Tuition fee liability and refunds
How tuition fee payment and refunds work if you leave Goldsmiths early or interupt.
Primary page content
If you are thinking of leaving Goldsmiths you should talk to staff in the Student hubs. See information, forms and advice for students thinking of taking an absence, changing, leaving.
This page is only for tuition fees. See information about leaving accommodation early and ending contacts.
Note: Other than in a student’s offer letter, only Student Administration Registry Operations and Finance staff are authorised to provide a definitive statement on tuition fees. All other tuition fee information provided by non-authorised staff shall be considered advisory only and non-binding on the College. Students or staff requiring definitive confirmation of tuition fees should contact Registry Operations with their enquiry.
Should you choose to withdraw, or interrupt from the College, or be withdrawn from your studies by us, we will inform you of any outstanding tuition fee liability, or refund due. Any queries arising from this communication should be raised with the Registry Operations in the first instance.
Requesting a tuition fee refund
If you have made an overpayment, your tuition fees have been reduced due to a late sponsor notification, or you have taken temporary withdrawal or permanently withdrawn from your programme, you may request a refund from the Registry Operations.
Payment of the refund
Where a refund is payable, the repayment must be refunded to the original payer using the same method of payment as the original remittance. This is to ensure compliance with the UK Anti Money Laundering Legislation requirements.
Refund due to withdrawal
Students who withdraw from a programme of study without informing the College in the appropriate way shall not be eligible for a refund of fees.
If you formally withdraw, or interrupt from your programme, your tuition fee costs may be adjusted based on your last date of attendance. See further below.
Any overpayment of tuition fees arising from a temporary withdrawal from studies will be automatically carried forward as credit into the next Academic Session. The credit will be used to offset any fee liability upon resumption of studies. Students can however make a formal application for a refund at the point of temporary withdrawal via the Registry Operations.
Fee liability
If you withdraw or interrupt within 3 weeks of start of autumn term, you will not be liable for any tuition fee payment to Goldsmiths and any tuition fee loan you may have applied for will not be payable.
| Time lapsed/Date of withdrawal | Liability as % of full year tuition fees |
|---|---|
| After 3rd week of Autumn term | 25% of fee due |
| From beginning of Spring term | 50% of fee due |
| From beginning of Summer term | 100% of fee due |
If you have paid tuition fee up front you will be refunded the amount in excess of the tuition fee charged based on the percentage tuition fee liability described above.
Students who interrupt their studies without seeking and gaining the agreement of the College shall remain be for payment of fees in full and may not be eligible for any refund of fees paid.
| Withdrawal time | Refund amount |
|---|---|
| After 3 weeks of Autumn term | 25% of fee due, refund of 75% |
| After 2 weeks of Spring term | 50% of fee due, refund of 50% |
| After 2 weeks of Summer term | 75% of fee due, refund of 25% |
| After 1st July | Full fee due |
Please note students on PCGE courses should refer to the tuition fee liability policy for Undergraduates.
| Time | Refund amount |
|---|---|
| Within 3 weeks of start of autumn term | Full refund |
| After 3 weeks | Liable for pro rata fee based on number of weeks attending*. Overpayment to be held as a credit towards fees for the following academic session |
Students who interrupt their studies without seeking and gaining the agreement of the College shall be liable for payment of fees in full and may not be eligible for any refund of fees paid.
Please note students on PCGE courses should refer to the tuition fee liability policy for Undergraduates.
*If you return to study before the anniversary of the effective date of interruption, a pro rata fee will be charged for the extra weeks of enrolment on return.
Withdrawal for non-attendance / College withdrawing students
From time to time it may be necessary for the College to withdraw a student. The reasons for this can vary and this will be carried out in line with the appropriate policy.
In particular it should be noted that if you are withdrawn by your Department for non-attendance, your tuition fees are due in full up to the date of the formal withdrawal.
Where your fees are paid by a tuition fee loan you will not need to pay anything to the College, but you will still be required to repay any student tuition fee loan which has been utilised, subject to the appropriate income thresholds. For further information see the Student Loans Company website.
Transferring from full-time to part-time study / Transferring programme of study
If you transfer from full time to part time mode of study on a programme of study with a different fee band you will be charged a pro rata amount for the period you were registered as a full time student and a pro rata amount for the remaining period as a part time student. This may result in an increase in the fee due.
If you transfer from full time to part time mode (or vice versa) on the same programme of study, your total fee liability will match the published total fee for the programme.
If you transfer programme of study then they will be liable for the fee associated with each programme that they study for the duration that you are enrolled on that programme.
If a student transfers to a programme with a higher fee their fee liability will increase. This will be applied on pro-rata basis.
However, if a student transfers to a programme with a lower fee their fee liability will be reduced on a pro-rata basis.
Should the student have paid fees in advance then a pro-rata refund will be applied.
Non-Credit Bearing students (NCB) / Short courses
Refunds are not given to students on NCB courses (short course codes beginning with 1) except in the following circumstances:
- Closure of classes because of low enrolment (full fee refunded)
- Withdrawal from class before course begins (full fee refunded)
- Exceptional circumstances such as illness (pro rata) which must be supported by documentary evidence and the written approval of the Department
For further information and full terms and conditions please see the Short Courses Welcome Pack.
Refund to sponsors
Where a tuition fee has been paid by a sponsor, any refund due will be paid directly back to that sponsor.
Regulations and policy
See the Academic Manual's Fee Regulations.
For further detail on any of the sections above please refer to the Tuition Fee Policy and Procedures (PDF).