Finance

For all payment-related information and to make a payment, please visit the Make a Payment page.

Our payment terms are published on our website here, and students are expected to adhere to these terms. However, we understand that unforeseen circumstances can arise, making it difficult to meet payment obligations. In exceptional cases, we offer the option to propose a payment plan for the team to consider.

If you find yourself unable to pay your fees, it’s important to take proactive steps to address the situation. Please reach out to the finance department at QA.UlsterFinance@qa.com as soon as possible to inform them about your situation. They can provide guidance and assistance tailored to your circumstances.

Evidence of mitigating circumstances:

If your inability to pay is due to unexpected circumstances, such as medical emergencies, or other financial hardships, be prepared to provide evidence to support your situation. This evidence could include:

• Medical bills
• Bank statements demonstrating financial difficulties or unexpected expenses
• Death certificate and funeral expense bills

Providing clear and relevant evidence will strengthen your case for alternative payment arrangements.

Proposing a Payment Plan:

Once you’ve contacted the finance department and provided evidence of your circumstances, they will work with you to consider a feasible payment plan. This may involve spreading out your payments over an extended period or reducing amounts in exceptional circumstances.

If you’ve made a payment but haven’t received a receipt, we understand the importance of ensuring your payments are properly recorded. Here’s what you can do:

Allow sufficient time: For UK Bank transfers, please allow up to 5 working days for the payment to be allocated to your student account. For international bank transfers, please allow 10 working days.

Follow up: If you haven’t received a receipt after the above time frames, please email your proof of payment to QA.UlsterFinance@qa.com. Make sure to include your Finance ID number in the subject link to expedite the process.

Include proof of payment: In your email, attach any documentation confirming your payment, such as bank statements or transaction receipts. This will assist our finance team in locating and allocating your payment accurately.

Rest assured that we prioritise the timely processing and acknowledgement of all payments, and we appreciate your patience as we work to ensure your records are updated accordingly.

If you’re an undergraduate or postgraduate student from the UK, you may be able to receive financial support from the Government to help fund your studies.

The Government currently offers two types of loans that cover:

• Tuition fees:
  • If you are an undergraduate student, payments will be made directly to the university
  • If you are a postgraduate student, payments will be issued to you directly, and you will then be responsible for making the payment to the university
• Living costs (paid directly to your bank and often called a maintenance loan)

Repayment

Both loans will need to be repaid after your studies, however generally you won’t have to start paying anything back until the April after you have finished your course once you are employed and earning above a specific amount. For more information on when you’ll start repaying, please refer to your student finance repayment plan.

Any loan remaining for students from England after 40 years will be written off. Other UK countries such as Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different thresholds around repayment.

How to apply

If you would like to find out more information about Student Finance loans and how to apply, please refer to the following:

• Undergraduate loans
• Postgraduate loans
• Student finance calculator

To help you understand your Tuition Fees and the range of financial support available, you will need to define your student status in the UK depending on whether you are defined as a:

• Home student (usually resident in the UK)
• European Union (EU) student
• or Overseas (International) student

Help with understanding your assessment can be found on the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website.

Please note: UK/Home students who are financing their studies through the postgraduate loan, you will be required to make a deposit payment that will be deducted from the total tuition fee. This does not apply to progressing students who are currently studying at the undergraduate level with us. The deposit cannot be paid using student finance.

Deposit amounts:

• Extended degree (over 12 months): £1,350
• Postgraduate degree (12 months or less): £250

If you find yourself in a situation where you need to apply for a refund, we aim to make the process as straightforward as possible. Here’s what you need to know:

Contact refunds department: Begin by contacting refunds@qa.com to request a refund form. Our dedicated refunds team will provide you with the necessary documentation and guidance to initiate the refund process.

Complete refund form: Fill out the refund form accurately and provide all requested information. This may include details about the reason for the refund, your payment history, and any supporting documentation required to assess your case.

Provide accurate information: It’s crucial to ensure the information provided on the refund form is accurate and compete. Any inaccuracies or missing details could lead to delays in processing your refund.

Submit form: Once you’ve completed the refund form, submit it to the refunds department as instructed. Be sure to follow any specific instructions provided and include all necessary supporting documents to expedite the review process.

Allow processing time: Our refunds team will review your case and aim to process your refund within 2-3 weeks, pending approval. Please note that failure to submit an accurate refund form or provide adequate supporting documentation could result in significant delays in the approval process.

We understand the importance of timely refunds and strive to process requests efficiently while ensuring compliance with our refund policies and procedures. If you have any questions or

concerns about the refund process, don’t hesitate to reach out to our refunds department for assistance.

Where you book your course otherwise than in person, you have a statutory right to cancel your booking within 14 working days starting on the day after the contract between us comes into force (“Contract Date”) unless the Contract Date is less than 14 working days prior to the commencement of your course in which case you may cancel at any time up to the commencement of your course. Where you cancel your booking in accordance with this condition you will be entitled to a full refund of any payments you have made in respect of the course.

Once a Confirmation of Acceptance of Study (CAS) number has been issued by Ulster University confirming full-time status and shown as used on the Home Office database, no refunds or course deferrals / cancellations are permissible other than in the instance of visa refusal and subject to meeting our terms and conditions.

Course deferrals may be allowed for students who are still overseas awaiting their student visa prior to the published course commencement date. An administration charge of £150 will be applied by QA Higher Education per deferral. Please see our terms and conditions for deferrals.

If a student’s visa application has been refused, then the amounts paid will be refunded, less an administration charge by QA Higher Education of £150 if the terms and conditions are met.

All refunds will be made in GBP. We will not be liable for any losses incurred as a result of currency fluctuations or exchange rates.

If you are a student that does not require a visa then, where full Tuition Fees have been received, you may defer enrolment for one relevant sitting, provided we have received written notification 14 days prior to the course commencement date and you pay the applicable administration fee of £100.

When can requests for deferrals be refused?

Where you are an international student subject to a visa, we will refuse your request for a deferral where we have reason to believe you have entered the UK on the basis of our sponsorship but are not complying with our study and course requirements.

What happens if my visa is refused?

If your visa is refused you will be only be able to be considered for a refund if you are able to produce a copy of the visa refusal letter AND relevant passport within 28 days of the date of the visa refusal. No refunds can be granted after this period.

You will not be entitled to any refund where the visa refusal is because you have provided false or misleading information or you have previously been declined a visa by UKVI for similar reasons.

If you withdraw from your course and would like more information regarding fee liability, please see our finance terms and conditions.

If you would like to find out more about general payment and refunds, please see our terms and conditions.

It is important to note that your course fees cover registration costs, teaching for the course and access to the learning resources of our branch campuses and Student Support Services. They do not include the cost of course books, stationery and photocopying/printing costs, accommodation, living costs, travel, hobbies, sports or other leisure activities.

It is important you allow enough funds to cover your living expenses whilst you’re studying with us. The amount you will need will depend on your lifestyle, but the UKVI recommends you allow for a minimum of £12,006 (or £1,334 per month x 9 months) for London and £9,207 (or £1,023 per month x 9 months)  for out of London areas.

Our international students are required to pay a deposit towards their tuition fee. Information regarding this will be detailed in your offer letter.