Kristen Zanoni  |  September 29, 2020

Category: Covid-19

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A man studies at home using a laptop and notebooks at a table - tuition fee refunds

Parents and students have begun demanding tuition fee refunds after thousands of locked-down students have been forced into distance learning as a result of the pandemic. 

Dozens of universities are facing soaring COVID-19 cases, forcing thousands of students to self-isolate, according to the Daily Mail. Students who are distance learning in lockdown are still paying £9,250 a year, and they are asking for tuition fee refunds. 

Can I Get a Refund If I’m Distance Learning?

Outbreaks of the coronavirus on university campuses have created a rise in demand for tuition fee refunds from students after thousands of freshmen are locked in their dorms, but they will probably not be receiving a full tuition fee refund.

The government said students should not expect a tuition fee refund if they have access to distance learning, the BBC reported.

Freshers at many universities began the school year taking a combination of in-person lectures and online distance learning. But some students are facing mandatory distance learning.

Aberystwyth has established a temporary ban on in-person classes due to the coronavirus, according to the BBC.

Even if your university has banned in-person classes, you are unlikely to get a tuition fee refund if you have access to distance learning.

But some MPs and the National Union of Students have requested that students get discounts if their quality of learning has been seriously affected.

According to BBC, a spokesperson for the prime minister noted that universities are independent and will be able to make their own rules. It has has been suggested that universities should consider partial refunds, but that remains to be seen.

Are There Any Circumstances In Which Tuition Fee Refunds Will Be Granted?

Nothing is definite right now, but universities could pass savings onto students. Many students are distance learning, but they have a right to additional resources. 

”If they don’t have access to libraries and research facilities, students would have a claim for breach of contract,” lawyer Boz Michalowska-Howells at Leigh Day told the BBC. “Any savings universities make by not providing facilities or through government schemes should be passed on to students via fee reductions.” 

Blue "Learning" key on computer keyboard - tuition fee refundsThe Office for Students (OfS) says it is willing to investigate if there are doubts that universities are not taking practical measures to upkeep standards.

Some students who have to self-isolate can receive additional support.

A few universities have taken steps to provide students with assistance.

Manchester Metropolitan University is giving financial help, food and essential items to students who are self-isolating in their rooms. And Glasgow University is providing all students with a refund of one month’s rent and is £50 for food.

What If My University Initiates an Official Lockdown? 

The government says students are not allowed to leave their dorm rooms or go home during an outbreak, but this is a guideline that cannot be legally enforced. 

If students have a valid reason to go home for a long period, they are able to do so in Scotland as long as they have a reasonable excuse. The guidance labels a “reasonable excuse” as one being related to mental health or bereavement.

Each area has different lockdown guidelines.

For example, people are granted access to travel in and out of Leicester and Oldham, but in Wales travelling to and from is only allowed with a reasonable excuse.

Check with your local area to understand what the guidelines are to avoid any possible fines.

Can I Socialise?

In Scotland, university students are prohibited from socialising outside their homes. Students have also been advised to forgo bars, pubs and restaurants while the pandemic guidelines are in place.

Residents of some parts of England are free to socialise under the rule of six if the group lives in the same home.

University students are advised to stick with the people living with them, or in the same residence halls, but are limited to that.

If any person is showing signs of illness, they must self-isolate.

Check your local rules to be sure you are following them.

Do you think students should receive full tuition fee refunds if they are distance learning? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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