Information for students on closure of courses at Spurgeon’s College
This page provides information for students affected by the closure of higher education courses at Spurgeon’s College.
We will update the page with more information as it becomes available.
Information for students
Students at Spurgeon’s College have been told today that their higher education courses will be closed. We understand that this is an exceptionally difficult time for students at Spurgeon’s. We are talking urgently to the college and its validators to do all we can to ensure that students' interests are protected in this challenging situation.
From Monday 18 November, a student transition support team at the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB) will be available to help you transfer to another educational provider, with a comparable programme, to complete your studies. Their contact details are <email>.
If you need talk to someone at the college before that they can be contacted by <email>.
- Current students whose degrees will be awarded by University of Manchester, Liverpool Hope University, Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body can contact them to access student records.
- Graduates with degrees awarded by University of Manchester, Liverpool Hope University, Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Counselling can contact them for their certificates.
- Students at Irish Baptist College (IBC) whose qualifications are validated by Spurgeon’s College should contact IBC to access their student records and discuss the impact of the closure of Spurgeon’s College on their qualification.
- Current student for awards validated by Spurgeon’s College will be issued a copy of their transcript via email by the student transition support team.
- Graduates who have been awarded by Spurgeon’s College should have already received a copy of your award. You can access your academic records by contacting the Office for Students [confirm email address to use]. You should be prepared to confirm your student ID number and other personal information that will allow us to verify your identity.
Affected students should also download their course work as soon as possible before the Moodle closes at <detail>.
Students should also consider contacting the Student Loan Company (SLC) if they have a student loan, and UK Visas and Immigration if they are an international student living in the UK.
What can students expect?
In this situation, all students at Spurgeon’s College must be given:
- the opportunity to continue with their students at another university or college, or
- the option to end their studies and receive credit for their academic attainment to date.
Students can also explore the full range of study options available to them through UCAS, which has information on the majority of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the UK.
Students should be able to discuss transfer options or other suitable courses they are interested in during their conversations with Spurgeon’s College.
We are working with Spurgeon’s College to ensure they are doing everything they can to enable students to find an acceptable alternative to continue their studies.
SLC is responsible for paying tuition fees directly to colleges and universities on behalf of students. Once the student confirms which university they will study at, the university will inform SLC and tuition fees will be paid as per the normal process.
Students may also be entitled to compensation for the disruption and associated costs.
If you have a complaint that relates to the closure of courses at Spurgeon’s, you can raise this with the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education(OIA).
The OIA is an independent body that reviews student complaints about higher education providers in England and Wales. Its service is free for students. However, because Spurgeon’s has closed it is unlikely that the OIA will be able to fully review your complaint and if it were to uphold a complaint there are likely to be limited options for putting things right. You should contact the OIA directly for more information.
There is more information on refunds and compensations on the OIA website.
Self-funded students
If you have paid for all or part of your course upfront without a student loan, you may experience delays to any refund you seek because an administrator would be appointed to consider all creditor’s claims. When we receive more information on the arrangements we will provide an update on this page.
If you used a credit card to pay for your fees you may be able to use Section 75 refunds in the event that have fees were paid on a credit card.
Contact with Spurgeon’s College
Spurgeon’s students have been told that their courses are being closed and their options will be explained to them by the Student Transition Support team at the Baptist Union of Great Britain.
Any students who, for whatever reason, may not have received a direct communication from Spurgeon’s College should make contact as follows:
CONTACT INFO HERE
If you have a complaint that relates to the closure of courses at Spurgeon’s College, you should raise the matter with the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA).
The OIA is an independent body that reviews student complaints about higher education providers in England and Wales. The OIA’s service is intended as a free alternative to legal action.
Because Spurgeon’s has closed it is unlikely that the OIA will be able to fully review your complaint and if it were to uphold a complaint there are likely to be limited options for putting things right. You should contact the OIA directly for more information.
Support and advice are available on Saturday, 16 November and Sunday 17 November from <details>. The student transition support team will be available from Monday for help with transferring to another course.
We appreciate the impact this news may have on students affected. If you are concerned about your mental health and wellbeing, there are resources available.
Student Minds, the UK’s student mental health charity, offers lots of information on the support available for students.
If you need urgent support for yourself or a friend, there are services that can help:
- The Samaritans are open every day of the year, you can phone them for free on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org.
- Mind, the mental health charity, offers support by phone at 0300 123 3393 or online.
- Papyrus will provide confidential help and advice to young people thinking about suicide and anyone worried about a young person.
- SHOUT 85258 is a free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope.
If you need medical advice you can:
- book an emergency GP appointment with your GP surgery
- call the NHS 111 (England and Wales) or NHS 24 (Scotland, 08454 242424) for urgent advice
- call 999 or visit your nearest accident and emergency department (A&E) if it's an emergency
- find out about longer term support available through the NHS.
We recognise that this situation is difficult for international students, but you may still have opportunities to continue to study in the UK. You also do not need to leave the UK immediately.
As an international student, your permission to stay in the UK is based on Spurgeon’s College holding a sponsor licence.
After Spurgeon’s licence to sponsor international students ends, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) will review your permission and contact you with a new, shorter visa expiry date.
You will usually have 60 days’ permission to remain in the UK from the date that UKVI contact you with a new expiry date, unless there is less than 60 days left on your current permission.
Until you are contacted by UKVI, your current permission expiry date remains in place.
You can apply for permission to stay in the UK to study on a new course as long as the new course starts no more than 28 days after the expiry date of your permission – depending on when you apply, this may be your current expiry date, or the new expiry date given by UKVI.
The UK Council for International Student Affairs can provide advice and support for international students.
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