Things not going well?

If you’ve missed any of your classes, the important thing is to make contact with your Lecturer or Programme Leader. They can give you advice about how to catch up on any missed work, or put you in touch with our student support services if your personal circumstances are making it difficult for you to attend.

It’s especially important to keep in touch with the University if you are absent, so we know you are okay and when you plan to return.

Whatever the reason for your absence, we are here to help you get back on track.

Remember that we have a range of support to help you with your studies so, if you find yourself struggling with any of your modules or coursework assignments, do not do so in silence.

Find out more about the services available through our Academic Skills Team.

The University recognises that, from time to time, you may encounter issues which may prevent you from being able to submit or undertake an assessment. Where this is the case, you can submit an Extenuating Circumstances Statement (ECS) for consideration. You can find out more about this process on the Academic Appeals and Extenuating Circumstances page.

Whether you have resits or reassessments as a result of extenuating circumstances, or because things didn't go well first time around, it's important to prepare yourself so you have the best possible chance to get a good result. Proactively look for information relating to the resits, including revision sessions that may be running within your School and speak to your Lecturer for feedback on your original assessment to identify the areas you want to focus on.

Carrying resits into your next academic year

You may be able to carry forward some outstanding resits but this depends on your level of study and how much you have to carry forward. You can talk to your personal tutor or course leader about this, but you should think carefully about how you would cope with undertaking more than the standard 6 modules in an academic year. If you struggled before, you might want to avoid any additional pressure and consider taking time out to complete your outstanding modules before progressing to your next level of study.

In terms of student funding, you generally would not be eligible for any additional financial support as a result of this, nor would you have any further tuition fee to pay to undertake a resit.

Taking time out to do resits

If you can’t progress with your outstanding resits, or would prefer not to carry them with you into your next level of study, there are various options available that would allow you to complete your modules before progressing. It is important that you consider any financial implications as you may not be eligible for student funding, or the student funding you are eligible for may be different to what you are used to.

Read carefully our Repeating a Period of Study Guide and discuss your options with your academic team.

International Students should discuss this with their School and/or the International Student Support Team as this may have an impact on their visa.

You may feel like you haven’t chosen the right course for you, and that’s okay. If you want to change courses, whether that’s within UWS or moving on to a different university, this is possible.

If the courses are related, you may even be able to transfer credits from the modules you’ve already completed (or will complete), so it can be worth exploring this possibility.

If you plan to leave your current course, then please do also read the Thinking of leaving section below, which has some helpful information about how to leave your course and how doing so may impact your student funding.

You may also wish to consider the career implications of changing your course. The Careers Team can help you explore this and provide impartial support in deciding which path is best for you. Visit Developing your Career to book an appointment with a Careers Adviser. 

If you're thinking of leaving your course, the first thing you should do is talk to someone about why you feel this way.

If you're struggling, either academically or with personal issues, there's support available.

Talk to a lecturer or course leader who can refer you to the many support services available at UWS. There are useful links to some of these support services further down on this page.

As part of your decision-making, you can get impartial support from the Careers Team to consider the career implications of leaving your course and/or university and to help you to plan your next career steps after UWS. Visit the Developing your Career to book an appointment with a Careers Adviser. 

If you do decide to withdraw, you need to speak to your Course Leader and complete a Withdrawal Form. Your date of withdrawal is normally the last date of engagement with your studies.

Important

Please note that, if you withdraw from your course during an academic year, this may affect your funding and you may become liable to pay pro rata charges for the weeks you have attended.

To understand any impact on funding, both now and for the future, read our Thinking about Leaving Your Course Guidance (PDF).

If you wish to apply for an extended break from your course for medical or personal reasons, please speak to your course leader about interrupted study and the options that may be available to you. You may be asked to provide evidence to support your application.

Rather than leaving your course, this option allows you to take some time out to deal with any medical or personal reasons that may be affecting your studies before returning when you feel ready.

Taking time out can affect your entitlement to funding so read our guide to interrupting your studies and how this can impact funding (PDF).

The funding rules for Paramedic, Nursing and Midwifery Students are different as you can often have periods of interruption where you maintain your bursary. We have a specific guide for students on these courses, so please read our Guide to Interrupting Your Studies, Paramedic, Nursing and Midwifery students (PDF), which includes everything you need to know about how this can impact funding.