Sanctions for Non Payment of Fees

Students who have outstanding tuition fees from a previous programme and wish to apply for a new programme at the University will not have their application processed until outstanding fees are settled in full.

Students with outstanding tuition fees will not be permitted to re-enroll onto their existing course in the next academic year.

Returning students who have failed to  pay their outstanding tuition fees in full by the end of the second week of teaching following registration / re-enrolment period in the new academic year will be withdrawn from their programme of study * and will not be eligible to attend classes or have access to University IT facilities.

When the outstanding tuition fees have been paid in full, it may take up to two working days before you will be able to enroll and re-join classes, submit assessments and have access to all IT systems and platforms.

* Students unable to pay their tuition fees in full can request a Leave of Absence for an initial period of 12 months. This will preserve the academic record of the student for a defined period.

Where a student provides a sponsor letter and the sponsor fails to pay the invoiced tuition fees within 30 days from the invoice date, responsibility for the payment of fees will revert to the student.

You will then be required to pay the fees in full or contact the Tuition Fee Office on +44 (0) 28 701 24252 to discuss the potential of an instalment plan to avoid the University sanctions being applied.

Where a student fails to make the necessary programme fee payment(s) in accordance with their relevant published payment plan, the University reserves the right to terminate the payment plan and tuition fees will be payable immediately.

Where a student fails to make the necessary tuition fee payment(s) in accordance with their relevant published payment plan, the University reserves the right to apply the following IT sanction which may result in serious consequences such as:

• Withdrawal of student access to Blackboard, the University’s virtual learning system;
• Withdrawal of student access to the Ulster University Student Portal and other IT systems;
• Withdrawal of student access to Library e-resources and limited borrower account functionality;
• An inability to submit assessments, resulting in a mark of ‘0’ being awarded for non-submission, and any future submissions may be capped;
• An inability for student to receive their marks, confirm if they have a resit assessment/examination and where those examinations will be held;
• An inability to systematically record and monitor student attendance and engagement;
  • For International students attendance and engagement monitoring is required for UKVI purposes. This will result in a failure of the student to meet their sponsored student obligations and could lead to their sponsorship being withdrawn. If student sponsorship is withdrawn, the student will be required to leave the UK and return to their home country.

The University will provide adequate notice of their intention to initiate sanctions.

Sanctions will remain in place until the agreed payments have been made in full.

If payment for overdue fees is not subsequently received in full, the University reserve the right to withdraw the student from their programme of study.

Where a student fails to make the necessary programme fee payment(s) in accordance with their relevant published payment plan, this will result in the inability to submit assessments, which may result in a mark of '0' being awarded for non-submission.  You will be unable to receive marks, confirm if you have a resit assessment/examination or have your attendance and engagement systematically recorded and monitored.

If you hold an UKVI Student visa, are sponsored by the University and you fail to pay your tuition fees in accordance with the terms and conditions and / or payment plan, the University considers this evidence of non-engagement with studies.

Non-engagement with your programme of study is a breach of the terms of student sponsorship.

Consequently, the University will enact its process for managing student non-engagement. This may result in the University withdrawing their sponsorship and notifying UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) that sponsorship of your Student visa has been withdrawn. Once notified, UKVI will begin the process of curtailing your Student visa and you will have to return to your home country.

Once sponsorship has been withdrawn, it cannot be re-instated.

Students who have successfully completed their programme but have an outstanding tuition fee debt one calendar month before the date of the award will not:

• be permitted to attend a graduation ceremony. If payment is received after the date, the student will be eligible to attend a later ceremony
• receive their academic transcript of marks, degree, diploma, certificate or other academic award granted and conferred until the outstanding tuition fee has been paid in full.

Students who leave the University with outstanding tuition fees will be traced via the debt collection agency engaged by the University and debts plus collection fees will be recovered via the appropriate legal process. Overseas agents will be utilised where necessary.