Withdraw, Suspend, Transfer or Defer

First, contact your current Course Leader, and also the Course Leader of the course you want to change to.  Make sure that both course leaders agree that the transfer is the right move academically and that you can transfer to the new course at that time. Once you have spoken with your Personal Tutor or Course Leader, you can make your request via your Student View.

If you are studying on a Student Visa you should consider the following points:

• Your visa conditions may not allow you to make the change you request;
• To find out whether your change of course is allowed for your Student Visa, email registration@port.ac.uk;
• You must seek guidance on your visa conditions from the International Student Advice team at international.student.adviser@port.ac.uk, or visit them at University House;
• Depending on your change of course request, if it is approved, you may be required to leave the UK to make a new visa application before you can start the course and you may need to suspend your studies to do this;
• If your request is approved for your visa and by the departments, we will report the change to UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI).

If you transfer to a course with a different tuition fee, you will be billed accordingly:

• For the previous course up to the liability point that applies to the time of the change;
• Plus the tuition fee for the new course from the liability point that applies to the time of the change.

You will find full information on liability periods in our Tuition Fee Policy.

If you receive a tuition fees or maintenance loan from the Student Loans Company, you will need to tell them if your request is approved. The University will inform the Student Loans Company once your student record has been updated.

If you have been excluded from the University of Portsmouth, or have left, you will need to reapply through Admissions.

If the department you are joining wants to credit modules you have already achieved, the RPL process will be initiated.

Once you have spoken with your Personal Tutor or Course Leader, you can make your request via your Student View.

Your course team will consider your request and if there are any issues with your suspension being approved, they will contact you.

If you are studying on a Student Visa you should consider the following points:

• If your suspension is approved, you will need to leave the UK whilst you are on your study break;
• We will report to UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) that you are on a study break which will cancel your visa;
• Before you return to study, you will need to request a new CAS and make a new visa application outside the UK to return from your study break. 

You must contact the International Student Advice Team for further information about how suspending your studies will affect your visa. You can email them at international.student.adviser@port.ac.uk or visit them in person at University House.

You'll be charged a tuition fee instalment after two weeks of the course start date. This includes induction week. If you're a new student, you're not able to suspend your studies in the first two weeks of the course start date. A break in studies at this point will be treated as a withdrawal or deferral of study to the next academic year.

Tuition fees are based on the date of suspension and liability periods, as explained in our Tuition Fee Policy. When you return to your studies, you will be charged a fee based upon the number of outstanding modules you need to take.

Tuition fees are not normally refunded to students on suspension. They are usually carried forward for when you return. If you require a refund of these fees for any reason, contact feeenquiries@port.ac.uk.

If you receive a tuition fee or maintenance loan from the Student Loans Company, you will need to tell them you are suspending your studies. The University will inform the Student Loans Company once your student record has been updated.

For more information on what happens to your student loan when suspending studies please read our Suspension of studies - student loan information article and speak with the Student Finance Team at University House.

There is no need to reapply to the University following an approved period of suspension.

A date for returning to your studies will have been confirmed by the University and will usually be the start of an academic year or teaching block. A suspension period will normally be for a period of one year.

Your student record will be reactivated and you will need to complete Registration on your return (online registration, tuition fee payment and ID check (for international students)).

If you are studying on a Student Visa, you will need to request a new CAS and make a new student visa application to return. For further guidance please contact international.student.adviser@port.ac.uk.

Once you’ve spoken to a member of staff, if you decide to proceed with your withdrawal, please use the form on your Student View.

If you are studying on a Student Visa you should consider the following points:

• If you withdraw from your studies, you will need to leave the UK;
• We will report to UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) that you are no longer studying at the University and they will cancel your visa. 

You should contact the International Student Advice Team for further information about how withdrawing from your studies will affect your visa. You can email them at international.student.adviser@port.ac.uk or visit them in person at University House.

Your tuition fee liability will be based on the date of withdrawal and liability periods. The withdrawal date is the 'date of last attendance' and this will be the date the withdrawal form is submitted by you. The liability periods are explained in our Tuition Fee Policy.

If you are receiving tuition fee or maintenance loans from the Student Loans Company, you should inform Student Finance that you have withdrawn from your studies. We will also inform them. If you are leaving the University of Portsmouth to go to another University to continue your studies please select the reason 'Moving to another Institution' when completing the Withdrawal Request Form and we will inform them of this.