Help!

Esoog

Hopefully someone hear can help me out...

Basically last year I decided to do a Law degree, my funding for it wasn't secured however by the time enrolment came around. I went along anyway and told the people there about this and they told me not to worry about it and enrol anyway, which I did.
However about a week later I got a letter informing me that my application for funding had been declined, I had a look at the Uni website and it said that students wishing to withdraw after enrolling must inform the faculty office in writing within three weeks of the date of enrolment. So the week after (plus a day) I wrote a letter to the faculty office stating that I was withdrawing and my reasons for this, I also enclosed my enrolment form (which I hadn't actually signed btw).
Pretty much the next week I went away to Germany for about three weeks and when I came home my housemates had had a clean out and thrown most of my post away, one of them told me there had been a letter from the uni with them. Fair enough I thought, it's all sorted.

However, just last week I received a letter saying that I hadn't paid my tution fees and as such the university were passing on my details to an external collection agency! Which I found slightly bizarre...

I rang the contact number and told them that I had withdrawn a week after enrolment - and pointed out that if they checked with their records surely they could see I hadn't attended a single seminar or lecture, nor had I received any information on the course, a student card or anything like that, infact the only time I ever had anything to do with the course was the enrolment. - the lady said "we don't actually keep attendance records" (useful ey!) and the computer said I was still attending..

Anyway she said the course leader was off that week and she would speak to her next week and get back to me regarding this..

Now can anyone help me out as to where I stand? As far as I'm concered I fufilled my side by writing to them within three weeks, I assume the course admin staff either didn't get the letter or misplaced/ignored it etc.. Surely they won't try and make me pay for something I haven't actually done? I've been working pretty much full time since I came back from Germany (for the goverment actually and can ask my employer to prove it)

Torby

I take it then you weren't really fussed whether you did a law degree or not..... ... (who had you applied to for funding, why were you refused?) otherwise you might have tried harder in your application....or funded it yourself like a lot of people do.

I see it 2 ways, you should be able to sort it out ok...although it probably might have been better if you had some means of proving you sent the letter (recorded del for example) and perhaps when you came back from germany actually checking with the Uni that they had received the "letter" and processed it.

mind you...looking at what you claimed in another post of yours

"I used to get my EMA even when I hadn't been there..I think they just ticked the whole thing at the start of the week " so basically YOU got paid for attending...and you didn't, now you didn't attend...and they say you did and want money off you...

what goes around comes around ...as old folks say....

or....on the other hand....

serves you right for depriving some other student (who had funding and a real desire to study law and perhaps practice it,as opposed to those who think "it might look good on my CV")...you did appear to have "taken" a place there...so you should pay for it... its like a contract you see....mobile phone or sky...you agree to pay so much....then its up to you whether you make any calls or watch tv...."I sent a letter"...might not be enough to cancel it..

I hope you do get it sorted....its a lot of money to have to pay....and for anyone else reading your thread....think long and hard before you apply for a degree course on a whim....if you really want to do it....there's ways and means....places are limited dont deprive others

Ytaya

Do you have a copy of the letter you sent withdrawing from the course? I've learned the hard way to keep copies of everything I give to people at uni.

So take a copy of that letter down to the admissions office and have a chat with them, see if it can be sorted out. It does seem very strange that they haven't sent you any letters between the beginning of the academic year and now, by the way. Are you sure you've not accidentally thrown any other university letters away?

Esoog

Yeah I keep copies of all my letters so that's not a problem (and a photocopy of the enrolment form)

Torby, I'm already a graduate that's why I didnt pursue it too aggresively, I had a long shot chance for some funding that didn't come off. End of. (I made this clear to the uni when I was applying - and it was right at the end of clearing so I doubt I deprived anyone)

.you agree to pay so much....then its up to you whether you make any calls or watch tv...."I sent a letter"...might not be enough to cancel it..

The difference being it says is the universities terms and conditions that to withdraw all you need to do is send a letter to the faculty office informing them of this..

f you withdraw or transfer out of the University to another institution before enrolment or within the first three weeks of your Programme all Tuition Fees will be refunded subject to the University retaining all or part of any deposit as specified in clause 6.5.
You must formally notify the Faculty Office immediately in writing that you have withdrawn and any refunds/credits will be calculated from the date the University receives such formal notification.

(didn't have a deposit for this course so that's N/A)


As for EMA, I never signed any of the things saying that I was there when I wasn't - not my fault if someone somewhere decided it would be easier just to sign it all off in a bulk