Student loan payments for suspending undergraduates
Due to the way the Student Loans Company releases tuition fee loan payments to Higher Education institutions, should you suspend your studies at any point during your course, your Student Finance statement may not appear as expected.
This is because the University will not be able to collect your full funding in the year of suspension, so will collect the outstanding balance in the year of return. This is on top of the balance for the returning year.
This information only applies to Undergraduate students with a fee status of 'Home' or 'EU' who are in receipt of a tuition fee loan from the UK Government.
2024/25 Tuition Fee Loan Payments
The Student Loans Company will pay the University your tuition fee loan in weighted instalments during each term. However, the University considers you liable to pay a third of the total annual tuition fee in each term.
Period of funding | % of tuition fee loan paid | % of tuition fee due |
| Term 1 | 25% | 33%* |
| Term 2 | 25% | 33%* |
| Term 3 | 50% | 33%* |
(*where 33% refers to a full third of the annual fee)
As such, if you suspend before term 3 then your tuition fee loan will not fully cover the amount you are expected to pay.
Period of Funding | Tuition fee loan (if fee = £9,250) | Tuition Fee Liability to Oxford (if fee = £9,250) |
| Term 1 | £2,312.50 (25%) | £3,084 (33%*) |
| Term 2 | £2,312.50 (25%) | £3,083 (33%*) |
| Term 3 | £4,625 (50%) | £3,083 (33%*) |
In the above example, if a student suspends after term 2, they owe the University £6,167 for tuition but will only be funded for £4,625. This leaves a balance of £1,542.
In order to prevent you having to pay the difference, we will ask the Student Loans Company for the shortfall upon your return to study.
Illustrative example - Suspending in the 2023/24 academic year while paying the annual tuition fee of £9,250 and returning to study in the 2024/25 academic year where the annual tuition fee is £9,250.
In this example, a student is initially liable for the £9,250 fee. They are in attendance for 1st term (Michaelmas 2023) and suspend for 2nd and 3rd term (Hilary and Trinity term 2024). The student returns to their studies in Hilary term 2025 and is liable for a tuition fee equivalent to £9,250 for the 2024/25 academic year.
2023/24
Period of Funding | Tuition fee loan (if annual fee without suspension = £9,250) | Tuition Fee Liability to Oxford (if annual fee without suspension = £9,250) |
| Term 1 | £2,312.50 | £3,084 |
| Term 2 | £0 | £0 |
| Term 3 | £0 | £0 |
2024/25
Period of Funding | Tuition fee loan (if annual fee without suspension = £9,250) | Tuition Fee Liability to Oxford (if annual fee without suspension = £9,250) |
| Term 1 | £0 | £0 |
| Term 2 | £2,312.50 | £3,083 |
| Term 3 | £4,625 | £3,083 |
| Total over both years | £9,250 | £9,250 |
Resumption Change of Circumstance
When a student returns from a period of absence, the Student Fees and Funding Team will submit a Resumption Change of Circumstance form to the Student Loans Company. The Resumption Change of Circumstance confirms the student’s return date to the University and the amount of tuition fee the student would be liable for on their return (please refer to the above example).
The Student Loans Company does not allow for future dates to be entered on a Resumption Change of Circumstance. As such, we cannot submit any Resumption Changes of Circumstance for a student’s return until the term commences. Moreover, it can take between 20 and 30 days for the Student Loans Company to process a Change of Circumstance once this has been submitted.
Additionally there can be other factors which can cause a delay in the funding being released to the student/University:
- Maximum Loan: if you have previously applied for the full year of funding before your suspension, in order for the University to collect the outstanding balance on your return please ensure that you also apply for the maximum loan amount on your student loan application in the year that you resume your studies.
- Signed Declaration: when you apply for student loan funding you will be asked to sign a declaration. This declaration covers all of the student finance available for the academic year. By signing this declaration you are confirming that you have read the specific terms and conditions surrounding your loan application. Without signing the declaration form the loan is not fully approved and any tuition fee loan funding will not be paid to the University on your behalf. The Student Fees and Funding Team will also be unable to submit the necessary documents to confirm the student’s return to study which could also cause a delay in the release of maintenance funding/tuition fee funding.
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