Your options if university isn't working out
If university has yet to turn out how you wanted it to, you're not alone. More than 40,000 undergraduate students dropped out of their courses between the start of August 2022 and the end of August 2023 .
Yet, if your first try at university isn't working out, your higher education journey is not at its end. Here's what you need to do.
Assess the problem
Going to university isn't an easy transition, but before you leave and head home, ensure you assess the issues. Is it the subject or the university? Try to distinguish whether the content is unappealing, whether you're simply struggling with the delivery, or other external factors (e.g., mental health). If you feel unmotivated or disengaged, consider whether the lack of interest is temporary or a more profound, ongoing issue.
The issue may not be with the course but with how it's being taught, the workload, personal matters like friends and accommodation, or even the university itself. All of these challenges can be worked out, from moving where you live to facing the problems with your course.
Consider switching courses
Sometimes, a change of course can be the answer, and your academic advisor can help you understand your options for switching and whether it's feasible within your university's structure.
It can also help to explore related fields. Sometimes, the right path is just a different angle. For example, if you're studying Maths but aren't enjoying it, Economics or Maths with another subject may be better for you. If that sounds workable, check if there's flexibility to move. Some faculties allow you to change tracks or minors without losing too much time or progress.
Always seek advice
If you need help with the course, seek help from your academic advisor and a tutor. Aside from supporting you in your work and challenges, both can provide the extra support you might need at university.
A tutor can help you to catch up on work and understand what your course needs from you. If you're working on essays or researching papers, they can guide you on correctly format citations and references according to different styles (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.) and offer advice on finding credible sources and developing strong arguments for your academic work.
Whatever your course, undergraduate work can introduce complex concepts that can be hard to grasp, and a tutor can break down challenging topics into more straightforward, digestible parts, providing you with one-on-one tailored help.
Take a gap year and reapply
Approximately 29,920 students defer their university courses to take a gap year. For the academic year 2022/23, this number increased to 30,970, reflecting a 28% rise since 2012 but a 15.8% decline from 2021.
A gap year can help you determine what you want to do and where to be academically. Having clear objectives for your gap year will help you to make a decision that's right for you. Look into various gap year programs, internships, volunteer opportunities, and travel plans.
When you reapply to UCAS after the gap year, use your personal statement to reflect on what you've learned and how it has prepared you for higher education. Highlight specific experiences that shaped your goals and skills and focus on how these have contributed to your personal growth and readiness for university.
Practicalities of leaving university
Finance: Changing courses partway through a year may not have much financial impact unless your new course is a different length from your current one. Use your online account at Student Finance to let your student finance body know you're changing courses. Your university will need to confirm the course change.
The Tuition Fee Loan you'll need to repay will depend on the date you withdraw from your course. Your university or college will have its own fee-charging policy, so you should speak to them about this. For example, if you leave on the first day of the second term, you must repay 50% of your loan.
If you begin a new course in the next academic year, 'previous study' rules may apply to a new student loan. Student Finance will consider any time spent on an earlier course provided by a publicly funded institution in the UK course as a full year's entitlement, no matter how long ago this was - even if you only attended for one term and didn't apply for funding.
Student Finance uses the Standard Entitlement calculation to determine your financial entitlement. In essence, this is the length of your course plus one extra ("gift") year. If you are studying a three-year course, your entitlement would be 3 plus 1 year, so 4 years in total.
Accommodation costs: If you drop out of university, you may still be liable for accommodation costs, depending on the type of accommodation you're in and whether you've signed a contract. Universities may have a time-based refund policy for students staying in their halls.
If you're in private accommodation and have signed a rental contract, you'll need to pay the balance due on the remainder of your contract. You may be able to avoid these costs if you find someone to take over your contract, but this isn't guaranteed.
Reapplying to UCAS
You can reapply to UCAS to attend university after dropping out without any negative impact on your application, though you must disclose all previous education on your UCAS application. You can then reapply using the same steps you would have taken at school or college, including submitting your grades and personal statement.
If there is a course and university you're interested in, find out if they accept transfers. You may need to reapply through UCAS, and there may be a date by which you need to do that, so ensure you have a conversation with the university before you apply.