Key facts
Key Facts for Studying at the University of Huddersfield
What is the Student Contract?
When you enrol at the University, you are entering into a contract, which is set out in your offer letter and our Terms & Conditions. Our contract also refers to other documents, such as our Student Handbook of Regulations and our Policies and Procedures, which you will also be expected to follow whilst you are a student with us. It is important that you make sure you enrol at the right time, and complete re- enrolment each year as, if your enrolment isn’t up to date, you won’t be able to access your studies.
We know this is a lot of information to take in, so we’ve created this short guide to help you understand what it means to be a student at the University.
Will my fees change?
We publish the costs of our courses on our website each year. We guarantee that for home students, we will only ever increase the fees by RPI-X in each year, if we incorporate fee changes and for International students, we will not increase the fees for your cohort, although you may be subject to an increase to the current fees if, for example, you interrupt your studies for a year.
What if I’m struggling to pay my fees?
Our financial regulations set out when your fees must be paid. If you are struggling to make payments on time, it’s important you contact the Finance Team to discuss your situation as soon as you can as they may be able to help you put a payment plan in place. It’s important you do this as if you don’t pay your fees, you risk being withdrawn from the University. If we end up sending your student fees to debt collection, you will also have to pay any fees incurred. International students should also familiarise themselves with the International Tuition Fee Policy.
What are the Regulations?
The student Handbook of Regulations is the University’s main guide to how we run your courses, and the expectations we have on you as a student. We refresh these over the Summer each year and you will be asked to review and accept them as part of your enrolment and re-enrolment each year you study with them.
What is expected of me as a student?
The University has a code of conduct, which is included within the Regulations. This sets out the standard of behaviour we expect from you whilst you are a student at the University. It is very important that you follow this, and any of our other policies that set out rules for your behaviour (for example our Computing Regulations which set out how you can use our IT systems). If you do not, you may be subject to the University’s disciplinary process and may face consequences which can include terminating your student contract.
We also have a support to study policy, which sets out what we will do if we are concerned that your health and wellbeing are affecting your ability to engage with your studies. Our support to study process is designed to help you get back on track but can lead to you being withdrawn if we cannot resolve our concerns with you.
Am I expected to attend all sessions?
The University considers attendance is necessary for you to achieve your best results on the course and, if you are an international student, your visa will require you to attend. The University has an attendance monitoring policy which sets out the expectations on you and, if you do not meet those requirements, you may be withdrawn from your course.
Do you have any rules about copying/cheating?
When you study at University it is expected that all work you submit will be your own, and not copied from somewhere else. Ensuring that your work is original and properly referenced is known as ‘Academic Integrity’ and the University Regulations set out what we expect from you to maintain your academic integrity. If you breach the academic integrity rules, you may be subject to academic misconduct processes and withdrawn from your course.
How does Professional Accreditation affect my course?
Some courses, for example nursing and social work courses, are accredited by professional bodies, and whilst you are studying on those courses you must meet the professional body requirements for behaviour. If you do not, you may be required to follow our Fitness to Practice procedure. If you are found to have breached the professional stands, you may be withdrawn from your course.
Are there any other Regulations which could affect my enrolment?
There are some other situations in which your contract may be terminated and clause 10 of our Terms & Conditions provides more details on this.
What if I don’t pass all my modules?
The University requires students to show that you are making progress on your course, and so you must ensure that you pass at least 50 credits each year you are studying with us. If you do not, or you do not achieve any credit for two years, you may be withdrawn from the course under our non-progression regulations.
Some professional courses require you to pass certain modules before you can progress onto the next year of studies. Where this is the case, these modules will be identified to you and you must ensure you pass those modules in order to continue with your course. These professional course requirements are in addition to our progression regulations set out above, and the minimum pass requirements will also apply to you on these courses.
Like all Universities, we set a maximum period of time you can be registered on a course. The maximum period of registration for a full-time taught student is the length of the course as set out in the programme specification document plus 2 years and for part-time students, pro-rata. If a student is unable to achieve their award within the maximum period of registration, they will be withdrawn from their course and any exit award will be conferred, as appropriate. If a student has been granted an exceptional period of interruption which would usually the trigger two-years no credit rule, then the maximum period of registration will also be exceptionally extended in line with the Dean’s decision. You can find out more about our progression rules in our Awards Regulations.
Can the University cancel my course?
We very rarely cancel degree courses and usually this will only be for reasons outside of our control, or if there aren’t enough applicants for the course to run properly. Clause 11 of our terms and conditions explain when this may be the case. Where we cancel a course before you enrol, we will help you find another course at the University to meet your interests, or help you find a similar course at another University. If you are already enrolled on a course, we will put in place a plan for you to be able to complete your studies, in accordance with our Student Protection Plan.
Can the University change my course?
Our optional modules can be subject to change each year, but we will always make sure you have a good variety to choose from. We won’t normally change your course whilst you are enrolled on it, unless it is necessary (for example to maintain accreditation), or we reasonably believe the change is in your best interest (for example changing modules to reflect student feedback) or we have your consent. More details on when and how we may change your course is set out in clause 6 of your Terms & Conditions.
What if I need to suspend my studies?
We understand that from time to time you may need to take a break and we have an interruption of studies policy that lets you do that if you need to. Do bear in mind though, that if you interrupt your studies, you will be rejoining with a different cohort, who may be being taught slightly different modules, or have different options available to them. If this is a concern for you, you should speak to your tutor to understand any course changes that will affect you before you decide to suspend. You will also need to keep an eye on our progression regulations, as if you suspend for two years without gaining any credit you may be withdrawn from the course.
What if I’m unwell or can’t meet deadlines?
The University understands that sometimes students are affected by circumstances outside of their control, and we have an Exceptional Circumstances and Extensions policy to allow you to tell us about these. You should read that policy carefully as it sets out the types of evidence you will need to provide to successfully make a claim. You should also be aware that the University operates fit to sit and fit to submit policies, (Section 1.8) which means that if you sit an exam, or submit a piece of work it is presumed that no extenuating circumstances affected you, so if you are unsure about whether to undertake the assessment or put in a EC claim, you should talk to your tutor about any issues you may have.
How does the University manage personal data?
The University takes its responsibilities for Data Protection very seriously and has a data protection policy. We also have our Student Privacy Notice, which sets out when, how and why we use student, applicant and alumni data.
What if I’m unhappy on my course?
We hope you’ll enjoy your time studying at the University, but we recognise that occasionally things may go wrong. If you wish to raise a concern with the University whilst you are a student, we have a student complaints policy which will help you do so and explains how we will investigate your complaint.
What is the Global Professional Award?
The Global Professional Award (GPA) is an additional qualification we make available for you to study alongside your degree course free of charge. The GPA helps you develop the skills that are valuable for future employers and can help you stand out in the job market. Find out more on the Global Professional Award webpage.
How does the University deal with incidents of Harassment and Sexual Misconduct?
The University of Huddersfield is committed to providing a safe, supportive and welcoming environment for all students and staff. The Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Statement provides a comprehensive overview of the policies, arrangements, and resources that enable us to do that. This statement includes the key information to explain how the University facilitates this environment and responds to any incidents of harassment or sexual misconduct. The scope of this Statement applies to all students on higher education courses provided by or on behalf of the University of Huddersfield, including those registered with collaborative partners. This Statement will be communicated to you when you enrol at the start of each year of study and you will be asked to confirm you have read the statement.
The University provides support for students involved in incidents of harassment and sexual misconduct. This includes personal support (e.g. access to wellbeing advisors, counsellors or specialist organisations), academic support (e.g. where an incident or investigation effect studies), and assistance during investigatory and decision-making processes. This is fully detailed in the Student Sexual Misconduct and Violence Policy.
Why do I need to complete the Harassment and Sexual Misconduct training?
We take the safety and wellbeing of our community very seriously and do not tolerate harassment or sexual misconduct in any form. All new students are enrolled on a mandatory e-learning module on this topic which is developed by external
experts and tailored with relevant University information. You are expected to complete the module within four weeks of enrolling to ensure you understand the University’s expectations. You will be regularly reminded to complete the module which uses a summative quiz to test understanding. If you breach this mandatory requirement, you may be subject to Student Disciplinary processes and withdrawn from the University.