Parents FAQs

Find the answers to some frequently asked questions.

Admissions

What should we expect on results day?

Your child will receive their results from their school or college – this may be in person, by post or electronically. Universities are not permitted to disclose results to applicants.

If your child meets the offer conditions for their firm choice, they will be accepted and this will show in UCAS Hub as confirmed. If they miss the firm conditions but meet the requirements for their insurance university, that university will become your child’s confirmed choice instead. If the insurance university cannot accept your child’s grades either, they will either:

  • have an ‘unconditional place with substantial changes to your original choice’ which means their firm or insurance choice have offered a change to the course, start date or point of entry
  • or enter UCAS Clearing.

What happens if my child does not meet the conditions of their University of Leeds offer?

We have a process in place to consider applicants who have not met their offer conditions, so they will not automatically be made unsuccessful.

For some courses, we may be able to offer a small degree of flexibility in order to accept applicants who did not meet their conditions exactly.

Alternatively, if we are not able to offer your child a place on their original course, we may make them an offer for a similar course instead. This is called a changed course offer, and your child will be able to accept or decline it in UCAS Hub. If this is not an option, unfortunately your child’s application will be made unsuccessful.

What if my child needs to go through Clearing?

Clearing is available for students who are not currently holding an offer for university, perhaps because they did not receive or accept any offers, did not get the grades they were expecting, have had a change of heart about their university or course or are applying after 30 June. Although some courses may already be full, there are usually some opportunities available in Clearing.

For students who already have their results, early Clearing will be available from early July, though the main Clearing period begins on A-level results day. You will be able to check our website at that time to see which courses are available and find out how your child can contact us to discuss making a Clearing application.

UCAS also offers a personalised service called Clearing Plus which will show your child relevant course vacancies at universities using what they already know from your child’s application.

You can find out more about Clearing on the UCAS website.

Find out whether there are any clearing vacancies at the University of Leeds.

How do accommodation and finance work for Clearing applicants?

Clearing applicants will be able to apply for accommodation once their place has been confirmed with us. We will aim to allocate their room by early September. While we unfortunately cannot guarantee Clearing applicants a place in a University residence, we are confident we will be able to help them find accommodation.

If your child has previously applied for student finance, they can easily change their course details through their student finance account. If not, they can still apply after their Clearing place has been confirmed, though they may have to wait a little longer to receive all of their money.

How do accommodation and finance work for insurance applicants?

If Leeds was originally your child’s insurance option but it becomes their firm choice once they have received their results, they will then be able to apply for accommodation. We can guarantee them a room as long as they apply by 31 August. We will aim to allocate their accommodation by early September. We recommend that insurance applicants take a look at our accommodation options in advance, just in case they need to make an application.

If your child has previously applied for student finance, they can easily change their course details through their student finance account. If not, they can still apply after their new firm place has been confirmed, though they may have to wait a little longer to receive all of their money.

What happens if my child gets better grades than planned?

If your child gets better grades than expected and have met or exceeded the offer conditions of their firm choice they may want to reconsider where and what to study. If this is the case they can decline their place in their application to go through Clearing instead. It’s very important that your child speaks to the university they want to move to first to ensure they can accept them onto a course. Once they have confirmation of a place, they can release themselves into Clearing using the ‘decline your place’ button on UCAS. They shouldn’t release themselves into Clearing before they have a confirmed offer otherwise they may be left without a place.  

What happens if my child changes their mind about their university, course or year of entry?

If your child holds an offer from us but wants to change their course or year of entry, this may be possible. They should contact the admissions team for their course (and for the new course, if applicable) to discuss this. Contact details can be found in Course Search.

It isn’t possible to change firm and insurance choices, if your child decides that they no longer wish to attend their firm choice, their only option is to decline it in UCAS Hub once they have their results. Please note that this will place them into Clearing, not with their insurance choice, so they should consider their decision carefully.

Finances

How and when should I pay the tuition fees?

Eligible full-time or part-time UK or EU students can apply for a loan from the government to cover the full cost of the tuition fees and they will not have to start paying it back until they are earning over a certain amount. There is information on repaying student loans on Gov.UK.

If a student is a full-time undergraduate who has chosen not to take a loan but has not set up a plan to pay in instalments, the full amount is due immediately when they register. The fee for the full year is shown on the student's registration screen. If you have other tuition queries please contact the relevant Accounts Receivable clerk.

Can bills be sent to a third party?

No, we cannot automatically issue bills to a third party. All statements are sent via email to students at their University of Leeds email address. This is because our contract is with the student and nobody else. You can gain access to financial information with their permission by requesting their PIN. Find out how students can allow a third party to contact us on their behalf.

The Student Loans Company have got my household income wrong. What should I do?

If you believe the Student Loans Company have assessed your household income incorrectly, you can request a reassessment. Contact details can be found on the Student Finance pages of the Government website.

How much should my child budget for each week?

This varies but our Living cost and budgeting page offers guidance about the typical cost of living for students in Leeds. You can also visit Leeds University Union money advice pages.

Can you send me a Council Tax Exemption certificate or a Registration Confirmation Certificate for my son or daughter?

Students need to apply for their own certificates due to legislation under the Data Protection Act. Students can apply online for a Council Tax Exemption certificate or Registration Confirmation Certificate, or in person at the Student Services Centre counter.

My income has changed. What do I do?

Student Finance (SF) know that financial situations can change. Do not worry. They can account for this situation when they run a financial assessment. If this applies to you and there has been a significant drop in your household income since the previous tax year, SF can use up to date, current income figures. This ensures that financial assessments are as accurate as they can be.

For more information about this process, have a look at their Current Year Income Assessment page and download an income assessment form if required.

Studying

What happens if my child fails any of their modules?

The students’ union website offers advice on resitting modules that have been failed. Students are advised to contact their school for any further advice. They should also contact their school as soon as possible to inform them of any mitigating circumstances they feel may have contributed to their failure.

What will my child’s contact hours be?

Contact hours vary according to the course. Some will involve more reading outside of lectures than others and others will entail lab work. Students are advised to contact their school for information on their specific course. Our students are supported in their academic and personal development through regular, structured meetings with a personal tutor throughout their time at university.

How can I find out how my child is doing academically?

UK universities are not permitted to release information about academic progress, attendance or anything else to any third party without that student's express consent. If you want to know how your son/daughter is doing at Leeds, all you can do is ask them. Students facing academic, social or personal issues can speak to their personal tutor or find out more about our support services.

Student life

What is freshers’ week?

There will be a series of induction and welcome events in the first few weeks of each academic year. Fresher's week will include fairs, with a range of information available about societies and sports clubs, and chances to meet other students. We have more than 250 societies so there are plenty of opportunities for your son or daughter to try something new. Our students' union releases further information about activities in advance of freshers’ week. Students can keep an eye on the Leeds University Union events calendar to find out more.

Are there many opportunities for part-time work in Leeds?

Joblink is an on-campus and online job centre that is part of the students’ union. It can help students looking for part-time, temporary or voluntary work. The service is for members of Leeds University Union and recent graduates.

How much part-time work would be advisable for a student alongside their studies?

Joblink’s part-time job advertisements usually indicate how many hours per week the student will be expected to work, with categories of one-to-ten hours, ten to 15 hours and 15-20 hours. Individual students should take into account their workload and other commitments when deciding whether to take on a part-time job and how many hours they would like to work. The general recommendation for full-time students is to work a maximum of 15 hours per week.

My child has a disability/health condition. How will they be supported?

The University has a fantastic Disability Services team. Please encourage your child to register with them as soon as possible through completing a short form and providing evidence.

Disabled students make up over 14% of the student body at Leeds. We know that the word “disability” can mean different things to different people, and your child may not have thought of themselves as being disabled before. But it is worth considering whether you might be entitled to support.

Once your child has submitted their details, the team will review their registration to ensure that they have given all the information needed. They will contact your child within a few weeks to confirm their registration and advise about next steps. While your child is waiting for the application to be processed, you can encourage them to apply for disabled students’ funding, as this also takes some time to set up. Find information about funding and eligibility on our funding for disabled students page.

Our disability services at Leeds page includes more information and a handbook for prospective students.

How will you be supporting new students who may need additional support in the transition from school to university (pastorally and perhaps financially too)?

At Leeds we have really strong wellbeing and support services and we pride ourselves on that. We are aware that increasingly, more students may be struggling, and we are committed to supporting all students throughout their transition to University.

Each student is allocated an academic personal tutor when they start with us and this contact will keep in touch with your child regularly, helping with the transition to university study.

Leeds University Union’s (LUU) Help and Support team provide support on all matters of student life, including student finances, loans, fees and funding, and advice on budgeting and managing debt. They can help students apply for funding and get support if you are facing financial hardship.

There is a range of resources and information available to support students at Leeds, visit the wellbeing and support pages to find out more.