Discontinuation

What does “discontinuation” mean?

This is when the University formally ends your registration on your course because you have not met the required credits to continue with your course. This may be much sooner than your planned end date.

When can this happen?

You will be discontinued if you:

• Fail a module and the regulations do not permit you to retake the module e.g Level 7 Major Project module and some modules on the Healthcare courses.
• Have failed multiple modules and are not able to retake any further module e.g in excess of 90 credits at Undergraduate level and 30 credits at Masters level.
• Have exhausted the maximum registration period for your award.

When would this happen?

1. Following the awards boards in the Academic Year which are usually in January, March, June, September and October.
2. You will be sent a formal discontinuation letter to your ARU email.
3. Speak to the university money advice team for any financial queries.
4. The letter will confirm the date your registration ends and any qualification you are entitled to based on the credits achieved (e.g. Certificate of Higher Education, Diploma of Higher Education).

Timeframes

1. Withdrawal decisions are normally communicated within 5 working days of the Award Board meeting.
2. If you believe that the discontinuation has occurred in error, you must submit an Academic Appeal within 25 working days of the date on your discontinuation letter.

Appealing the Discontinuation

If you believe your discontinuation was in error you may be able to submit an appeal.

You can appeal on the following grounds:

• Administrative error – e.g. your marks were recorded incorrectly.
• Procedural irregularity – the University did not follow its regulations.
• Other material irregularity – something else went seriously wrong in the process.
• Usually, the discontinuation decision is a result of an excessive credit / module fail.
• Where a student has experienced module fail as a result of personal circumstances they may wish to consider submitting an excptional circumstances claim (subject to meeting grounds / evdience requirements).

How to appeal:

• Complete the Academic Appeal Form, this can be downloaded at Academic Appeals.
• Submit within 25 working days of the date of the awards board.
• Provide evidence which support your grounds e.g emails referring to errors / irregularities, evidence of marks obtained which do not appear on records.

Impact for international students (Visas)

If you are studying on a Student Route (formerly Tier 4) visa, being discontinued will have visa implications:

What you must do:

• Contact the International Student advice team.
• They will explain the visa impact, deadlines for leaving the UK and answer any questions related to your visa.

Please note that UNION Advice cannot provide advice relating to your VISA.

Can I return in the future?

• To apply to the same course, you will need to wait 6 months from discontinuation to re-application.
• To study a new course, you can apply at any point, subject to meeting entry and visa requirements.

Where can I get help?

• UNION Advice – support with appeals and understanding your options.
• Student Adviser – to clarify your results and possible progression routes.
• ARU Money Advice Service – for advice on the financial impact and future SFE funding.
• Careers & Employability Service – to explore next steps and alternative routes.
• International Office / Visa & Compliance Team – if you are an international student affected by discontinuation.

Please note that UNION Advice cannot provide advice relating to your VISA.

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