Planning your finances

Tuition Fee Deposit Refund Policy

1. Tuition fee deposits are refunded in full in the following circumstances:

  • Where a student visa application is rejected in writing by the Embassy/High Commission. Should a visa application be rejected, you must attach the following documents to the refund request:
    • A copy of the Visa Rejection Notification from the High Commission
    • A request in writing with original signature
    The refund will not be given if the UK Government has cancelled a visa as a result of a breach of visa conditions or if the refusal is due to falsified documents.
  • Where there are exceptional circumstances beyond your control, such as illness or bereavement of an immediate family member. An application for this type of refund must be supported by certified documents, such as a doctor’s certificate and/or relevant documents verifying the situation. Decisions regarding exceptional circumstance refunds are at the discretion of the Assistant Director of the International Office.
  • In the event of a default by Birmingham City University due to the following circumstances:
    • When the University does not offer a course on the advertised start date
    • When the University terminates a course after the course start date and before the course completion date
    • When the University does not provide a course as advertised, due to sanctions or circumstances beyond its control
  • Where you cancel the contract within the 14 day cancellation period referred to in the offer letter, providing the course has not already started. If the course has already started, you will be liable to pay a proportion of the fees to cover the period from the start of the course to the date of cancellation.

2. No refunds, other than for exceptional circumstances, will be made once you have arrived in the UK and after the commencement date of the course.

3. Should any student be found to use fraudulent documents at the time of application or at the time of applying for entry clearance, no refund will be due.

4. Any requests for refunds should be emailed to international@bcu.ac.uk.

5. For refunds of £3,000 or more, you will be asked to sign a letter under the 2007 Money Laundering Act. These refunds will be returned to the source, i.e. to the person who made the original payment(s).