ºÚÁÏÉç

We know it can be a stressful time exploring the decision to change your studies. Be reassured the Student Hub provides clear guidance on the process. Read about changing course, interruption and withdrawal of your studies, including key information on the financial implications on the Changes to Study pages.

These pages also link you to other additional support services such as ²â´Ç³Ü°ù Pastoral Mentor and/ or Academic Tutor, ²â´Ç³Ü°ù Hub/Education Support Information Point, or the Students' Guild/Students' Union.

There are several alternatives depending on your personal circumstances. If you are enjoying other aspects of student life at ºÚÁÏÉç, you may prefer to stay. Options are 

• Transfer to a different course at ºÚÁÏÉç – due to tight time scales involved in this choice there are no guarantees in this option. Contact the Admissions office of the course you wish to transfer too, to confirm if there are spaces and clarify any specific entry requirements. 
• Re-apply for a different course to start the following academic year. It is not unusual to allow yourself more time to rethink your options after either suspending your studies or taking a year out.   

If you are considering these options, we recommend you explore where a different degree could take your career. The Explore what ºÚÁÏÉç graduates do pages will provide examples of where students from each degree discipline progress. 

• Stay on the course but change how you experience it. If the problem isn’t the course itself, but how things are going. You could: 

• • Adjust module choices in later years.
  • Take advantage of placements, study abroad, or employment-focused modules.
  • Access study skills or pastoral support if confidence is presenting as a barrier. 

This could transform your experience without changing degree. Alternatively, you may prefer to 

• Transfer or re-apply to a different University  

Again, there are time scales involved, so it is important to check with the course and the university you wish to transfer to. Lack of space or academic restrictions may mean you have to take time out and apply for the following year. Contact admissions tutors in other universities to seek advice about entry requirements and transfer options. 

has a lot of useful information including key dates for applying to university.

If after spending time looking at resources to guide your course search you still feel uncertain about the implications of your ideas, then remember you can book an impartial appointment with a Careers Consultant to help give more clarity to your decisions. 

To research example career options with a different degree, we recommend reading Prospect's These pages won’t offer an exhaustive list of careers but will outline both jobs related to the degree and jobs where your degree would be useful, as well as skills for your CV and work experience ideas. 

UCAS allows you to filter your  and provides helpful  

: The Open University offers distance learning options.

Sometimes it may be that you just need some time out to decide what might be the right next step for you, and that’s Okay. There is the option to interrupt your studies which you will need to discuss with your academic tutor / pastoral mentor. Further information can be found on our Changes to Study pages.  

For more practical advice on ‘suspending or withdrawing from full time studies’ read

How you now choose to use this time is up to you. Some people decide to work, volunteer, go travelling, work on developing certain skills etc. Below are some links that may be useful, you may also wish to refer to the ‘Alternatives to University’ section. 

•  - ICS offers dynamic volunteer placements where participants can immerse themselves in a new culture and contribute to projects that make a tangible difference. These placements are ideal for college students, recent graduates, or anyone seeking a gap year experience. 

• Save the Student has a , which highlights the benefits of volunteering and gives examples of the types of opportunity available. Whilst Prospects offers advice on , including how to find volunteering opportunities in both the UK and overseas. 

•  - funded voluntary opportunities in Europe, from 2 weeks to 12 months. Free accommodation, food, insurance and pocket money is included. Small part of travel costs might be payable. Includes a database of accredited organisations 

•  – paid STEM (Science, Maths, Technology & Engineering) cadetships in the year out before university or for those up to age 21. 

• Recruitment Agencies -  

•  – gap year travel, inspiration and advice. 

•  - includes links to a range of gap year and voluntary organisations. 

•  an interesting 2023 article published by the Guardian on how to learn and study in the UK at a low cost. 

You don’t necessarily need to tell your tutor that you’re thinking about changing or leaving your course. However, talking to your tutor can be useful if you want advice or support. Tutors often know about: 

• Transferring to another course.
• Sources of academic support. 
• How leaving could affect grades.
• Sources of other university support.  

You don’t need to present it as a final decision you could simply say: 

“I’ve been questioning whether this course is right for me and wanted to discuss my options.” 

When contacting an admissions tutor, the main things to include are: 

• who you are and what you currently study, 
• which course you are interested in, 
• why the course appeals to you, 
• and what information or advice you are hoping to get. 

You do not need to make it overly formal or sound completely certain about changing courses. It is fine to say you are exploring your options. You could explain that you are reconsidering your current course and are interested in learning more about another programme because of its modules, career opportunities, or subject focus. You can then ask practical questions such as: 

• whether transfers are possible, 
• what qualifications or grades are needed, 
• whether previous study can count toward the course, 
• and what deadlines or application steps you should know about. 

It is usually best to keep the message clear, polite, and concise. Admissions tutors are mainly looking for genuine interest and enough information to understand your situation. 

University is not the best option for all students. Having considered what you enjoy and how you best learn you may prefer to consider:  

School leaver programmes  

If you’re thinking about a career in the following industries: Accounting and Finance, Engineering, Retail, Marketing and PR, Property and Construction and Defence then these programmes may be an option for you. They are like an Apprenticeship in that they allow you to work full-time and possibly complete a sponsored degree programme. Read more:

Apprenticeships

If you are still looking for a ‘university experience’ then apprenticeships provide training on the job and qualifications with a partner university or college while getting paid. You can apply for degree apprenticeships at level 6 (bachelors) and level 7 (masters). They exist in many sectors including ones that are traditionally difficult to get into such as engineering & IT.  Information can be found: 

Finding work and explore other training opportunities  

You could look for work, full-time or part-time. Read  this article explores how employers are using social media to recruit, and how you can find a job this way. 

If you're not sure what you want to do, it is worth looking at various websites and resources to generate ideas. 

• Try working through Prospects Planner to generate ideas:  
•  aimed at school leaver level is good for career information with helpful video career stories.
• Career Pilot:  
• Jobcentre plus:  
• The National Careers Service (NCS).   Tel: 0800 100 900  

Don’t assume employers will view your choices negatively. Employers will respond to your situation based on the information you provide them. It is therefore sensible to present your change of course in a positive way. How you do this will depend on your own circumstances, but you could show an understanding of self-awareness, responsibility, research skills and decision-making ability in presenting how you took this choice. Your change of study plans may also be influenced by career decisions and so it is important to highlight this too. 

It is important to think about how you present a change of direction on your CV. Employers will often spot gaps in education or employment, so it is wise to account for that time. Use dates to clarify when you were studying at a specific institution. Highlight the skills you acquired or the relevant knowledge you developed as part of any course or module you studied. If you complete and pass year 1 of your programme you will be awarded a Certificate of Higher Education. If you complete and pass 2 years of the programme you will be awarded a Diploma of Higher Education. Contact the Student Hubs if you need further clarity on your own personal situation. 

Switching courses at university can have financial repercussions, such as transferring to a longer or shorter course. Depending on your level of study there may be a different fee associated with the programme of study you wish to change to. Please review the Student Fees  for details on programme charges at ºÚÁÏÉç. The Career Zone does not provide financial advice, so we ask you visit , if you are a home UK student. Advice for international students.

Students’ Union – Guild or SU:  

Offer advice and support. For more information about the support available: 

Accommodation Office:   

You may need to seek advice about the terms and conditions of your accommodation before making any decisions about leaving your course. For questions about transfers or withdrawals (or about negotiating to stay in your accommodation if you decide to leave university) you should contact the Accommodation Office. 

Student Support website and the Counselling Service  

If you feel particularly distressed by the prospect of a course change or withdrawal, you may also want to investigate the support provided by the Wellbeing Service – one-to-one appointments and workshops that may, for example, help you manage the stress or emotional impact of this change: 

• ºÚÁÏÉç - Wellbeing Services | Student Wellbeing | University of ºÚÁÏÉç
• Penryn -  

Accessibility 
Can provide help and support to students who have a disability or long-term health issue that may be impacting their studies and life at University. 

• ºÚÁÏÉç - Advice and support | Student Wellbeing | University of ºÚÁÏÉç
• Penryn -  

Help for International Students 

There can be more complicated issues around funding and visa regulations for international students, so it is important to get in touch with the International Student Support Centre. Also see our dedicated careers pages for International students.

Prospects has useful information with further FAQ’s about changing or leaving a course &²Ô²ú²õ±è; &²Ô²ú²õ±è; 

Targetjobs provides practical considerations to help inform your decision, including presenting that decision to employers.  â€¯. 

Remember you are not alone in any of this. Career guidance will help you to feel more confident in your change of direction, whilst application support, including CV, LinkedIn and Interview advice will help you articulate the value of all your experiences.