Unfair college fees any advice please

pyrorus

My partner was doing a entry course for university. Unfortunately we couldnt afford to pay for the minder each week so we decided that she woudl refer the course to september having completed one term of the year long course.

SHe has just been notified that under the colleges new rules and funding she will not be allowed to continue the course for free and will have to pay £600 in september if she wishes to rejoin the course.

Can the college suddenly impose the fees when she had already started and completed half the course?. Our finances have not changed since she started all that happened was she deffered the course from march until september.

Any advise please as her getting to uni and ultimately a better job was a step towards clearing our debts.

(Oh PS the uni fees are covered for under the subject shes taking so they will not be a future problem)

Rus

lynzpower

Im presuming that they need like all other creditors ( eg bank accounts, student loans etc) that their fees are arising from real losses. The question being does it cost them £600 to allow your OH to defer?

If they have changed thier T&Cs now, after your OH has agreed the deferral without this fee being mooted, then I would be suspicious. However, they could state that 600 is reasonable as this is the loss that they have recieved from the government from not having that bum on seat for the remainder of the year. I dont know in all fairness.

Best to refer the matter to the https://www.consumeractiongroup.com/forum and see what they say.

Floss

Ask her to check the College rules for being a continuing student - hopefully they can't amend fees in the middle of a course.

Is she in the Student's Union? If so, get them involved....also they may know funding routes for childcare and/or fees - usually Student Welfare will know.