Payments and refunds
Who do I pay fees to?
University tuition fees are payable to your college except for a small number of courses delivered by Saïd Business School and the Department for Continuing Education which collect fees direct. Fees for courses with a modular structure are usually paid direct to the department. If you are a Home/EU undergraduate and you have taken out a UK government tuition fee loan, this will be paid direct to the University. Your college may ask for evidence of the loan.
When do I have to pay my fees?
University tuition fees for the full academic year are payable no later than week 1 in the term in which study commences. Some colleges require that the full year's fees be paid in advance of the start of term. Students should contact their college to check payment arrangements as these differ across the collegiate University.
How should I pay my fees?
As University tuition fees are collected by colleges, you should visit your college's website for more information about acceptable methods of payment.
Can I pay in instalments?
It is at the discretion of your college whether to allow you to pay University tuition fees in instalments. We recommend that you talk to your college before the start of the academic year if you would like to investigate paying in instalments.
What if I withdraw from my course, am I eligible for a refund?
If you decide to withdraw from your course, you will generally be eligible for a refund of University tuition fees for each complete term not started. If you withdraw during a term, you may be liable for fees for that term depending on the date of your withdrawal. If you withdraw before Monday of 4th week of any term then you will not usually be liable for fees for that term. If you withdraw after Monday of 4th week of any term, you will be liable for fees for that term. Different policies apply to certain courses delivered by Saïd Business School and the Department for Continuing Education and for courses with a modular structure. If you are thinking about withdrawing, you should talk to your college or your department to discuss your options.
What if I suspend from my course, am I eligible for a refund?
The same rules apply for suspension as for withdrawal except that you can request that the college retains the fees paid to be credited against the fees that will be due when you return. When you return you will need to pay any outstanding balance of fees. If you are considering suspending your studies you should talk to your college or your department to discuss your options.
I'm paying my fees with a tuition fee loan. If I withdraw, will I still have access to it?
If you withdraw before 1 December in any year, you may be liable for University tuition fees but you will not be eligible to take out a tuition fee loan for that year. You will therefore need to make other arrangements to pay your fees. If you withdraw on or after 1 December, you remain eligible for a tuition fee loan. If you transfer to another institution, your tuition fee loan will be paid to the institution that you are registered at on 1 December. For more information on UK government support visit our funding pages.
The government policy on loan eligibility for students withdrawing before 1 December will be changing from September 2012. Details will be published here when they have been confirmed.
My course has a year abroad, do I still have to pay fees?
Yes, University tuition fees are still payable when you are on your year abroad. If this is for language study as part of an undergraduate course then you may be eligible for a reduced fee rate; see the year abroad fee page for more information.
I'm a research student and I'm conducting research outside Oxford, do I still have to pay University fees?
Yes, University tuition fees are payable whether you are in Oxford or are conducting research elsewhere. Research programmes have a standard period of fee liability, more information on this is available on the fee liability page.
I'm a research student and I'm planning on submitting my thesis early, do I have to keep paying University tuition fees?
If you are a research student and are planning to submit your thesis before you reach your maximum fee liability, you only need to pay fees up to and including the term in which you submit your thesis. For example, if you submit your DPhil thesis in the 8th term since starting, you will pay 8 terms of fees but not fees for the 9th term. More information on standard course lengths and maximum fee liability.
What happens if I don't pay my fees?
If you don't pay your University tuition fees, you will be suspended from your course and from access to all University facilities. You will not be allowed to sit any exams or submit any coursework. If you are having difficulty paying your fees, we recommend you talk to your college at the earliest opportunity.
I think I've been charged the wrong fee, what should I do?
You should contact your college in the first instance. The college will contact the relevant University departments and your fee will be investigated. If you are not satisfied with the result of the investigation, you may petition the Fees Panel. For more information on how to petition the Fees Panel, please email the Fees Clerk. Requests for refunds will not normally be considered more than one year after the fee has been paid.
Where can I get more information?
The rules regarding payment of fees and refunds are in the Examination Regulations, Appendix I, Paragraph 6. You can also discuss payments and refunds with your college.