TUITON FEE AND REFUND POLICY

CONTENTS

1.   Introduction

2.   Tuition Fees Policy

3.   Discounts

4.   Deposits

5.   Additional Fees

6.   Repeat Study

7.   Payments

8.   Sanctions for Non Payments of Fees

9.   Refunds

10. Home/EU students

11.1  Deferments

11.2 Re-enrolments

11.3 Withdrawals

11.4 Temporary Withdrawal/Intermission of Studies

11. International Students

12. Fee Appeals

1.      Introduction

This policy relates to the provision of education and training at London School of Science & Technology. Where the policy refers to students entering into a contract with the School it is understood that where an employer or other sponsor undertakes the responsibility for the fee the contractual responsibility relating to the payment of the fee and any subsequent refund of fee equally applies.

LSST is a private Higher Education Institute and does not receive any financial help or support from local authorities or government agencies. The School Management sets fee rates and levies fees, in order to cover the cost of the education and training it provides and to maintain the School.

The School will operate procedures to ensure that the Tuition Fees and Refund Policy is operated fairly and consistently across the institution.

2.      Tuition Fees Policy

2.1 For each academic year and term, the School will set, publish and charge tuition fees for all its courses. All information and prices provided on the LSST website, on enrolment forms and through other promotional channels are believed to be correct at the time of printing. Students will be notified of fee levels prior to enrolment, wherever possible.

2.2 UK/EU residents whose tuition fees are paid in full by the Student Loans Company must provide the Financial Assessment Letter from Student Loans Company to the Finance Department before the start of their course. Students who do not provide the Financial Assessment Letter from   Student Loans Company to the Finance Department before the start of their course will be liable to pay their tuition fees directly to the School.

2.3 UK/EU residents who are funded by the Student Loans Company but whose tuition fee loan does not cover the full cost of tuition must provide the Financial Assessment Letter from Student Loans Company to the Finance Department before the start of their course and pay the remainder of the tuition fees either in full before the start of their course or via an Instalment Plan agreed with Finance Department.

2.4 If a sponsor or third party (SLC) fails to pay some or all of the tuition fee on behalf of a student, the student will become personally liable for payment of the outstanding amount on the date which it was due from their sponsor or the third party.

2.5 All other students, either not eligible or not choosing to take out the loan through SLC (self-funded), should refer to Section 7 Payments.

3.      Discounts

3.1 Discretionary discounts may be offered to self-funded students who pay their one year fees in advance of the beginning of their academic year.

3.2 In case of Withdrawal/Intermission or Exclusion from the School, any discount approved will be cancelled and student will become liable for the payments of the full tuition fee for the period of study. 

4.      Deposits

4.1 International applicants are required to pay a deposit to obtain Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies. The deposit required will vary depending on the type and length of course applied for, but it will normally be at least 60% of the first year fees. The School will send acknowledgement of all payments received and the acceptance letter will also confirm the amount received.

4.2 The balance of fees due is payable prior to the start of the first course unless an instalment facility has been previously arranged. In case of an agreed instalment plan supplementary charges may be applied.

4.3 Payments received via cheques or credit cards or drafts must clear before the application is processed.

5.      Additional Fees

5.1         Application Handling Fee

Students are required to pay a non-refundable application handling fee of £35. This is in addition to the relevant tuition fee for the course.

5.2         Deferment Fee (UK/EU students)

Students are required to pay deferment fee of £100.

5.3         Re-enrolment Fee (UK/EU students)

Students who are allowed to re-enrol following a suspension from the School are required to pay £100 re-enrolment fee.

5.4         Change of Course Fee

Students who are allowed to change their course are required to pay £100 change of course fee (subject to UKBA regulations in case of Non-EU students).

6.      Repeat Study

All students registering for a period of repeat study are liable to pay a tuition fee based on the number of modules being repeated (subject to the Exam Board Decision and UKBA regulations in case of non-EU students).

7.      Payments

LSST collects tuition fees in accordance with its annual fee schedule and related policies. Tuition fees are due on the start of each registration period. 

LSST accepts the range of payments outlined below:

• In person using a debit or credit card, cheque, bankers draft or cash
• By telephone using a credit or debit card
• By post – cheque or bankers draft (please write student name, ID and course name on the reverse of the cheque)
• Recurring credit/debit card payment
• Bank to bank transfer

8. LSST Bank Details

Name & Address: HSBC Bank

145, EALING ROAD,

Wembley, Middx, London, HA0 1EH

Account Name: “London School of Science & Technology”

Sort Code: 40-08-19

Account No: 61310127

SWIFT/BIC No: MiDLGB22

IBAN No: GB42MiDL40081961310127

Reference Number: your ID or initials and surname

LSST allows students to pay their personal liability towards fees in instalments. Payment schedules are issued at the time of the set up. Please contact the Finance Department for details of instalment dates.

Dishonoured cheques or drafts will result in a charge of £30.00 to cover administration costs and bank charges. The School reserves the right to cancel the agreements at any time

9.      Sanctions for Non Payment of Fees

9.1 In cases of hardship the student should discuss their situation with the Finance Officer who may be able to arrange for them a flexible instalment plan.

9.2 Students who default or miss agreed payments will face a range of sanctions:

• withdrawal of library and computing facilities
• not marking the examination scripts and assignments/coursework
• not issuing or publishing the examination results or any letter on student progress
• not enrolling the student with the awarding body
• withholding certified transcript
• withholding final award certificate
• termination of enrolment and exclusion from the School
• refusal to re-enrol

9.3 In addition to those steps above, the School reserves the right to refer students’ unpaid accounts to external agencies to pursue payment and, in addition, the School may also exclude students from the School and/or seek recovery through the courts.

9.4 If a sponsor or third party fails to pay some or all of the tuition fee on behalf of a student, the student will become personally liable for payment of the outstanding amount on the date which it was due from their sponsor or the third party.

10.      Refunds

10.1 Any student booking on to a School course in effect reserves for himself/ herself a place. This may, when places are limited, result in a place being denied to another, and may therefore result in a reduction in the numbers the School is able to recruit and resultant loss of income.

10.2 When booking on to a School course, a student enters into a contract. The School’s contractual obligation is to provide the training as described in this Policy, subject to the availability of resources and viable student numbers. In circumstances where the School cannot meet the terms of the contract it will, without question, refund the fee paid.

10.2.1 Tuition fees will be refunded in full if the LSST fails to conduct the specified course or offer an acceptable alternative course for any reason. The School is not however liable for any consequential loss.

10.2.2 Where the School cancels a course which is a mandatory component of a Group Award (e.g. an Edexcel award) and no alternative is provided by the School thereby preventing the student achieve the Group Award, the School will refund the fees for the other elements of the Group Award where the student has already booked and paid the fee and has elected not to undertake these elements of the course.

10.3 The School’s admissions process is subject to Consumer Protection Regulations. After accepting an Offer you have a right to cancel your acceptance of the Offer at any time up to 7 working days after you confirm your acceptance. If you cancel within this period you will be entitled to a refund of any deposit/tuition fees which you have paid and you will not be bound by these Terms & Conditions.

10.4 Refunds will be subject to administration charge of £250.

10.5 In circumstances where a refund of course fees is to be made in respect of a student, unless authorized otherwise, the School will normally pay the refund directly to the organization or individual who made the payment of the fee to the School. If a student wishes to authorise someone else to collect the refund on his/her behalf, the School will require and authorisation letter and a valid ID from the authorised person.

10.6 Refunds will normally be made by cheque made payable to the applicant. If requested and depending on how the original payment was made, the other options for refund are credit or debit card, bank transfer and bankers draft. No refund will be made in cash.

10.7 The School reserves the right to dismiss any student at any time for behaviour which is deemed to be unprofessional, inappropriate or disruptive to other students/staff. No fees will be refundable for any student dismissed under this section.

11.     Home/EU Students

11.1 Deferments

11.1.1 Deferments may be authorized for students who submit a written request to the School within 4 weeks of the commencement of the course and will only be granted to the students who, through no fault of their own and due to circumstances beyond their control, are unable to follow the course. The School may specify that satisfactory evidence be provided of these circumstances and may specify what evidence is required or acceptable.

11.1.2 Refunds will not be issued for deferments and any resulting credit will remain on account and be carried forward to the following year/semester to count towards further fees charged.

11.2 Withdrawals

11.2.1 No application for a refund of fees will be considered unless a withdrawal/intermission form has been completed in full and submitted to the Administration Office. The date of the withdrawal is the date request to Withdraw/Intermit form is submitted to the Administration Office. Withdrawals cannot be backdated. The forms are available from the Student Resources Portal or Administration Office.

11.2.2 Students who withdraw/intermit their studies will be charged a pro rata fee based upon the number of weeks enrolled on the course prior to formal withdrawal from the course.

• Withdrawal/Intermission in semester 1 & 2:  50% of the total tuition fee is charged
• Withdrawal/Intermission in semesters 3 & 4: 100% of the total tuition fee is charged

11.2.3 The School will refund the fee in full to students who submit a written request to the School up to thirty calendar days before the commencement of the course.

11.2.4 Discretionary refunds for students who submit a written request to the School less than thirty days before the commencement of the course may be granted to the students who, through no fault of their own and due to circumstances beyond their control, are unable to follow the course. The School may specify that satisfactory evidence be provided of these circumstances and may specify what evidence is required or acceptable.

11.2.5 The School will take into account any tuition fee support that students receive from the Student Loans Company (SLC).

11.2.6 Students who are in receipt of tuition fee support from the SLC and withdraw their studies prior to the tuition fee being made by SLC will become personally liable for payment of any tuition fee due.

11.2.7 Any refund due will be calculated pro rata based on the registration period.

11.3 Temporary Withdrawals/Intermission of Studies

11.3.1 Students who temporarily withdraw from the School are, by definition, expected to return. The date of intermission is the date request to Withdraw/Intermit form is submitted to the Administration Office. Intermissions cannot be backdated. The forms are available from the Student Resources Portal or Administration Office.

11.3.2 Refunds will not be issued for intermissions and any resulting credit will remain on account and be carried forward to the following year to count towards further fees charged.

11.3.3 Students who are in receipt of tuition fee support from the SLC and intermit their studies prior to the tuition fee being made by SLC will become personally liable for payment of any tuition fee due.

11.3.4 On resumption of study, where the student is liable for the fee the student will be invoiced the full tuition fee for the academic session plus any repeat fee, with a discount applied equal to the tuition fee charged for the period of study prior to the intermission. If the student returns for the full academic year, then s/he will be charged in full at the new rate.

11.3.5 Students who temporarily withdraw/intermit their studies remain liable to pay any outstanding fees due to the School and re-enrolment will not be permitted until outstanding fees have been paid.

12.     International Students (Non-EU)

12.1 If a student decides not to apply for a visa after the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (“CAS”) has been issued, he/she will be entitled to a 50% refund. In this case the student must inform the School within 30 days of the issuance of Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (“CAS”), to be eligible for the refund of 50% deposit. The UKBA will be notified and the CAS cancelled.

12.2 If a student fails to obtain a visa as the applicant did not achieve 30 points for the sponsor (institute) they will be entitled to a refund for the entire fee (except the £250 admin cost and courier charges). Request for refund supported by a copy of the visa refusal letter must be submitted within 10 working days of the refusal. Refunds will be made within 60 days. The fee paid less administration charges of £250.00 plus any courier and deferral/transfer charges or other expenses which have been paid by LSST on behalf of the student.

12.3 If a student fails to obtain a visa as the applicant did not obtain 10 points for the maintenance funds section no refund is possible.

12.3 If a visa is refused a student may request an administrative review whereby their case can be reconsidered by the British Embassy and no refund will be made until the outcome of the review is known.

12.4 LSST is required to report to the UK Border Agency (“UKBA”) those students whose attendance is defined by the UK Border Agency as being unacceptable. Where a student visa  is revoked by the UKBA because of poor attendance or other similar reason, LSST will not refund any fees standing to the credit of a student’s account (For further details see the LSST Attendance Policy).

12.5 No refund will be given to a student for the following circumstances:

12.5.1 Failure to return the original enrolment letters issued by LSST, original visa refusal letters, appeal letters issued by the BHC or British Embassy and copy of passport with refusal stamp at least FOUR weeks from the refusal (published date).

12.5.2 If the student is asked to leave the country by the United Kingdom Authorities or leave the UK during the programme period without consultation with or a covering letter from the School and are subsequently refused re-entry.

12.5.3 If the disruption to the student’s studies is due a conviction, court proceedings or a litigation involving them.

12.5.4 If they have been refused a UK Entry Clearance at any British High Commission or British Embassy due to submission of any fake or forged documents or due to false representations.

12.5.5 If a student visa application is still being processed and they failed to report by the latest course start date (as per CAS). The school may defer his/her admission to the next semester depending upon the availability of course & CAS. The fees will be transferred to the next intake and the UKBA notified.

12.6 Transfers/Deferments

12.6.1 At the discretion of the School, course deferral may be allowed for students who are still overseas awaiting their student visa application to be processed provided the School is informed of the delay no later than two weeks before the scheduled course commencement date the student has booked for.

12.6.2 The Admission Committee will carefully examine the transfer application taking into account class size and other relevant factors, in particular, the UKBA regulations.

12.6.3 If the result of the transfer entails moving to a course where the fees are reduced, the original fee structure will apply.

12.6.4 If the result of the transfer entails moving to a course where the fees are increased, the additional fee will apply.

12.6.5 International students should note that once the student is in receipt of a visa or entry permit to the UK, there will be no transfer of fees to another institution / university under any circumstances. You are requested to clarify queries prior to the payment of the initial deposit.

Additionally an important point to note is that since the 5th of October 2009 it has become an offence to change colleges without permission from the UK Borders Agency first. A new visa application using the CAS issued by the new Tier 4 sponsor must be made.

12.6.6 An administration charge of £150.00 will be applied by the School per deferral. A maximum of one such deferral will be allowed, after which all monies paid to the School will become the property of the School.

13.     Fee Appeals

13.1 Individual staff members of the School are not permitted to vary or waive fees. When extenuating circumstances warrant an investigation into the amount of fee charged according to the current fee policy, a student should submit an appeal in writing to the Director of School.

The School reserves the right to amend the Tuition Fees and Refunds Policy at any time and to the extent which it may from time to time decide.