INTERNAL TRANSFER POLICY

Rationale

In the absence of an underpinning policy there is an increased likelihood that there will be inconsistencies in the handling of internal transfer requests. There is also, in the context of capped full-time undergraduate numbers, a business risk if students enter in part-time mode and transfer to full-time mode in-session. This policy therefore sets out the core principles and rules for internal transfers.

Definition and Scope

An Internal Transfer is a request, by a student who has enroled on a specific Teesside University programme and mode, to transfer to a different mode (including for the same programme) or a different programme, or both. This policy applies to any student on any programme in any mode. This Policy applies whether the new programme is in the same School or a different school.

Internal transfers can be “in-year” i.e. prior to the completion of annual assessment for the year, or “between-year” where a student completes assessment and moves to a different programme. The principles of this Policy can apply to both types of internal transfer, although the mechanisms will be different.

Principles

  1. A student does not have an automatic right to transfer from one programme or mode to another.
  1. A student has the right to request an internal transfer, and all transfer requests will be considered according to the principles set out in this policy and the Admissions Policy.
  1. Normally, the University will not allow students who have been admitted as part-time students to transfer to full-time undergraduate programmes via the internal transfer mechanism. Part-time students wishing to undertake a full-time undergraduate course should make a formal application via UCAS.
  1. Internal transfers are a subset of admissions. Students are effectively applying for a place on a new course, must meet the admissions criteria of the course for which they are applying (including e.g. CRB checks), and be formally accepted onto the new course. Students seeking to transfer should therefore provide all relevant information required by the course to which they are applying.
  1. Schools should consider applications in line with the University’s Admissions Policy and other relevant policies (e.g. Applicants with Disabilities Policy). Schools may also consider e.g. financial considerations for both student and university.
  1. A student wanting to transfer should discuss their request with staff on the course from which they are exiting.
  1. In the case of in-year transfers, the latest start date will normally be 3 weeks after the start date of the course. Schools should identify and publicise any exceptions to this.
  1. In the case of “between-year” transfers, it is expected that transferring students will attempt all assessments in the current year on the current course.