Purpose and scope
The purpose of this policy is to set out the requirement for all students to enrol with the University of Sunderland, each academic year, before commencing their course of study. This will also include the University of Sunderland in London.
This policy applies to all students, all campuses whether in-country or overseas.
This policy describes the enrolment process, data capture provisions and use of that data, and the processes for raising invoices for student fees.
Key responsibilities
Responsibility for the management and implementation of this policy and procedure lies with the Assistant Director of Student Journey, who is also the Authorising Officer, with the day-to-day assistance of the Student Administration Manager.
Key principles
Any student who has accepted an offer and wishes to study at the University of Sunderland will be required to enrol on the course detailed within their offer.
Students will be required to enrol at the beginning of each academic year of their course using the enrolment task referred to below.
The fee status of each student will be determined by the application process.
Enrolment procedure and criteria
All students with either a Home (UK National or EU Settled), European (EU Pre-settled) or Island (OI) Fees Status (e.g. HO-24, HE-24, OI-24), will be required to complete enrolment in the way stated below.
In addition to completing enrolment, all students studying in the UK with an ‘Overseas Fees Status’ (e.g. OS-24) will also be required at the time of enrolment to provide current immigration documentation detailing their right to study. The University will contact students via email to inform them of the method to do so. The University will be required to retain these documents for Home Office audit purposes.
International students enrolling with a UK Entry Clearance will have 7 days to provide their full visa to Student Administration. Students holding a visa which is due to expire, or who are completing a visa extension will also be granted 7 days to provide their application documentation. Failure to meet this deadline may result in restricted access to University systems and facilities. Persistent failure to provide documentation when requested may result in withdrawal from the course and immediate visa curtailment.
Enrolment is completed using an online enrolment task. Students will be notified of the specific details of how and when to enrol with the University of Sunderland by email at least one week before their course start date.
Exceptionally, a small number of students may be required to enrol by a paper form. Faculty staff will inform the students where this is the case.
Prior to enrolling on their first year of study, all students will be required to provide original qualification certificates if these have not been previously verified by the University. Student Administration staff may ask you to take a photograph or scan original qualification certificates and upload these to a secure location.
To complete enrolment all students will be required to accept the University’s Terms and Conditions which can be found here www.sunderland.ac.uk/studenthandbook.
Additionally, international students will be required to accept the University’s International Agreement which can be found in the Student life section of the above link. This includes that the student accepts the University’s rules and regulations and undertake to pay all fees due, by the dates specified by the University. It is important that the student reads and understand these conditions. If the students course lasts more than one academic year, they must re-enrol each year and will be notified of any changes to these regulations which they are of relevance to them. you.
Data Capture
As part of the enrolment process all students will be required to provide or, where previously submitted, confirm:
- course title and route, level of study, NQF level and mode of attendance
- personal information including title, name and date of birth
- contact details including address, telephone and email
- next of kin / emergency contact details
- disability and ethnicity information where applicable
- previous study location and qualifications
- responsibility for payment of tuition fees and overall price
- consent to disclose – further information can be found Duty of Care | The University of Sunderland
Data submitted during the enrolment process will only be used for the following purposes (where applicable): internal/external audit purposes, statutory returns, student’s health and wellbeing and Home Office compliance.
The University will adhere to its data protection and information governance procedures in respect of data captured as part of the enrolment process.
Invoicing
On completion of enrolment, Home (UK National or EU Settled), European (EU Pre-settled) or Island (OI) students will be invoiced for their course fees. International students will be required to pay their fees in full, where applicable, prior to enrolment. International students will be advised of how to do this in their offer letter.
Students who will be paying part or all their own fees should refer to the Tuition Fees & Refunds Policy to determine how to pay. This can be found here. This policy will also provide additional information about fees and invoicing.
Students whose fees will be paid by a third party, (other than Student Loan Company (SLC)/Student Finance (SFE/SFW/SFNI)/Scottish Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS)), will be responsible for payment of their fees until an official sponsor letter has been submitted and accepted by the University.
Students submitting sponsor letters for part or full payment of their tuition fees should ensure that the letter from the sponsor, on company letterhead, contains the following details:
- full name of student
- academic year(s) of sponsorship
- amount of sponsorship (e.g. £1,000) or statement of intended sponsorship (e.g. full amount or 50% of tuition fees)
- purchase order / reference number (where applicable)
- details and address of the invoicee, including email address
- course title being studied
- confirmation if the student is employed by the sponsor or if it is only sponsorship being received
For undergraduate students whose fees are being paid by SLC/SFE/SFW/SFNI/SAAS, invoices will be sent directly to those agencies for payment upon their notification to the University that an application has been approved.
For postgraduate students as the money from these agencies (expect SFNI and SAAS) are paid directly to the student you will be deemed responsible for payment.
Successful Enrolment
A student successfully completing all aspects of enrolment will have their record updated accordingly and the student will receive an email confirming their enrolment. Those students enrolling by paper form will receive a certificate of enrolment and invoice for their fees.
On successful enrolment students will be granted standard access to University IT systems, library services, timetables and attendance to lectures.
Late enrolment
Students unable to enrol and attend on the first day of their course should contact Student Administration in advance to discuss options, including whether late arrival/enrolment is possible.
Failure to enrol
Undergraduate and Postgraduate students have a 3-week period from the official course start date (not including Welcome Week) to fully complete enrolment.
Postgraduate Research students have a 5-week period from the official course start date (not including Welcome Week) to fully complete enrolment.
If a new student fails to enrol, the facility to complete enrolment will be revoked and their formal offer may be withdrawn by the University.
If a returning student fails to enrol, Academic Registry (Programme Administration) will officially close the record of the student, removing the access to complete enrolment and University facilities.
For those students whose fees are paid by SLC/SFE/SFW/SFNI/SAAS, a notification will be sent directly to the governing body to inform them of their failure to enrol.
For those students who are in receipt of a Student Route visa, the University will inform the Home Office regarding their failure to enrol.
Termination of Studies
You must notify the University promptly if you choose to withdraw from your course for any reason. You will remain enrolled, and liable for any fees, until the University has received the notification that you wish to withdraw.
If you fail to engage in your course of study, for example by failing to attend on a regular basis, and your Course Leader/Tutor believes that you will be unable to progress or complete successfully the course, OR you fail to respond adequately to the University’s attempts to seek your re-engagement with your course of study, the University will consider that you have withdrawn from the course, and will terminate your enrolment. This termination will be notified to you in writing to the most recent correspondence address you have given the University.
If you cease to be enrolled on the course for any reason, either because you have withdrawn or because the University has terminated your studies, you must:
a) cease attending lectures or other classes, or undertaking research
b) return all items and materials issued to you but owned by the University, including your University Student ID Card and any equipment you have borrowed (including Library books)
c) pay any outstanding sums owed to the University
d) move out of halls of residence (if applicable).
If your enrolment at the University is terminated as a result of disciplinary action taken against you, the termination will apply immediately and you will not be given any notice, unless the University confirms otherwise in writing. You should note that your studies may be terminated if you are dismissed or expelled from any other institution or organisation which you need to be a member of or able to access as part of the course.
If your enrolment with the University ends for whatever reason (whether you withdraw, or your studies are terminated), you will be liable for any fees or other outstanding debt which you owe to the University at the time your enrolment ends. If there is an outstanding debt, the University will usually refer this to a debt collection agency when necessary. Further details are given in the Tuition Fee and Refund Policy which can be found here.