From time to time circumstances arise which are outside a student’s control and which may prevent them from performing to their full potential. 

The Student Finance Framework sets out University policy on when exceptional circumstances meet the threshold for a tuition fee liability review.  The Framework states in Section 5.6 that “to meet the threshold for an adjustment to tuition fee liability there must be clear evidence of a significant negative impact on the student’s ability to engage with their studies over the period of the semester and/or academic year”. Exceptional circumstances are circumstances that are exceptional or ‘unforeseen’ and are over and above the course of everyday experience. The Framework is available at Fees and Funding | Study | Queen's University Belfast (qub.ac.uk)

Where a student is experiencing exceptional circumstances which significantly impact their ability to engage with their studies they are required to inform their School, at the earliest opportunity.

To submit an application for a tuition fee liability review, as a result of exceptional circumstances, a student must submit in writing a request for a review to their School, accompanied by documentary evidence supporting their exceptional circumstances. The School will consider the evidence and determine whether they will support the request. 

Following approval the School will submit the application for a review of a tuition fee liability based on exceptional circumstances to the Tuition Fee Liability Review Group, who will determine whether a tuition fee waiver is approved or not.

The following types of requests can only be considered by the Tuition Fee Liability Review Group: 

• Retrospective permanent or temporary withdrawal or dropping modules
• Extensions with module re-enrolments

Please refer to the link below for examples of exceptional circumstances

Guidelines for Students on Exceptional Circumstances | Academic & Student Affairs | Queen's University Belfast (qub.ac.uk)

Please note however to meet the threshold for an adjustment to a tuition fee liability there must be clear evidence of a significant negative impact on the student’s ability to engage with their studies over the period of the semester and/or academic year.

Financial problems are not deemed exceptional for the purposes of this review process. Short term illness may also not be considered to have a significant negative impact on the student’s ability to engage with their studies over the period of the semester and/or academic year.