The following information sets out the policy for deposits and refunds for the University of Birmingham International Foundation Programme.
The deposit is non-transferable and non-refundable except under the circumstances outlined below.
In line with UK money laundering laws any fee paid will only be refunded to the person or body who paid the fee.
A Your right to cancel
For the purposes of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, if this Agreement is a ‘distance contract’ or and ‘off premises contract‘, you have the right to cancel your acceptance of it within a period of 14 days after you have accepted the terms of this Agreement without giving us any reason.
To meet the cancellation deadline, it is sufficient for you to have sent your cancellation to us before the 14-day period has expired. A cancellation form is attached as Schedule 1 to this policy.
B Refusal of a student visa
Refunds will be made to students who have been refused a student visa, provided the reason for refusal is not due to a fraudulent application. To request a refund, candidates must submit a copy of the visa refusal document to the University.
C University cancels programme
If the University cancels the programme for which the applicant has accepted an offer, then all fees paid will be refunded.
D Deferral to later session
- D1 - If the student arrives and wishes to defer to a later session, this is treated as a failure to attend the course they have been accepted for. The deposit will be forfeited and treated as a withdrawal (see section F below). The student will then need to apply again for the later programme and pay a new deposit at the new rate for the course and will be liable for the full fees for that new programme. UK Visas and Immigration will be notified that the student is not studying at the University. This policy will only be varied if the applicant produces evidence of genuine grounds for deferral acceptable to the University; this will include the late issue of the visa.
- D2 - If the student has not yet arrived and notifies Kaplan that they wish to defer to a later session, the deposit may be carried forward for one year. Should the student choose to defer for a second year the deposit will be forfeited and treated as a withdrawal (see section F below). The student will then need to apply again for the later programme and pay a new deposit at the new rate for the course and will be liable for the full fees for that new programme. UK Visas and Immigration will be notified that the student is not studying at the University.
E Student fails to meet academic conditions of the offer
If the applicant has applied for an international foundation programme, paid the tuition fee deposit and does not meet the academic conditions of the offer, the deposit will not be refunded; students should only pay the deposit where they are confident that the conditions will be met.
F Failure to attend at the start of the programme, or withdrawal after enrolment
If the applicant withdraws from the programme of study at the University, they will still be required to pay their tuition fees. However, the date of withdrawal will determine the amount of Tuition Fees that will be charged in accordance with the table below.
Deposits will not be refunded to students who enrol and then withdraw before the start of the second term. UK Visas and Immigration will be informed that the student is not enrolled on the expected programme.
This table explains how the tuition fee liability dates will work for Autumn intake
| Confirmation withdrawal date - Autumn intake | Fee liability |
|---|
| After enrolment but before the start of the second term |
£5,000 |
| After the start of the second term |
50% of total tuition fee |
| After the start of the third term |
100% of total tuition fee |
This table explains how the tuition fee liability dates will work for Spring intake
| Confirmed withdrawal date – Spring intake | Fee liability |
|---|
| After enrolment but before the start of the second term |
£5,000 |
| After the start of the second term |
100% of total tuition fee |
G Administration Fee
Other than in the circumstances set out at above under A, B and C, Tuition Fee Deposits are non-refundable prior to enrolment.
Any refunds in accordance with point C above are subject to a £200 cancellation fee which will be deducted from your refund amount. This reflects the costs of processing your refund.
H Payment via the Student Loan Company
If you are paying your tuition fees via a loan from the Student Loan Company (SLC), your withdrawal date will be reported to the SLC and your Tuition Fee Loan will be adjusted accordingly to reflect the correct liability and any interest accrued.
Applying for a refund
What is the supporting documentation?
Supporting documentation could be some or all of the following depending on the size of the refund
Table to show descriptions of supporting document types
| Document | Description |
|---|
| Refund Application Form |
Signed by student
For refund over £2,000 the original payer must also sign the form |
| Proof of bank account |
For account that funds will be refunded into.
Statement or letter must be issued from the bank confirming account information |
|
Proof of original payment
(refunds over £2,000 only) |
If proof of bank account above does not show the original payment, we need proof of the original payment to ensure funds are being returned to the original account |
Why do you need proof of bank account?
We need proof of the bank account to ensure that we are paying the funds into the correct account. It ensures accuracy as we often get transposition errors on the form or the numbers are difficult to read. This reduces the risk of error and the bank rejecting the payment.
A bank proof is an official document from the issuing bank that confirms the account name, IBAN, account number and sort code where applicable. It will be on paper that has the bank’s letterhead on it or on paper that has been stamped by the bank. Screenshots from online banking will also be sufficient to confirm account details.
What is the difference between a proof of bank account and proof of original payment?
These can be the same thing. A bank proof confirms the bank details as mentioned above, whereas the proof of original payment also shows the original payment to Kaplan. This is to tie the account that the money originated from to the one we are paying into.
Often a proof of original payment will only show part of the account details and account name. Therefore, it is not always sufficient to be used as proof of bank account, hence the need for proof of bank account.
Can you transfer the funds into a different bank account?
To comply with UK money laundering regulations, refunds shall be processed in GBP to the originating bank account that the Student or the person paying on the Student’s behalf used to make his or her original payment to Kaplan. Kaplan will not issue a refund to any person other than the original payer unless written authorisation is received from the original payer to do so.
Cancelling your accepted offer
Please complete the cancellation form if you wish to cancel your accepted offer in accordance with the Terms and Conditions which can be found at Important Information about your offer.
You should email your completed form to pathways@kaplan.com
Cancellation Form