UNIVERSITY OF WINCHESTER INTRODUCTION DEBT MANAGEMENT POLICY: STUDENTS ACADEMIC YEAR 15/16 This dcument sets ut the plicy f the University in relatin t student debt, alng with the debt management prcedures fllwed in furtherance f this plicy. The aim f the plicy is t minimise levels f student debt, and f bad debts, in rder t prtect the verall financial health f the University and t allw it t cntinue t invest in teaching and research excellence. The University has many surces f incme, which are cllected by different methds. This plicy specifically cvers the cllectin f fees and charges payable t the University by current and frmer students fr tuitin, accmmdatin, library services and ther miscellaneus services. The Directr f Finance and Planning is respnsible fr managing and reviewing this plicy, Finance staff are respnsible fr the effective peratin f debt management prcedures, all staff are expected t be familiar with this plicy and t cntribute t its effective implementatin. SUPPORT TO STUDENTS In applying the plicy, the University will at all times seek t be sympathetic t, and understanding f, individual students financial circumstances. Hwever, fr the University t d s, students must engage in dialgue with the University if they are experiencing difficulties. Actin t enfrce settlement f debt fr utstanding fee and charges will be taken against all current and frmer students wh have failed t engage with the University t find a slutin t settle any utstanding debt, r wh have failed t hnur agreements t pay. Students experiencing difficulties in paying any fees and charges shuld seek help at the earliest pprtunity thrugh: Making cntact with the Finance Office Finance can be cntacted by telephning the Credit Cntrller n 01962 827265 (internal 7265) Seeking advice frm Student Services 1/7
Student Services can prvide infrmatin n a number f finance-related issues. If yu wish t make an appintment t discuss financial issues with a welfare adviser please telephne 01962 827341 (internal 7341) r email student.advice@winchester.ac.uk. FEES Students are persnally respnsible fr ensuring that all apprpriate fees, fines and ther charges, including any element f fees payable by spnsrs, are paid in accrdance with the requirements set ut belw. In accepting the ffer f registratin, the student accepts a cntractual liability t pay the tuitin fee fr the duratin f their curse in accrdance with these Regulatins. The University makes every effrt t remind students f fees, fines and ther charges due by means f invices, ntices and statements. Hwever these are reminders nly and students are cntractually respnsible fr paying fees, fines and ther charges n time whether invices, ntices r statements are received r nt. Students are reminded that they must ntify the University immediately there is any change in either their hme r term-time address. Students can use the University s nline facilities t ntify change f address. The University s central recrds will then be updated and the addresses t which cmmunicatin are sent will be changed. Psted cmmunicatins frm the Finance Office are nrmally sent t the student s term-time address during the standard term and t the student s hme address at ther times. Hwever, the Finance Office reserves the right t send cmmunicatins t either r bth addresses, within r utside standard term dates, as apprpriate. Students are expected t cllect r arrange t frward mail where apprpriate. Electrnic cmmunicatins frm the Finance Office will be sent t the student s University email address. Students are expected t check fr messages n their University email address and the University Intranet at regular intervals. All payments made t and frm the University in respect f student fees, fines and ther charges must be made in sterling. Any currency cnversin csts r ther charges incurred in making a payment r in prcessing a refund shall be brne by the student r the third party making r receiving the payment, and shall nt be deductible frm the amunts due t the University. The fllwing prvides details f tuitin and accmmdatin fees, alng with payment ptins. 1) Tuitin fees All students registered at the University f Winchester will each year pay a tuitin fee fr the full academic perid, which, unless therwise stated, will cver Matriculatin, Registratin, Tuitin, Examinatin and Graduatin Fees (but nt repeat tuitin fr which additinal fees will be charged). 2/7
Tuitin fees are chargeable fr the academic perid required by the prgramme, with annual amunts charged fr each academic year f the prgramme unless therwise stated. It is t be expected that tuitin fees will increase n an annual basis. Many students receive full r partial supprt fr their fees, whether frm Student Finance England, frm an emplyer r ther spnsring agency. Spnsred students are required t prvide written evidence f their spnsrship befre r at the time f enrlment, s that the spnsr can be billed. Failure t prvide this infrmatin will result in the student being cnsidered liable fr the full fee. In the event that a fee paying bdy fails t pay, r unduly delays payment, the student becmes liable fr the amunt due. Students may be eligible fr a tuitin fee lan. If they take the lan fr the full tuitin fee amunt, this means they will nt have t pay twards their fees during the time they study with us, all they need t d is check their supprt ntificatin and make sure their details are crrect. If they are taking a partial fee lan they will have received a Student Finance Letter which will cnfirm hw much they need t pay t the University t cver tuitin fees. The student must make payment based n the Student Finance Letter and nt wait t receive an invice frm the University. Students wh have nt arranged t take a fee lan and have nt paid their tuitin fees in full by the due date r made arrangements t pay by direct debit will be subject t debt management prcedures belw. Please nte: It shuld be nted that academic tutrs are nt in a psitin r empwered t vary fees r agree payment schedules with students n behalf f the University. 2) Accmmdatin fees Student living in University let accmmdatin will be ntified by the Student Husing Services Department separately abut csts. Accmmdatin ffered by the Student Husing Services Department is dependent n the student signing a Licence Agreement fr the perid f accmmdatin and paying a depsit if required. The University reserves the right t ff set any licence charge arrears r ther sums due t Husing Services fr damages etc against the depsit. The University apprved payment ptins fr the licence charges are: 1. A single payment in full by 09 Octber 2015 fr which students will receive a 100 discunt. 2. In 3 equal instalments by direct debit fr cllectin in Octber, January and May. 3/7
As fr tuitin fees, students wh have nt paid their licence charges in full by the due dates r made arrangements t pay by direct debit will be subject t debt management prcedures belw. 3) Other Fees and Charges Payments fr the use f University facilities r prvisin f resurces are due fr payment within 28 days f the invice date. Additinal charges If yu d nt pay fees when they fall due fr payment, the University will charge yu an administratin fee f 50 fr recrding this in the accunts and chasing yu fr payment The fllwing are treated as late r nn-payment and will attract a 50 administratin fee: Failure t pay within 7 days f the Payment Due Date Cheque returned unpaid by the banking system Failure f a Direct Debit cllectin frm yur bank Cancellatin f a Direct Debit instructin withut prir agreement f the Finance Office Query r dispute f additinal charges In the event f a query r dispute in relatin t any additinal charges levied, the student shuld cntact the Finance Office n 01962 827275 DEBT MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES If any student falls int arrears with any fees r charges, the University will take steps t recver the debt. 1) Tuitin fees Finance staff will issue a letter reminding the student that they have missed a payment due date and that the amunt due needs t be paid within 7 days. This might result in the arrears being cleared by payment by the student r there might be an agreed payment plan t re-schedule the remaining amunts due. The University will try and cntact yu prmptly if yu miss a Payment Date. The University will nt nrmally suspend supplies until it has made at least 2 attempts t 4/7
cntact yu and given yu a reasnable pprtunity t pay what yu we r negtiate alternative arrangements fr payment. If yu d nt respnd t the University s request fr yu t make cntact t discuss yur fees, the University may suspend yur University IT access until yu make cntact with the Finance Office, r fr a perid f up t 14 days whichever is the shrter perid. The University will warn yu f this cnsequence (and what yu need t d t avid it) when making the 2 nd attempt t cntact yu. Suspensin frm yur University IT accunt may make it difficult r impssible fr yu t cmplete r submit cursewrk and yu will nt have access t yur University email accunt. Yu will nt necessarily have t pay all utstanding debts befre suspensin is lifted, but yu will need t cntact the Credit Cntrller if yu want yur University IT accunt t be restred in less than 14 days 2) Accmmdatin fees Licence Charges Finance staff will issue a letter reminding the student that they have missed a payment due date and that the student is nw in breach f their student residential licence agreement and that the amunt needs t be paid within 7 days. This might result in the arrears being cleared by payment by the student r there might be an agreed payment plan t re-schedule the remaining amunts due. If the amunt still remains utstanding after 7 days Finance will send a secnd letter t the student asking them t attend fr a meeting in rder t discuss the arrears. If there is still n respnse, the student will be ntified that if the debt is nt paid within a further 7 days a Ntice f Intentin t terminate the student s residence Agreement will be issued. The student is ntified that they may be asked t leave their accmmdatin and that legal actin may be taken against them. Such actin may lead t a Cunty Curt Judgment being registered and Bailiff s being asked t seize prperty. This may als affect a student s credit rating and the student may find it difficult t gain credit fr six years. The student will be liable fr any ther assciated csts ver and abve the debt e.g. interest and curt csts. If there is still n respnse a Ntice t Quit will be issued by the Student Husing Services Department giving the student 28 days t leave their accmmdatin. 3) Payments n Accunt If the student has a debt t the University and makes a payment n accunt, this will be applied against the ldest debt first, unless advised therwise. 4) Awaiting Assessments frm a funding prvider. If a student is still awaiting an assessment when a fee is due t be paid the student must pay the fees due. The student will be refunded when the mney has been received frm the spnsr. It is the student s respnsibility t ensure the awarding bdy has received an applicatin and that it is being prcessed. 5/7
5) Exceptinal fee payment arrangements. The Finance Office will cnsider individual applicatin frm students fr exceptinal fee payments arrangements based upn cmpelling extenuating circumstances r hardship. Payment variatin frms are available frm the Finance Office. Please nte that if yu default n an infrmal instalment plan then the full balance will becme immediately due. 6) Default f an instalment plan If payments have been scheduled t be made via Direct Debit (r any ther instalment plan) and an instalment is missed, the full debt will becme due immediately. 7) Debt frm previus years Students will nt be allwed t re-enrl fr the next year f their prgramme unless they have paid at least 80% f their previus year s tuitin and have a payment plan in place fr the remainder. The University is likely t refuse an applicatin fr University Accmmdatin frm a returning student if they have a pr payment recrd fr accmmdatin fees. We reserve the right t refuse t give references t future landlrds fr such students. 8) Graduatin Students in their final year must make full settlement f fees and ther charges t the University by 31 st July. Students wh fail t d s will nt be eligible t attend fr presentatin f their award. 9) Frmer students If a student leaves their prgramme with debt still wing t the University, Finance will cntinue t pursue recvery f the debt. If the frmer student fails t make arrangements t settle the utstanding amunts, they will be referred t the University s debt cllectin agency fr further actin up t and including curt actin. The student may then be liable fr any ther assciated csts ver and abve the debt e.g. interest and curt csts. The University will nt nrmally accept yu nt a new prgram f study while yu have debt with the University 10) Appeals If a student is nt happy abut a decisin cncerning payment f fees, they shuld cntact the Directr f Finance and Planning in writing. 6/7
REVIEW OF POLICY The Debt Plicy will be reviewed by the Directr f Finance and Planning each year. 7/7