We understand there are many reasons for wanting to stop your course for a while, but before you do, we advise you to talk with your school, LTSO, or supervisor about why you want to suspend your studies. They may be able to offer help and advice that will allow you to carry on with your studies.
If you don’t want to talk to your School, LTSO, or Supervisor, Student Services will be able to offer you confidential help and advice. You can also speak in confidence to a member of the Counselling Service.
Suspending your studies
If you do want to suspend your studies, you must let us know as soon as possible.
It is important to understand that suspending your studies will have an impact on your tuition, accommodation fees, and immigration status if you hold a visa.
Student fees
If you are receiving maintenance payments from Student Finance, you will be contacted by Student Finance to request the return of any overpayment of your maintenance loan in line with the liability points of your withdrawal date. You are strongly advised to discuss this in detail with our Money Advice and Guidance team before finalising your decision to withdraw.
Fees charged to registered students will be calculated based on the date the University is informed of any change in registration. Students should follow the University’s formal procedures for suspension or withdrawal. Further information can be found at Suspending or withdrawing from your studies will affect your fees 2022.
If you are receiving maintenance payments from Student Finance, you will be contacted by Student Finance to request the return of any overpayment of your maintenance loan in line with the liability points of your withdrawal date. You are strongly advised to discuss this in detail with our Money Advice and Guidance team before finalising your decision to withdraw.
International students
Any changes to your student status could affect your immigration status in the UK.
The University is required to report any changes in your student status to the UK Home Office and you might be required to leave the UK immediately as your Student Route visa will be curtailed (cancelled).
Further advice on immigration issues can be sought from the International Advice and Guidance team.
If you do decide to suspend your studies and understand the financial and immigration obligations, you will need to follow one of the procedures below:
Suspension form for taught programmes
All schools now form part of our new suspension form pilot for the 2022/23 academic year.
This means that you will be able to submit your suspension form digitally without the need to print off a paper version. Your submission will then be sent to your School for review. During this process, you will be able to check where your submission is up to using your portal, and you will receive regular emails about any decisions taken on your submission. If you have already submitted a paper form then this will still be processed in the usual way.
Submit a suspension of studies form
If your submission has been approved and your studies are suspended, you will be asked to contact the University one month before your intended return date to confirm that you will be returning to study. After you have done this, you will be able to confirm your return back on campus using Liverpool Life.
Non-pilot areas
There will be a small number of areas that will not form part of this pilot. For students who try to access the form but receive a notification stating it is not accessible, please contact your department and download the Suspension Form from the link below and follow the guidance included within the document -
- Complete a suspension of studies form
- Have your School or Department approve your request.
If your submission has been approved, you will also be asked to contact the University one month before your intended return date to confirm that you will be returning to study. After you have done this, you will be able to confirm your return back on campus using Liverpool Life.
Once the Suspension Form Pilot has been completed, we will review feedback and look to include all other areas of the University as soon as possible.
Postgraduate research students
Rather than suspending your studies, you might be able to take academic leave. Your supervisor will be able to offer you more information about academic leave.
If you do want to suspend your studies, it is important to understand that:
- Your registration period will be frozen, which will extend your end date
- You do not accrue tuition or bench fees
- You will not be able to receive supervision
- You will not have access to University resources or facilities, but you will still have access to your University email account.
Suspending your studies
If you are externally sponsored you must get approval from your sponsor before submitting your request for academic suspension of studies.
Suspensions should be applied for in whole months up to a maximum of one year.
Suspending your studies should be applied for through Liverpool Life. Approval will be sought from your primary supervisor, school, institute or department, Director of PGR, Faculty Director of PGR, and the PGR Student Team.
We will email you with the outcome of your request.
Returning from a period of academic suspension
If you do not resume your studies following a period of suspension you may be deemed withdrawn.
Before returning back to your studies, you will need to:
- Email pgrs@liverpool.ac.uk and your supervisor to confirm your return to study
- Complete outstanding Annual Progress Reports
- Settle any outstanding debt with the University.
Unless you are granted a further period of suspension, you will start to accrue fees from the date you are due back from your suspension.
International students will be expected to produce an original, valid visa and upload it using this form, which demonstrates the right to study in the United Kingdom and with the University of Liverpool. You will be given details of how to do this when you are contacted prior to resuming your study.
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