Submitting an appeal

Understanding why you have been excluded

If you have not paid your full fees by the deadline or defaulted on an agreed payment plans this will be the reason you have been withdrawn. Any contact with the Finance Team will need to be added to the appeals form. It is our understanding students that do not pay their outstanding tuition fees within 56 days of the invoiced payment date, this would result in full exclusion from your programme. 

Stage 1 (Informal) Appeal 

If you feel you have grounds to appeal your exclusion, you would need to discuss this with the Finance Team. We would advise you do this as soon as you can, as you have 10 working days to submit your Stage 2 appeal if you remain dissatisfied from these discussions. You can initiate your Stage 1 appeal through the enquiry form on this link 

If you no longer have access to your student portal, please use this link 

For London Campus students, you can visit the Finance Team in person at the drop-in sessions from 1pm to 3pm, Monday to Friday.

Stage 2 (Formal) Appeal 

If you are unhappy with the outcome of your discussions at Stage 1, then you can submit an appeal in writing to the Finance Team by completing the appeals form.

Please note completing the appeal form is not just a tick-box exercise and you must provide information on why your case meets the ground it is based on. The Finance Team would be looking for more information than just disagreeing with the decision or adding you have paid your fees (but late). Paying your fees after you have been excluded does not reverse the decision and you must base your appeal on one of the grounds below. 

a)   The Finance Team did not follow the correct procedures when excluding you for non-payment of tuition fees (and that this significantly affects the outcome)

And/or

b)   That you have new information about your personal extenuating circumstances that you could not bring to the attention of the University prior to exclusion, and which significantly affects the outcome.

If you are basing your appeal on ground a

You would need to explain which procedure was not followed and provide evidence to support this. This ground cannot be used because you disagree with the decision made by the university or because you have now paid your fees, but late.

If you are basing your appeal on ground b

This would need to be new information you have not already told the Finance Team. If you have not spoken to them, you would need to include information on these circumstances and evidence to support this. You would also need to include information on why you have not spoken to the Finance Team. 

If you have already spoken to the Finance Team and presented this evidence, they would be looking for new information not already discussed. Especially if a payment plan or extension had already been agreed on these circumstances. The Finance Team would be looking for evidence of why you were unable to adhere to the payment plan and/or extension. If you would like any further guidance on this ground, you would need to let us know what information you have already told the finance team and what their response was at the time. 

Both Stage 1 and 2 must be submitted to the Finance Team within 10 working days from the date on your ‘Final Exclusion Letter’.  

A member of university staff who has had no previous involvement in making a decision about your case will consider your appeal and you should be notified of a decision in writing normally within 10 working days of your appeal being received by the Finance Team. At times appeal outcomes can often be late.

Preparing your appeal

1. Draft information setting details of your case and the reason why you are appealing (please see next question for suggestions)
2. Complete a Exclusion for non-payment of fees appeal form, you are unable to submit your appeal without this form.
3. Gather evidence to support your case. 
4. Review your document, if you have any questions or would like any feedback on your draft appeal, please email su.advice@northumbria.ac.uk
5. If you are submitting your appeal within the 10 working day deadline, you would need to upload your form on this link
6. If you no longer have access to your student portal, please use this link 

You may find it helpful to think about

• The reason why you have been unable to pay your fees.
• If you are an international student to obtain your CAS letter you have provided evidence you had the full tuition fees, if there is a reason of why these funds are no longer available you would need to provide an explanation why and provide evidence to support this. 
• Were there circumstances in your life which had an affect on these fees, if so, include this information and provide evidence to support this.
• Do you have any missing or additional information that you could not provide at your Stage 1 that you can now provide now. 
• Did you notify the Finance Team about your difficulties with paying your fees? If you contacted the Finance Team, then we would suggest you explain this and include evidence
• If you will be able to settle the outstanding fees before your submit your appeal or during the appeal process.

Paying your fees after you have received the Final Exclusion Letter is not an appeal ground and you would still need to submit an appeal. 

Can the Advice Team write my appeal?

No, we can provide guidance on what to include in an appeal, but we are unable to write this on your behalf. This is because you are the owner of your case and only you can explain why you have not paid your fees. We can provide feedback on completed forms and suggestions of what you could include.

Are there any deadline to submit an appeal?

Yes, you have 10 working days from the date of your Final Exclusion Letter to submit your appeal. If you miss this deadline you would need to include a reason of why you did not submit an appeal before the deadline. It is important that you include this information as the university may not consider your case, unless they are satisfied you have explained the lateness. As mentioned above it is important that you provide an explanation of why you are submitting an appeal and just paying the fees is not an appeal ground. 

The Advice Team are here to help you with your case. For personalised advice or to ask further questions please email su.advice@northumbria.ac.uk