2019/20 Terms and Conditions Applicable to the Provision of the University’s Educational Services for Postgraduate Research Students

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Introduction

Welcome to the Manchester Metropolitan University’s general Terms and Conditions for postgraduate research students. Please read these Terms and Conditions and the documents detailed within carefully before applying to the University, before accepting our offer and again before enrolling with us. It isn’t possible to provide the full detail of every policy or procedure that may apply to your studies or the services offered by the University within the text of these Terms and Conditions.

You will find a number of links included within these Terms and Conditions or the documents referred to within them that will allow you to access more detailed information on particular areas. We know that we’re providing a lot of information to you so we’ve also included a number of annotations to try to explain in plain language some key points. The annotations don’t form part of our contract but we hope they help you; there’s no hidden small print and we’ve tried to make sure that our Terms and Conditions are easy to understand and fair. From here on in, we’ll refer to Manchester Metropolitan University as “the University”, to you as “you”, a “student” or a “postgraduate researcher”, an educational or research programme of study as a “programme” and to these Terms and Conditions as the “Terms”. Within this document where the term “student” is referred to, this relates to a policy that is applicable for all students across the University, i.e., undergraduate, taught postgraduate and postgraduate researchers.

Please note that during your time as a postgraduate researcher with us, it is the University’s policy to use your University email address to communicate with you. Please check your emails regularly to make sure you stay up to date.

Programme Information

For up-to-date information on our programmes of study, please refer to the University Research Study website.

Information relating to our research areas of strategic strength that are world-leading and internationally excellent is also available on the University website.

Changes to Programmes

Please note that our programmes are subject to review and development on an ongoing basis. Changes may sometimes be necessary. We only make changes where we consider it necessary to do so and/or where we feel that certain changes are in the best interests of students. Occasionally, we have to make changes for reasons outside of our control. For further information on when we may make changes to your programme and the consultation process that may be involved, please see Section 10 of these Terms.

1. WHAT IS THE CONTRACT BETWEEN YOU AND THE UNIVERSITY?

At its heart, it is a contract under which the University agrees to provide educational services and the facilities for you to undertake your research and study and you agree to progress your research degree at the University and to abide by University regulations and these Terms.

Successful provision of the services relies upon a strong partnership between you, staff and the University. Underpinning the partnership is a number of regulations, policies and procedures and you will find further information within the Policies, Regulations and Procedures on the Graduate School website for Postgraduate Research Students and the Important Information for Offer Holders document provided with an offer. Please do read these Terms and all other information provided to you with your Offer Letter carefully to make sure you understand what the University agrees to provide and what you will need to comply with and do. It is your responsibility to make sure that all the information you provide to the University is accurate and true.

2. WHEN IS OUR CONTRACT FORMED?

Your Offer

Once you have applied for a place on one of the University’s Programmes, you may receive a letter offering you a place (the “Offer Letter”).

Your offer may be conditional or unconditional, and you will need to carefully read your Offer Letter to see if and what conditions will apply to you. If you need to satisfy any conditions, you may need to fulfil these before a set date or on an ongoing basis. If you do not meet any such requirements, we may (as applicable) withdraw your offer, terminate the Contract as described in Section 14 or defer your application or entry to the next academic year or another start date within the academic calendar. Please note that the University may make you an unconditional offer on academic grounds but your offer and enrolment at the University will remain subject to you meeting any non-academic conditions, such as obtaining a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check, occupational health check, references. The University may update its entry criteria year on year so there may be a change in admission requirements for future applications.

The contract between you and the University is formed when you accept our offer of a place, although in order to commence your postgraduate research degree you may need to satisfy certain conditions or requirements, as notified to you during the recruitment and admissions process. You will also need to enrol with us. Once you have enrolled with us you will be registered for the duration of your programme but you will still need to re-enrol each academic year. During enrolment and re- enrolment you will be reminded of the Terms and Conditions that apply to your studies and time at the University.

What makes up your Student Contract?

Your Student Contract is made up of a number of key documents (we call them the “Key Contract Documents”). These are:

the Important Information for Offer Holders document provided with your Offer Letter and the regulations, policies and procedures referred to within it. There is a helpful summary of each policy or procedure and you can follow or enter the link to read the full policy, procedure or guidance. These policies and procedures are very relevant to your studies so please familiarise yourself with them so you know what to expect. It’s worth adding that your particular faculty may have additional policies or procedures which will be brought to your attention;
these Terms are applicable to the provision of the University’s Educational Services for Postgraduate Research Students and any other document referred to within (unless it is expressly recorded as being non-contractual). The Terms are included within the Important Information for Offer Holders document and an up-to-date version of the Terms and Conditions including any amendments made from time to time in accordance with Section 10 will be available on our website;
the Regulations for Postgraduate Research Degrees, Institutional Code of Practice and Research Degrees Handbook as relevant to your academic year of study and updated from time to time;
your Offer Letter and any other documentation referred to within. You will only be able to enrol with us if you meet both the academic and non-academic admission requirements. The University’s Postgraduate Research Degrees Admissions Procedure provides further information on the recruitment process. In the unlikely event you have a complaint about our recruitment or admission process, or wish to appeal an admissions decision, please see our Student Appeals and Complaints Policy for Applicants for further information on the procedure to be followed and the grounds for raising a complaint or appeal;
other regulations, policies and procedures that may from time to time be approved by the University’s Academic Board, Executive Group or Board of Governors in order to assist in delivering educational services to students or admissions services to applicants.

In addition to the Key Contract Documents, if you have been successful in obtaining a scholarship through the University, you will be provided with a Scholarship Letter of Agreement. If you have a collaborating establishment or a sponsor you will agree to the Terms and Conditions of other third parties, such as a sponsor or funder. If there is any conflict between a third party’s Terms and Conditions and the University’s Terms, the variation to standard practice will be outlined within the contract between the sponsor and the University.

You will also need to abide by a number of terms and conditions relating to access to and use of particular University services, for example, those relating to use of the University’s library, computing and information technology services and the Research Data Management Policy.

Collectively, the above (unless expressly stated otherwise within) will comprise your Student Contract (the “Contract”). The Contract governs the relationship between you and the University and applies from the date you accept your offer and during your enrolment. In the event we are required to make any significant changes to the contract between us, we will manage such changes in accordance with Section 10 (changes to programme provision or your Contract).

Once you accept your offer you will usually have a time limited legal right to cancel your Contract (commonly know as a cooling-off period). Please see Section 15 below for further information on how to cancel.

We’re just letting you know which documents make up your Student Contract and that when you accept your offer, you’re agreeing to the Key Contract Documents including these Terms and the document referred to within. There may be additional terms and conditions relating to different University services but you’ll have the opportunity to read and consider these before you access or use those services.

What happens if I defer?

If we agree to defer the start date for your programme (we cannot guarantee that this will be possible and there is no contractual right to defer), please note that the programme and its requirements, tuition fee and University services

and facilities currently described at the time of your original offer may change for your deferred year of entry. At the appropriate time, we will write to you to provide a new offer for your new year of entry and, once published, will provide you with an updated Information for Offer Holders document.

3. YOUR OBLIGATIONS

The University would like to welcome you to a community of postgraduate researchers. Postgraduate research study is an exciting and intellectually stretching journey where you will create new knowledge, expand your research field and become an expert in your area of research. Whilst studying for your research degree we would encourage you to participate fully in the range of seminars, events and developmental opportunities (face-to-face and online) available to you within and outside of the University.

The University will provide high quality supervision and support structures to help you throughout your research studies (please see Supervisory team and University responsibilities in the Research Degrees Handbook). As a postgraduate researcher and high-level learner, the University in turn expects you to play a full and active role in progressing your research studies. Your responsibilities are outlined in the Research Degrees Handbook and, if you receive a Scholarship there are further obligations outlined in the Scholarship Letter of Agreement.

The nature of a research degree calls for a high level of commitment, motivation and self-discipline. Your attention is particularly drawn to the following obligations.

In addition to the Key Contract Documents set out above, some programmes of study may require you to:

a) prior to accepting your offer, access the Research Degrees Handbook and Regulations online here and ensure that you read them and understand the contents, and, during the life of your studies keep up to date with any changes;

b) meet any conditions set out in your Offer Letter and continue to satisfy these conditions (where relevant) throughout the duration of the Contract;

c) enrol at the commencement of your research degree and then re-enrol annually until your degree is conferred unless you have a valid interruption of study authorised by the University. If you do not validly enrol or re-enrol you risk:

i) not being regarded as a postgraduate researcher of the University and may be denied certain University services;

ii) not being insured to be present on University premises and/or;

iii) if you are in receipt of a Scholarship, not being paid the amounts due to you from us under the terms of the Scholarship Letter of Agreement;

d) register on a particular degree route. This registration (RD1) is a distinct process to enrolment and it must be completed by you within three (full-time) or six months (part-time) of enrolment;

e) undertake the requisite number of hours (35 hours per week for full time postgraduate researchers or at least 12 hours per week for part time) plus any additional hours as may be required to complete your thesis and research project;

f) maintain regular contact with your supervisory team, other University staff and other postgraduate researchers. The nature of undertaking research studies means that you will be required to work independently with guidance from a supervisory team. We encourage you to contribute to the research community through participation in social media, seminars, workshops and events.

g) undertake induction sessions and participate in skills development opportunities both internal and external, details of which will be provided by the University. Postgraduate researchers are expected to spend two weeks (one week for part time) out of each year participating in skills development activities.

h) work within the Research Governance Framework, which is the broad framework and principles that the University uses to ensure that the quality of research is consistent with the high standards that are expected of a world-class university. Research Governance includes policies for ensuring that we are compliant with agendas such as research integrity, open access and research data management;

i) as part of the support provided and your skills development, complete the online research integrity training on Moodle and to seek to obtain ethical approval, where necessary during the course of your research degree;

j) you must not plagiarise any material used in your thesis or research project. All work submitted must be your own, original work. The University expects the highest standards of research integrity and will investigate alleged research misconduct. You can find information on research misconduct here. The University may be required to give a legal warranty about this to any external funder;

k) submit work to your supervisory team to meet deadlines negotiated with your team, submit work by deadlines required to meet progression milestones as identified in the Regulations for Postgraduate Research Degrees and on SkillsForge and ensure that you submit your thesis and other relevant work for examination by your required thesis submission deadline date;

l) comply with all codes, regulations, policies and procedures as amended from time to time and adhere to all terms and conditions applicable to use of particular University services such as those relating to use of the Library or IT services;

m) pay all Fees and other charges when due;

n) behave in a manner consistent with the Student Code of Conduct on campus and within the community;

o) it is the University’s policy to use your University email address to communicate with you. You are required to check your emails regularly to make sure you stay up to date. You must ensure that you provide us with up-to-date contact information and notify us promptly of any changes in your information;

p) participate in any engagement monitoring procedures of the University in place from time to time. You should let the University know if you cannot continue to engage with your programme for any reason. If you are an international student please refer to Your Visa, Your Responsibility document for further information on requirements applicable to you;

q) act in a courteous and responsible manner during your time as a student and within the community (including whilst on a research placement or visit), including taking reasonable care for your own safety and the safety of others. You must comply with any reasonable instructions we provide to you about health, safety and security including within our Health and Safety Policies;

r) when you enrol you will receive a student card which you must collect (with the exception of Distance Learning students) and should then carry with you when you are on campus. You may need to show this to authorised representatives of the University and will need this to access a range of University services. You agree to provide us with all information and assistance reasonably required to provide you with your student identification card;

s) make any disclosures required by us under these Terms and also provide any supporting information that is reasonably required. Failure to disclose full information could lead to the withdrawal of an offer of a place, termination of your student contract or discontinuation of your studies.

4. THE UNIVERSITY’S REGULATIONS

You agree to comply with the Terms and all Regulations, Policies and Procedures referred to (i) within the Important Information for Offer Holders Document provided to you at offer and (ii) at enrolment, including the Institutional Code of Practice, Research Degrees Handbook and all policies and procedures referred to within.

Are there any particularly important or surprising terms?

If there are any particularly surprising conditions or information about your programme of study we’ll always try to let you know within your offer. Some requirements will form a condition of your offer.

The assessment regulations applicable to your research programme are accessible via links from within the Important Information for Offer Holders document.

On occasions, dependent upon the nature of your research, there may be specific requirements for an occupational health check or a relevant criminal record check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (or if you are an international student a similar check from your home country). For international students, details of ATAS clearance, where relevant, is provided in your Offer Letter.

There are some provisions we need to draw your particular attention to as they can result in a disciplinary process and ultimately mean you may not be able to continue at the University. These include

(i) Procedure for the Investigation of Misconduct in Research (please see Section C of the Important Information for Offer Holders document for further information)

(ii) Procedure for Handling Academic Misconduct

(iii) Student Code of Conduct

(iv) Unsatisfactory Progress Procedure

Procedure for Handling Academic Misconduct

In order to safeguard our academic standards and the integrity of our awards, the University has in place a policy and procedures for dealing with suspected misconduct. This policy details types of misconduct – such as plagiarism or the purchase of work from ‘essay mills’ – how suspected offences are investigated, and the penalties that can be imposed. The policy also details students’ rights of appeal in cases relating to academic misconduct.

More details on Procedure for Handling Academic Misconduct

The Student Code of Conduct

The Student Code of Conduct sets out the standards of conduct the University expects of its students so that everyone can undertake their studies in a supportive and non-threatening environment. Breaches of certain regulations and policies of the University will, where appropriate, be dealt with as breaches of the Student Code of Conduct. Examples include but are not limited to:

The Student Code of Conduct does not deal with academic misconduct which is addressed in the Procedure for Handling Academic Misconduct and the Procedure for the Investigation of Misconduct in Research.

Unsatisfactory Progress Procedure

The University has an Unsatisfactory Progress Procedure for postgraduate research students, examples of when it may be instigated are:

not providing evidence of satisfactory progress;
not presenting written work to an adequate standard;
not presenting work to an agreed timescale;
not maintaining regular contact with the supervisory team, e.g. by not attending formal supervisory meetings, whether in person or via electronic means.

You are required to submit work at key milestones and progression points. Failure to provide work to the required standard may result in you being downgraded to a lower award.

If the result of your examination is that you are referred and you are given a resubmission, please note that you will be expected to pay a resubmission fee. Following resubmission, if you still fail to meet the required standard for the award you may be offered a lower award or be failed.

5. PROFESSIONAL SUITABILITY & FITNESS TO PRACTISE

Some of our professional programmes, including those involving practice placements, may require you to complete an occupational health check and/ or a criminal conviction disclosure check with the Disclosure and Barring Service “DBS” (or if you are an international student a similar check from your home country). If this is required, we will usually inform you of this within your offer.

There may be circumstances where a DBS check is not a requirement of a course. However, having a criminal conviction could prevent registration with a relevant professional, regulatory or statutory body (“PRSB”). Before applying for a programme, prospective students are strongly advised to make their own checks as to whether a previous conviction may have an effect on future studies, professional career progression or the ability to register or join a particular PRSB. This is the responsibility of students.

For regulated professions, prospective employers may make their own assessments regarding an individual’s fitness to practise in the relevant profession.

Professional Suitability & Fitness to Practise

Some programmes of study will require you to register with a PRSB and/or to practise under licence. It is your responsibility to ensure that all necessary declarations (including but not limited to criminal records, medical conditions, disabilities), are made to the University during the admissions process and during the period of study, and that you comply with all relevant rules and regulations during study (and placement, if appropriate), including paying any associated registration or licence fees and maintaining any licences, registrations or consents. The University will use its reasonable endeavours to support students in attaining fitness to practise but accepts no responsibility in the event that a student is declared not fit for practice.

Additional standards of behaviour may also be expected of students studying for a qualification which is accredited or recognised by a professional, statutory or regulatory body for the purposes of a form of registration with that body.

The Procedure for the Suspension and Expulsion of Students from Programmes on Grounds of Professional Unsuitability applies to programmes that include or lead to a professional qualification or confer practitioner status. Concerns about the professional unsuitability of students will be dealt with under this procedure. In addition, if through the operation of the procedure in the Student Code of Conduct a student is found to have committed misconduct, this might constitute a ground for taking action under the Professional Suitability Procedure.

We may be obliged to share student information with relevant professional, statutory or regulatory bodies.

6. CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS

As part of the University’s duty of care to students, staff and those people a student may come in to contact with directly in relation to his or her studies, we require all applicants who accept an offer of a place to let us know of any relevant, unspent criminal convictions.

Why do we ask for this information?

This is to enable us to identify, assess and manage the potential risks to the University community, and/ or to offer support where appropriate. This includes considering risks arising of you living in University accommodation.

For further information on what is ‘relevant’ and ‘unspent’ please see www.mmu.ac.uk/disclosure

Applicants to regulated profession courses

Certain programmes that involve interacting with children or vulnerable adults in regulated activities; and/or require a criminal records check via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) (or local equivalent) are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974). For these courses, the University requires disclosure of all convictions, including spent convictions, cautions and bind-over orders.

For such programmes, we ask about criminal convictions for the following reasons:

to determine your suitability including to work in the professional environment associated with your course. We also need to assess whether you would be able to undertake the mandatory work placements required as part of your course;
to carry out appropriate risk assessments to identify, assess and manage any potential risks to the University community.

Before you start your programme, you will also need to complete an enhanced criminal convictions check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) or equivalent process for overseas applicants. However, we ask you to self-declare at an earlier stage so that we have time to collect further information and assess the information provided as early as possible. If you will undertake a programme that requires a DBS, the information you provide at this stage will be used to assess your suitability to undertake your chosen course, including placements involving regulated activity and, where relevant, to enable discussion in terms of meeting ‘Fitness to Practise’ criteria, ahead of applying for a DBS Enhanced Disclosure Certificate.

If the DBS check reveals that you have had a conviction, caution, reprimand, final warning or bind over, the University will need to assess your fitness to practise in the profession to which you have applied.

What happens if I declare a conviction?

If you declare a criminal conviction we will ask you to provide further information and you have an obligation to do so.

Disclosure of relevant, unspent convictions will be considered by the University’s Risk Panel. For further information, refer to the University’s Risk Policy and Procedure for Applicants with Criminal Convictions: www.mmu.ac.uk/policy/

Any disclosure is considered separately from the academic assessment of your application. You will have the opportunity to comment on our risk assessment.

Disclosure of convictions by applicants to programmes that require a DBS check, will, where relevant, be considered by the University’s Risk Panel in the first instance. A Faculty panel may also be used for assessing the suitability of applicants whose Self Declaration Form contains information about offences, cautions, convictions or other matters or concerns. For further information on the current University DBS policy and procedure, please visit www2.mmu.ac.uk/dbs/dbs-policy/

Possible outcomes

The University has the right to:

refuse enrolment at the University and/or to terminate a student’s contract where, following a risk assessment or professional suitability/DBS (or equivalent overseas) assessment the University’s decision is to refuse admission and study at the University;
impose conditions and/or restrictions on a student’s offer, admission, enrolment or study at the University to help manage any risks identified.

We may withhold enrolment and/or commencement at the University where a prospective student fails to provide appropriate information or pending a risk panel or professional suitability/DBS (or equivalent overseas) assessment.

What if I am convicted of a relevant criminal conviction at a later date?

As from acceptance of an offer to study with us, all prospective students (and students on an ongoing basis throughout their studies) must declare promptly any relevant criminal convictions. Students will be asked to provide information on any relevant convictions that have not already been disclosed to the University, at enrolment and re- enrolment each academic year. Please see www.mmu.ac.uk/disclosure for further guidance on relevant convictions.

Data Protection for Criminal Conviction Data

The University manages the personal data you provide in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the University’s Data Protection Policy. For information about us, how we use your personal data, our lawful bases for processing, our relevant retention and disposal periods, your applicable data subject rights and our contact information please see the Use of Conviction Data Privacy Notice and the Student Privacy Notice.

DISABILITIES

The University is committed to supporting disabled students and/or those with additional needs where possible and reasonable to do so. We encourage applicants and students to disclose details of any disability at the earliest opportunity so that we can discuss what support may be available to you. Further information on our disability and learning support can be found on the University’s website and within Section F of the Important Information for Offer Holders document.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

It is important that all international students read our guide on international visas, Your Visa, Your Responsibility for further information. This document explains the reporting and record-keeping duties of the University. It also explains what you need to do during your studies at the University to protect your immigration status in the UK. As an international student you will need the correct visa to study and will need to ensure you comply with all immigration requirements. By enrolling with the University, you agree to meet these responsibilities including any attendance monitoring processes of the University notified to you. If you do not, it may affect your stay in the UK. There are certain circumstances in which we may need to report to the Home Office and/or suspend or withdraw you from your studies. Please read the Your Visa, Your Responsibility guidance with care.

Although the University has prepared the Your Visa, Your Responsibility guide to help students better understand their sponsorship duties, it does not provide a full statement of requirements and prospective students and students remain fully responsible for making sure they understand and abide by current immigration rules and guidelines that apply to them. The Home Office updates its policies and the law is subject to change within an academic year so please stay up to date.

7. FEES AND FINANCE

It is very important that you read the University Regulations for the Payment of University Fees for Postgraduate Research. These regulations are the key financial policies and procedures that you agree to abide by at the University, so it is essential that you familiarise yourself with them. You will find extensive guidance for students on a wide range of issues relating to the payment of fees and deposits (if applicable) on our finance website.

Tuition Fees

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your programme fees, please contact Student Billings on 0161 247 2937.

The University sets tuition fees for overseas paying students. Home Fees may be subject to an inflationary increase and/or an increase due to changes in Research Council guidelines, the law or government policy and/or parliamentary regulation. Overseas and Channel Islands fee-paying students will retain the programme fees, as long as they complete in the normal timeframe.

Applicants can be assessed as either Home, EU, Overseas or Channel Islands. The University has the right to reassess or rescind a tuition fee status where information comes to light that may affect a tuition fee assessment decision already made.

For international students, the University operates a range of fees within particular bandings dependent on varying factors such as whether your research involves lab or classroom work and the extent of additional costs or resources likely to be associated with your research project. The proposed research associated with your research programme will

be assessed by the relevant Faculty to determine the overall annual fee to be charged. Following a successful interview, candidates will be informed of this fee as a part of the offer made to study a research degree with Manchester Metropolitan.

Additional Costs

Unless your Offer Letter records otherwise, your tuition fee does not include any charges for third party examinations, University resubmission or non-submission fees, professional body fees, disclosure or barring or occupational health checks, living expenses, travelling expenses, conference attendance fees, trips or visits or any other miscellaneous expenses that you are likely to incur to complete your programme of study (such as photocopying or external internet access). If there are any compulsory additional costs associated with your specific programme, they will be indicated within your Offer Letter.

Should students borrow any University equipment for any part of their academic programme (this also includes equipment provided to students to assist with research studies), but not return the equipment within the agreed timeframe or return it in an unacceptable condition, the University reserves the right to raise an invoice to charge for full replacement cost of the equipment. Should students not pay or return the equipment in the same condition and in working order within 30 days from invoice date, the University reserves the right to proceed to recover the debt via all normal recovery remedies, including instigation of appropriate court proceedings which will increase the debt owing due to the addition of court cost and statutory interest which will be payable by the student.

Fees and Suspension or Withdrawal

You may be required to pay a proportion or all of your fees if you withdraw or suspend from your research degree and/or may need to repay any scholarship funding in line with your Scholarship Agreement. For more information on how we calculate fee responsibility and refunds, please see the Regulations for the Payment of University Fees for Postgraduate Research and/or your Scholarship Agreement (where applicable).

Please note that withdrawing from or suspending your studies may also have implications on the financial support you may be receiving or due to receive. For further information on how suspending or withdrawing may affect any scholarship funding please contact the Graduate School on gsresearchdegrees@mmu.ac.uk.

Please note that if you do not meet the deadline for the submission of your thesis you will need to apply for an extension and will be liable for the payment of a non-submission fee.

Following your oral examination, if you are referred in the first examination and the outcome is a resubmission, you will be invoiced for the resubmission fee.

Details of the non-submission and the resubmission fees are in the Regulations for the Payment of Fees for Postgraduate Research.

Support Packages, Bursaries, Discounts and Awards

The University offers a range of support packages/ bursaries for students. The University’s available financial support packages, bursaries and scholarships are subject to change from year to year. The University reviews all Manchester Met awards, discounts, and scholarships annually, and may withdraw future provision at the end of an academic year or make changes to the Terms and Conditions of offer. This means that there may be other students studying in different cohorts of a Programme that can access different packages. Please refer to our website for further information regarding schemes offered from time to time and the associated Terms and Conditions.

Click here for further information.

Student Loans

Doctoral Loans are available and you will be responsible for liaising with the appropriate funding body for further details regarding how to apply and repayment. More information can be found at: www.gov.uk/doctoral-loan

Financial difficulties & potential consequences of non-payment

If you have any questions or concerns regarding payment of your programme fees, please contact the Finance Service Centre on 0161 247 1852

If you are studying at Manchester Metropolitan University on a Tier 4 visa, please be aware that non-payment of your programme fees is a direct breach of UKVI regulations and may result in your visa being brought to a close. If you are experiencing any financial difficulty, please contact the Finance Service Centre.

Please note that, ultimately, you may not be able to continue with your studies should you fail to pay your programme fees. You must make sure that you pay your programme fees and any other applicable tuition related costs or charges on time otherwise the University may be entitled to take certain steps against you including imposing sanctions (as set out within the Regulations for the Payment of University Fees document for Postgraduate Research), including, but not limited to, restricting access to services as well as graduation bookings, withholding the degree certificate and/or taking action to legally recover any debts). For a fuller list, please read the Regulations for the Payment of University Fees document for Postgraduate Research. If you find yourself in financial difficulty during your studies, please contact Manchester Met’s Student Financial Support, the Finance Service Centre or the Students’ Union Advice Centre.

Equipment and Loans

Please take good care of any equipment we provide to you. Should students borrow any University equipment for any part of their academic programme (this also includes equipment provided to students to assist with research studies), but not return the equipment within the agreed timeframe or return it in an unacceptable condition, the University reserves the right to raise an invoice to charge for full replacement cost of the equipment. Should students not pay or return the equipment in a good condition and in working order within 30 days from invoice date, the University reserves the right to proceed to recover the debt via all normal recovery remedies set out within the Payment Regulations.

It’s really important that you make suitable arrangements for the payment of your fees. We will try to support you and direct you to appropriate sources of help should you experience financial difficulties but, ultimately, we’ll expect you to plan well and pay on time. Occasionally, we need to apply sanctions for non-payment of programme fees.

8. CHANGES TO PROVISION OR YOUR CONTRACT

Whilst the University will always try to minimise making any changes to the Contract (including changes to the programme), there may be times where changes are needed. This Section describes the circumstances when we can make changes, as well as providing you with further information about when we may look to make such changes.

Changes to your Contract

The University may, from time to time, need to make changes to your Student Contract including to its regulatory framework. Changes will normally take effect at the start of the next academic year and you will be asked to read the relevant Key Contract Documents upon re-enrolment and tick the declaration as confirmation of acceptance. Sometimes, it may be necessary to make changes during an academic year where the University reasonably considers the changes to be in the best interests of its students, necessary to reflect changes in the external environment or government policy including to comply with legal, regulatory or accrediting body requirements or to incorporate sector guidance or best practice.

The circumstances that we describe below are not the only ones that may arise during your studies with us, but they will give you some context as to when we may need to amend the Contract (including the programme).

Changes after you have entered into the Contract with us

Where we need to make changes to the Contract and/or programme after our Contract has been formed, we will, in each case, assess the potential impact of any such change on the Contract and our students and will follow the principles set out in this section. The University is always looking to improve and enhance students’ experience with us, and we will consult with students throughout their studies, as well as consulting with our teaching staff, and will actively seek feedback from these groups about how we can improve our service delivery to our students.

Changes to your Programme or its delivery Changes to pre-contract information

Our printed marketing materials are published well in advance of the start of the academic year and therefore our website provides the more detailed and up-to-date information on research degrees available and the research areas of strategic focus. Information that we may have given to you at the time you

were researching and making an application for the programme may have changed by the time we send out our Offer Letter. The Offer Letter and Important Information for Offer Holders document sets out the core information that we consider you will require to make an informed decision whether to accept your offer. Please read these documents carefully before you accept.

The University will use all reasonable endeavours to ensure that your research degree is provided in accordance with the agreed project outline and the written proposal. However, the University is entitled to make reasonable changes to ensure the University delivers the best quality of educational experience to you.

Some examples of these changes include:

a) amendments to or revision to the direction of your research project. We may need to implement technical adjustments and/ or improvements, for example: to reflect developments in the disciplinary field of research and/or professional standards/ requirements or if a particular piece of equipment or facility is no longer available;

b) amendments to policies and procedures to address any external examiner feedback considered as part of the University’s annual monitoring and evaluation exercise or following the annual review of the Regulations for Postgraduate Research Degrees and/or from feedback received from postgraduate researchers;

c) amendments to your original supervisory team. If a supervisor leaves the University or is absent (e.g. maternity leave), we will endeavor to provide you with the same supervisory subject expertise;

d) changes for the maintenance of academic standards and quality assurance;

e) to reflect changes in relevant laws, statutory, regulatory and/or professional body requirements (or those of placement providers) and/or sector regulation or best practice;

f) the reviewing and refreshing of the supporting programme of studies provided by the Graduate School and/or Faculties relating to your personal and professional development;

g) to implement technical or procedural changes to our IT systems;

h) to reflect withdrawal of or a change to any relevant accreditation;

i) altering the location of where your research degree is undertaken. For example, following campus consolidation, to allow the University to provide the best facilities and academic provision for its postgraduate researchers.

In making any such changes, the University will aim to keep the changes to the minimum necessary to achieve the required quality of experience and will usually notify and/or consult (depending on the nature and materiality of the change) with affected students (as applicable) about changes that are required.

In respect of material changes, we will take reasonable steps to obtain student consent (and, where appropriate, the consent of applicants who have accepted an offer who may be directly affected by the change) and we will inform the affected students if we implement the change(s). If our implementation of the change causes you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you.

We will not usually consult on minor changes. Minor Changes (non-exhaustive list of examples) include:

reasonable changes to the timetable for delivery of supporting aspects of your research degree;
reasonable changes to the way we make IT and library services available to you;
reasonable changes to the methods by which your research programme is delivered and/or assessed;
changes to the location of your programme or supervisory facilities, provided these are within the same campus and/or provided they are of equivalent quality as those advertised in our literature;
procedural and/or reasonable changes to our Key Contract Documents that help improve the same to your benefit.

9. CHANGES OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL

Sometimes, circumstances may arise which are beyond the control of the University which result in changes to your programme or your Contract. Examples (without limitation) of such circumstances include:

industrial action by University staff or third parties;
the unanticipated departure of key members of University staff or unavoidable specialist staff absence;
acts or threatened acts of terrorism or a security threat;
damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment;
severe weather conditions;
the acts of any governmental or local authority;
where funding relating to an advertised research proposal is withdrawn or delayed; or
the numbers recruited to a programme are so low that it is not possible to deliver an appropriate quality of education or affect the viability to run the programme at a planned entry point.

If the University changes your research programme or Contract in a fundamental way and you are not satisfied with the changes, you will be offered the opportunity to withdraw from the programme and, if required, reasonable support to transfer to another provider. It should be noted that this is without prejudice to your legal right of cancellation and to any other remedy which you would be entitled by law to seek.

10. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Study Materials

Where downloadable Study Materials accompany your Programme, these Study Materials will be made available to you. The University and/or its licensors, remain the owner of the intellectual property in your programme, the Study Materials and any Programme Content. In consideration of receipt by the University of your Fees (when due), we provide you with a personal licence to use the Study Materials and Course Content for the sole purpose of studying for your programme. Any use of the Study Materials or Course Content not permitted under these Terms is prohibited and may infringe the University’s intellectual property rights and/or those of its licensors.

You may not modify, re-publish, sub-license, sell, upload, transmit, make available, or disseminate in any way any of the Study Materials or Course Content. You may not modify, merge, translate, disassemble, decompile, recompile or reverse engineer any software forming part of the virtual learning environment, Course Content or the Study Materials or create derivative works based on the whole of or any part, or which incorporate, the Study Materials or Course Content. The University may withdraw use of any particular Study Materials or Programme Content at any time where reasonably required.

Student Intellectual Property

If you create intellectual property rights (IPR) during your studies or research, the standard position is that you will own such rights, unless:

you are a postgraduate student and receive a University studentship in which case such IPR will be owned by the University subject to any alternative arrangements with you;
you are a postgraduate student and receive a bursary from, or have your fees paid or subsidised by, a sponsor in which case ownership of such IPR will be subject to the arrangement between you, the University and the sponsor;
you generate IPR which builds upon existing IPR generated by, or is jointly invented with University employees or associates, in which case you will be required to assign such IPR to the University and in respect of revenue generated by that IPR, you may be entitled to apportioned income; or you are also an employee of the University and developed the IPR in that capacity.

You will find a lot more information in our Intellectual Property Policy.

You are responsible for ensuring that your work does not breach any third party intellectual property rights and for obtaining any consents or clearances for use that are required. For further information please read the Library’s page on Copyright and Intellectual Property.

11. DATA PROTECTION

The University is registered as a Data Controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office. The University will hold and process your personal data including some sensitive personal data. Your data will be processed in accordance with our Data Protection Policy. Further information about how we will use the personal information you provide to us can be found in our Privacy Notice to Students.

Where you are sponsored (e.g. by your employer) by a funder such that such third parties may have a direct interest in your status as a student, information regarding your progression, performance and attendance may be shared with your sponsor.

You have certain rights in relation to your personal data. Your rights are set out in our privacy notice to students, you will also find useful contact details should you wish to exercise them. Please note that you are responsible for providing the University with up-to-date contact details and for maintaining the accuracy of this information whilst studying with the University.

Examination pass lists and/or degree classifications may be published. If you do not wish your results to be published in this way, you must notify the Deputy Director of Student and Programme Management (Students) stating your reasons in writing by no later than seven days before you complete your examination or assessment. Your reasons will be considered and, where it is felt that publication of your results is likely to cause substantial damage or substantial distress and that this would be unwarranted, publication will be withheld.

12. HOW WE MAY END OUR CONTRACT

We may end the Contract on notice to you (such notice as may be appropriate having followed any relevant University policies or procedures but where the circumstances dictate, immediate notice) as a result of:

us becoming aware that information you have provided to us is untrue, inaccurate, incomplete and/or misleading and/or at any point becomes untrue, inaccurate, incomplete and/or misleading;
you failing to meet the conditions of any offer made to you. The University may also withdraw or amend an offer at any time;
up until you accept it or terminate after acceptance if it comes to the University’s attention that your application contained incorrect or missing or misleading information;
your circumstances change so that you no longer meet the admission requirements, your programme specific requirements or those of a relevant professional, statutory or regulatory body;
you failing to comply with your obligations under our Contract or breach by you of our regulations, policies, procedures and/or codes;
you failing to comply with requests for information, to make declarations and/or to meet specific requirements or conditions of your programme as specified in the Offer Letter;
your circumstances changing so that you no longer have permission to remain in the UK (where applicable), or we are required to withdraw you under our Home Office sponsor duties, your Tier 4 licence is revoked, or your continued registration would place us in breach of any legal or Home Office compliance duties;
you failing to meet the requirements to enrol or register for your programme (including completing the RD1 process) or failing to re-enrol in subsequent years within the required timescale;
following disciplinary action under our Student Code of Conduct or Professional Unsuitability Procedure, or other relevant University procedures subject to your right to appeal under those policies and procedures;
you failing to meet the minimum academic and/or professional performance requirements that are set out in the University’s Assessment Regulations and other applicable regulatory documents or as a result of a decision taken under the Unsatisfactory Progress Procedure;
if you do not pay your Fees by the specified due date for payment;
if you cancel (under these Terms) or withdraw from the University;
where we assess that your behaviour presents such a material risk to the health, safety or welfare of either yourself or other students/staff of the University, subject to any rights of appeal you may have under our internal procedures;
a decision by the University’s Risk Panel in accordance with the Risk Policy and Procedure for Applicants with Criminal Convictions and Section 6 of these Terms. Or, following a decision in connection with the University’s Policy and Procedures relating to the Disclosure and Barring Service process accessible at www2.mmu.ac.uk/dbs/dbs-policy/ and as updated from time to time;
under other relevant University policies and procedures of the University in particular the Student Code of Conduct and/or the Procedure for Expulsion on the grounds of Professional Unsuitability or where a student has failed to declare a criminal conviction (where required) or has provided incorrect or falsified information or omitted or misrepresented information;
you do not satisfy any non-academic conditions of your offer.

13. HOW YOU MAY END OUR CONTRACT

Cancellation rights

If our Contract has been made by means of distance communications (ie not face-to-face) you have a legal right to cancel your Contract with us within 14 days without giving any reason. The cancellation period will expire after 14 days from the day of the conclusion of your Student Contract. This will be 14 days from the day you accept the offer of a place at the University. To exercise the right to cancel, you must inform the University in writing at: Manchester Metropolitan University, Recruitment and Admissions, 6 Great Marlborough Street M1 5AL; or by email to release@mmu.ac.uk of your decision to cancel your contract by providing a clear statement (e.g. a letter sent by post or e-mail). You may use the Model Cancellation Form but it is not obligatory. The University will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a cancellation on a durable medium (e.g. by email) without delay. To meet the cancellation deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right to cancel before the cancellation period has expired.

If you cancel your contract, we will normally reimburse to you all payments received from you (Please see our finance website for further information). We will process the reimbursement without undue delay, and no later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to cancel your contract provided we have all relevant information. We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise or unless restricted by law; in any event, we will not add any additional fees as a result of the reimbursement. However, if you decide to terminate the Contract during the cancellation period once we have commenced providing you with Services then we will refund you any amounts you have paid to us less an amount which is a fair payment for you to make for the services provided by us prior to termination of the Contract.

By accepting our offer, you will also be providing us with express consent, if relevant, to start delivering your programme within your legal cancellation period.

As well as the legal right to cancel, we provide you with a right to withdraw from your programme within 14 days of your programme start date, however, depending on when you withdraw, you may be liable for your fees (or a proportion of them). Please see below and our finance website for further information.

A number of our programmes or the way they are procured or delivered means that they will not amount to a consumer contract and will therefore not attract a statutory (and in some cases, institutional) right to cancel. For example, certain commercial programmes delivered to you via an arrangement with your employer and certain programmes delivered primarily to advance your own knowledge in relation to your trade or profession. If you cancel you must return to us in a reasonable condition, any Study Materials you may have received from the University without undue delay and no later than 14 calendar days after you inform us of the cancellation. You will be liable for the cost of returning any goods (if applicable to your programme).

If you have received any financial benefit, package or scholarship this must also be returned to us promptly either in full or in line with the Terms and Conditions of the relevant financial support package, financial benefit, award, bursary or scholarship.

We need to let you know about your legal right to cancel. This is different to the way you can withdraw, suspend or defer your studies.

Withdrawing from your Studies

Your Student Contract with us will end if you withdraw. Find further information here on withdrawing from your studies. You are entitled to end your Contract at any time without reason, but if you do so after the expiry of the cancellation period as described at the start of this section, you may not be entitled to receive a full refund of any fees you have paid, and you may be responsible for fees to reflect the costs incurred by us arising out of your early termination of the Contract in line with the Payment Regulations and these Terms. If you are sponsored by a third party, you should also consider any obligations/or implication under your sponsor agreement.

Suspension

There are certain circumstances in which the University may suspend your registration or enrolment and/or access to facilities and premises. For example (but not limited to), pending an investigation under our Student Code of Conduct, pending consideration of a student’s case by a Professional Suitability Panel, further to a decision taken under the Procedure for Suspension, Withdrawal and Engagement Support or where you fail to enrol or re-enrol on time. Such suspension may be immediate pending the gathering of further information where we reasonably consider that your behaviour presents a material risk to others or yourself.

14. OTHER SERVICES

There are rules and regulations relating to use of particular University services, such as IT facilities and library and learning resources. The Important Information for Offer Holders document sets out further information on the services we agreed to provide under your Student Contract. Although the University will further endeavour to provide you with appropriate access to a range of academic, pastoral and support services (such as counselling, careers and employability support) it may change all of its range or type of services from time to time to ensure that they are fit for purpose and provide the best experience to you. Our services may also be temporarily suspended or modified for essential maintenance, for improvements to be made and/or for events outside of our reasonable control.

IT Services

The University’s virtual learning environment and/ or online management portal (such as SkillsForge) is integral to the University’s research programmes and provides programme-related materials and support for your studies. They are also used to deliver and manage assessment. You are expected to actively engage with the virtual learning environment and/ or portals; the University monitors engagement. Use of the University’s IT facilities (including email) is subject to a suite of IT-related policies. These include the Policy on Acceptable Use of University IT Services, Regulations for the Use of University Computing Resources and the Information Security Policy.

Any login details are personal to you and should not be shared with or transferred to others. You must notify us immediately upon becoming aware of any breach of security or unauthorised use of your account. It is your responsibility to ensure that you regularly save and back up all data.

You must not misuse or abuse any services or technology applications made available to you as part of your programme.

There may be links from the virtual learning environment to sites on the internet which are operated by third parties. The University is not responsible for the availability of, or the content located through such external sites.

Click here for Manchester Met’s IT Policies

Library Rules & Regulations

All students who use the Library or library resources must do so in accordance with the Library Rules and Regulations, and failure to do so may result in action being taken under the Student Code of Conduct.

Click here for Library Rules and Regulations

The Important Information for Offer Holders document provides other helpful information about what other services and facilitates may be available to you as part of your time with the University. These do not, however, represent services that we provide to you under this Contract.

Other, non-educational services provided by the University to you, for example residential accommodation and sports centre membership, amount to separate and distinct contracts and are therefore subject to separate contractual terms. You may also enter into separate contractual arrangements with other third parties such as a sponsor, your employer e.g. the NHS if you are on certain professional programmes. The Student Loans Company is not a part of the University and your contract for funding (if applicable) will be arranged via the relevant governmental organisation, for example Student Finance England.

15. OUR LIABILITY TO YOU

If we fail to comply with this Contract, we may in certain circumstances, be responsible for loss or damage you suffer that is a foreseeable result of our breach of this Contract or our negligence, but we are not responsible for any loss or damage that is not foreseeable. Loss or damage is foreseeable if they were an obvious consequence of our breach or if they were contemplated by you and us at the time we entered into this Contract.

We cannot accept responsibility and we will not be liable to you for:

any damage to your property (eg personal equipment such as mobiles, tablets and laptops);
work submitted for assessment that is not returned;
personal injury or death except in so far as it is caused by our negligence;
loss of opportunity and loss of income or profit, however arising.

We do not exclude or limit in any way our liability for:

death or personal injury caused by our negligence or the negligence of our employees, agents or subcontractors;
fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation;
any other matter which we are not permitted to exclude or limit our liability by law.

16. EVENTS OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL

We will not be liable or responsible for any failure to perform, or delay in performance of, any of our obligations under these Terms that is caused by an Event Outside Our Control.

An Event Outside Our Control means any act or event beyond our reasonable control including but not limited to:

strikes, lock-outs or other industrial action by third parties;
strikes, lock-outs or other industrial action by our employees;
civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack, war (whether declared or not) or threat or preparation for war, fire, explosion, storm, flood, earthquake, subsidence, epidemic or other natural disaster, or failure of public or private tele or electronic communications networks.

If an Event Outside Our Control takes place that affects the performance of our obligations under the contract:

we will contact you as soon as reasonably possible to notify you; and
our obligations under these Terms will be suspended and the time for performance of our obligations will be extended for the duration of the Event Outside Our Control.

Should an Event Outside Our Control interfere with our ability to deliver your programme, we will use reasonable endeavours to minimise the disruption caused to you.

17. OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Complaints

The University recognises there may be occasions where students wish to raise legitimate complaints relating to their programme, or the facilities and services provided by the University. It is important for both students and staff to know that such complaints will be dealt with seriously and transparently, and without fear of recrimination. To ensure that this happens, the University has in place a Student Complaints Procedure, which details procedures and parameters for making a complaint, alongside what action may be taken in response to complaints.

If having exhausted all stages of the University’s internal complaints procedure (or other relevant internal procedure), a student considers that the University has failed to consider and respond to their complaint appropriately, the student can refer their complaint to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education, which provides an independent scheme for the review of eligible student complaints.

If you have a complaint about our recruitment or admission process, please see our Student Appeals and Complaints Policy for Applicants and Student Appeals and Complaints Procedure for Applicants for further information.

You may be able to seek advice from the Students’ Union Advice Centre and/or the Citizens’ Advice Bureau.

18. GENERAL

How we’re regulated

The Manchester Metropolitan University is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS is the independent regulator of higher education in England. More information on the role of the OfS and its regulatory framework can be found at www.officeforstudents.org.uk/

All higher education providers registered with the OfS must have a student protection plan in place. The student protection plan sets out what students can expect to happen should a course, campus, or institution close. Our current Student Protection Plan can be accessed here. Where there is any conflict between these Terms and the Student Protection plan, the Student Protection Plan will take priority in considering any issue relevant to it.

We may transfer our rights and obligations under these Terms to another organisation, and we will always notify you in writing if this happens, but this will not affect your rights or our obligations under these Terms.

This Contract is between you and us. No other person shall have any rights to enforce any of its terms. The receipt of your programme is personal to you and you may not transfer your rights to access the programme to any other person.

Each of the paragraphs of these Terms operates separately. If any court or relevant authority decides that any of them are unlawful, the remaining paragraphs will remain in full force and effect.

If we fail to insist that you perform any of your obligations under these Terms, or if we do not enforce our rights against you, or if we delay in doing so, that will not mean that we have waived our rights against you and will not mean that you do not have to comply with those obligations.

Any notices or information sent to the last email and/or postal address provided by you to us will be deemed to have been properly given.

Nothing within the Contract shall be construed as amending the University’s constitutional Instruments, Articles or associated constitutional documents. Our Contract and the Key Contract Documents shall be governed by English law.

You and we both agree that the English courts will have non-exclusive jurisdiction over any claims.

The address of the University is

All Saints Building, All Saints, Manchester

M15 6BH.

Our telephone number is 0161 247 2000

The University is a higher education corporation established under the provisions of the Education Reform Act 1988.

2019/20 Terms and Conditions Applicable to the Provision of the University’s Educational Services for Postgraduate Research Students