There are many reasons why you may feel it is the right decision to change your course, and the Students' Union are here to help you make the right decision for you. You might have an academic concern, such as not feeling as if the subject is for you, or there is something else you would prefer to pursue. If this is the case, it is a good idea to speak with a member of academic staff who you feel comfortable with about how you are feeling. They will be able to discuss your options with you, and the Students' Union are more than happy to set this meeting up, facilitate it and support you throughout the process.

If you feel like the workload is getting quite a lot for you, and you are struggling to understand how to be the most successful in assessments, you can book an appointment with the Learning and Development Tutor. You can access these services through Gateway on your campus, either pop in and see them in person or email at:

• Canterbury: gatewaycanterbury@uca.ac.uk
• Epsom: gatewayepsom@uca.ac.uk
• Farnham: gatewayfarnham@uca.ac.uk

You may be working through some personal issues that are getting in the way of your course. You can contact the Wellbeing team for a wellbeing check-in. At the check-in you can discuss your circumstances and decide the best route forward, whether that be counselling or something else. Please contact the wellbeing team at wellbeing@uca.ac.uk If you feel that you might struggle to meet a deadline on account of your personal circumstances, you can apply for mitigating circumstances. See the information on mitigating circumstances and how the Students' Union can support you here.

There are several options you can take and people you can speak to about this. It is a big decision and not to be taken lightly, so please know you can always come and talk to the Students' Union, to your Course Leader, or anyone else you feel comfortable having that conversation with. If you do decide to leave university, we will be sorry to see you go.

If you'd like to know more about withdrawing from UCA and check if you are eligible for a refund, you can take a look at UCA's Fees, Refunds, and Debtors Policy.

You might decide that you would like to take a break, and under certain criteria, you can do this. Non-academic interruption is when you have permission to take a break from continuous study, for personal reasons rather than academic performance. If you choose to interrupt your studies for non-academic reasons, you need to discuss this with the Course Leader and have approval from UCA. The interruption will be at the discretion of your Head of School.

If you don’t seek approval and have not provided medical or other evidence about non-attendance (of two weeks), UCA will assume that you have withdrawn. If you need to interrupt your studies for medical reasons, you will be required to provide evidence that you are fit to resume your studies before you rejoin the course. Interruption will initially be approved for a period of no longer than one year and will normally be approved for a period no longer than one term. You are entitled to apply for further successive periods of interruption if appropriate.

Will these changes affect me/my ability to complete my course?

No. All current UCA students will be able to complete their courses as planned.

Will any current students be required to leave, or transfer courses?

No. Only a few of the courses UCA plan to withdraw are currently running. For these, there will be a ‘staged withdrawal’ that allows all current students to continue and complete their courses.

Will UCA still support/resource my course to the same level now that it has plans to withdraw it?

Yes. UCA is committed to providing every student with the best possible experience while they are enrolled. The fact that your course will not run in the future does not make it any less important while it continues to be taught.

Why is UCA changing the selection of courses it offers?

The course portfolio is reviewed yearly and changes are made based on the numbers of applicants and enrolled students. This year, making the differences between courses easier for prospective students to understand was also considered, so that it is more straightforward to for you to work out which might suit you best.