submitted by research students? And does the University has a guideline for supervisors on timescale to response to student communication?
The University does not hold information about the average time taken for Masters and PhD supervisors to provide feedback on theses submitted by research students; however it is likely that feedback times will vary by discipline and target award, because the length of a thesis is dependent on the subject area and target award.
The Code of Practice relating to the Supervision Examination and Administration of Research Students specifies the responsibilities of staff and students in relation to contact and feedback (section 5).
- If it is established that supervisors delayed response to submitted thesis caused a student to miss the University scheduled submission date and consequently resulted in the student having to pay extra tuition fees for new academic session, what provision/s does the University have in place for research student to seek redress in such situation.
Any student who is unhappy with any aspect of their studies can submit a complaint under the University’s Student Complaints Procedure. Complaints which are eligible for consideration under the Procedure are assessed on their merits and investigated in line with the Procedure.
- Who is responsible for identifying and arranging external examiner for student thesis defense, the University’s research supervisors or the research student? And what role a student may beexpected to play in this respect?
Once the Director of Studies considers there is a likelihood that a satisfactory thesis for the award is in progress, the sponsoring school must submit examination arrangements for approval by the Research Degrees Board. This is specified in the Academic Regulations (L8.1.5) and the Code of Practice relating to the Supervision Examination and Administration of Research Students (section 11). No submission may take place until arrangements are approved. The student may take no part in making the arrangements, as specified in the Academic Regulations(L8.3.3) and the Code of Practice relating to the Supervision Examination and Administration of Research Students.
All policies and codes of practice referred to in our responses to your questions are available on the University’s website here:
If you are unhappy with the way we have handled your request for information, you are entitled to ask for an internal review; however you must do so within 40 working days of the date of this response. Any internal review will be carried out by a senior member of staff who was not involved with your original request. To ask for an internal review, contact in the first instance.
If you are unhappy with the outcome of any internal review, you are entitled to complain to the Information Commissioner. To do so, contact:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
01625 545 745
Yours sincerely,
Information Governance Officer
University of Central Lancashire
Email: