NUS Scotland says early drop-out fees for students 'unfair'

Charging students who leave their university and college courses early is unfair, according to NUS Scotland.

Currently if Scottish students withdraw from a course before a certain cut-off date they may be liable to meet the cost of their tuition for that year.

Last year, 12 institutions applied fees to people who left early. The NUS has called for the practice to be scrapped.

The BBC's The Nine programme heard from students faced with bills after dropping out early.

The Scottish government said most colleges and universities did not charge full-time Student Award Agency Scotland (SAAS)-funded students who withdraw from their course early.

What are the guidelines?

Scottish students studying at Scottish institutions do not pay tuition fees.

They apply to SAAS annually which then arranges for fees to be paid to the institutions where they are studying.

SAAS has tuition fee-cut off dates - with these varying depending on what time of the year a course begins.

The guidelines state: "If you withdraw from your course before the tuition fee cut-off date, we will not pay tuition fees or give you a tuition fee loan for your time in attendance.

"Your institution may still charge you tuition fees and you will be liable to meet this cost."

'Stressful and upsetting'

Some students who dropped out of their courses early and were then asked to pay have told BBC Scotland they were not warned about this consequence.

Charlie Fender was on an HND beauty therapy course at City of Glasgow College when her mental health began to deteriorate.

Her attendance fell and she eventually stopped going to college and moved home to Orkney. Shortly after this, her mother died suddenly.

She then got a letter from SAAS saying she owed them more than £500 because she left her college course early.

"It was pretty stressful because I obviously had to pack everything up and come home," she said.

"It's quite an expensive journey as well, going from Glasgow."

'Absolute panic'

She said she was shocked to learn she owed money for fees.

"It was just really quite upsetting, because I hadn't started work at this point either. So I wasn't actually making an income to pay this off.

"And I didn't want to have to ask my dad for any money after everything that happened."

Charlie is now in the process of paying back what she owes.

Olivia Lopez said she panicked when she learned she would have to pay the fee for her course

Olivia Lopez, who began an HND in make-up artistry at City of Glasgow College, found herself in a similar situation after dropping out after just a few weeks.

"It was just an absolute panic," she said about receiving the letter telling her she would need to pay the tuition fee.

"I didn't want to pay for it… I didn't know if I had to pay for it all immediately, because the letter makes it seem like you need to pay this as soon as possible.

"And I'm a student, I work part-time, I don't have the money to pay that".

She is challenging the college's request for fees to be paid.

Call for change

Student leaders have condemned the practice of charging people tuition fees after early withdrawal.

"NUS Scotland are absolutely in no way in favour of these fees," said Liam McCabe, president of NUS Scotland.

"We have been one of Scotland's greatest advocates for free education. The fact that anyone would be charged for an education, when they have left, it is completely against our principles and against our values...and should be against the values of an education system which is free, fair and accessible to all."

NUS Scotland president Liam McCabe said people should not be asked to pay if they leave courses early

He said colleges and universities had to be more consistent in their policies.

"I think that colleges have a really important and key responsibility when it comes to looking after their students," he said.

"But unfortunately, what we've seen across the country is that many students are being dealt with inconsistently when these things pop up.

"Some are being charged, some are not being charged and some are even being pursued by debt collection agencies - and we fully condemn that."

'Guidance and support'

City of Glasgow College said all students were informed of financing options available to them and what to do if they needed support when they registered and came for induction.

It said the information was also available on the college's website and that any student "struggling to pay or refund fees is also offered guidance and support".

A spokesman added: "We also appreciate there is a lot for new students to take in and we are looking at how that information could be made even more widely available."

A Scottish government spokeswoman said: "As with all student debt, institutions will consider any personal or exceptional circumstances.

"While this is a matter for individual colleges and universities, we are considering how best to address this issue."