What happens when I return to my course after a period of withdrawal?

If you don’t complete your course within the normal period (3 year undergraduate and 2 year postgraduate programmes, or the appropriate period for part time courses), you will in most cases lose your entitlement to your capped bursary place if / when you return to training, unless your break in studies was for maternity leave.

However, you must submit an application if you resume in a new academic year to at least be considered for the Placement Travel Allowance (PTA), regardless of your circumstances.


Undergraduate course students

If you’re an undergraduate student who attended in their first academic year and you were nominated for a capped bursary place, but had a period of non-attendance and are now resuming training, you will have lost the capped place initially allocated to you for the rest of your course.

Undergraduate students who withdraw or defer and resume training at any point during the course, including the first year, may not occupy a capped place when they resume training, unless their break in studies was for maternity leave.


Postgraduate course students

If you attended a postgraduate social work course in your first academic year and you were nominated for a capped bursary place, but had a period of non-attendance and are now resuming training in another academic year, you will have lost the capped place initially allocated to you. These capped places can’t be retained if a student withdraws from training for any reason, apart from maternity leave.

However, if your university wishes to allocate a capped place to you on your return to the course, this can only be done if there are capped places available from their annual allocation and you withdrew from the course due to exceptional circumstances. This decision is made by us once you've completed any relevant bursary application form(s).

If you were nominated for a capped bursary place and are resuming your course in the same academic year, your capped place may be reinstated in exceptional circumstances. This decision is made by us once you've completed any relevant bursary application form(s).

Your university must support your return to a capped place by providing us with a Resumer form, including full details of your circumstances, as well as the relevant academic year's allocated / capped bursary if appropriate. Your university has no involvement in the final decision with regard to your bursary funding; this is decided on an individual basis by us.

If applicable, we’ll also need to check if you have any outstanding bursary overpayment from your withdrawal and if you are awarded a bursary on your return, this may be deducted from any new entitlement.

Once your application has been processed you’ll receive a final decision in writing from us.


Maternity leave (all students)

For your award to be reinstated following your maternity payments, your university must send us a form known as an SWB03 to confirm you have returned to training, including the date of your return, the cohort you have joined, the new expected end date of your course and any other information that will help clarify your personal circumstances.

You must also submit an application form to reapply for your bursary, if this has not already been supplied for the academic year you are returning to.

If you return to training after a period of maternity leave you’ll retain your capped place for the duration of your course and you may also receive, if required, an extension of funding for up to a maximum of 12 months in order to complete your course.

If you have not been nominated for a capped place (those in receipt of the PTA only, or EU Fees only postgraduate students) you are not eligible to receive the PTA or payment of your tuition fees during a period of maternity leave. However, you may be eligible to receive the PTA (and payment of fees if relevant) when you resume training.