🎓 What You Need to Know

Fitness to Study/Practise concerns come from situations where your health, behaviour, or conduct may impact your ability to study or participate safely in your course.

Fitness to practise applies to students on professionally accredited courses (like nursing, teaching & social work). The process supports both you and the public by ensuring fair assessment and wellbeing.

The Fitness to Study process applies to all students, this is a supportive process that ensures that you can participate safely in your course.

🧭 What to Expect

1. Referral & Initial Assessment
   • A concern may come from tutors, placement providers, professional bodies, or yourself (e.g., health, attendance, conduct, criminal issues).
   • You’ll be informed and may be asked to supply additional information (e.g. medical evidence).
   • This initial review is carried out promptly within 10 working days.
   • If there's potential risk, you may be suspended temporarily from course activities or placement.
2. Formal Panel Hearing
   • If concerns persist, a Fitness to Practise/Study Panel is arranged.
     • You receive a written invitation typically 14 days in advance. This will include panel details, case report, and your rights (e.g. accompaniment, submitting evidence)
     • You can submit your response and evidence 7 days before the meeting.

👉 You can bring a Students’ Union Adviser with you—just let us know well in advance.

📩 Tip: Contact us early—this gives us time to review your case and offer the best support.

1. The Hearing
   • You present your case, answer questions, and the panel (comprising academic and external/professional members) deliberates in private.
2. Outcome & Sanctions
   • Within 10 calendar days you'll be informed in writing (usually within one week of hearing).
   • Panel options include:
     • No action
     • Conditions (action plan, monitoring, personal tutor meetings, warnings)
     • Suspension until the concern is resolved (e.g. medical evidence, treatment)
     • Withdrawal from the course if not fit to practise/study
3. External Reporting
   • If you're on a professional course, outcomes may be shared with the relevant professional body.
   • Safeguarding concerns may lead to external referrals (e.g. DBS).
4. Appeals Process

• You can appeal the panel’s decision by writing to regulations@staffs.ac.uk (within 7 working days), on grounds like procedure errors, bias, severity of sanction, or new evidence.
• Appeals are reviewed by a Suitability Appeal Panel that includes external members.

👥 Support & Rights

• You have the right to be accompanied (e.g. SU or union rep).
• You’re encouraged to gather any supporting evidence such as medical records or witnesses.
• You can seek wellbeing support at any stage.
• Keep copies of all communication and decisions.

🤝 How We Can Support You

We know this process can feel overwhelming. Here's how we can help:

✅ 1. Personal Advice

We’ll meet with you to discuss your case, explain the process, and help you prepare.

✅ 2. Meeting Support

We can attend the meetings with you to make sure procedures are followed and you feel supported.

✅ 3. Document Help

Send us any letters or emails you’ve received. We’ll help you understand them and get ready to respond.

🔗 Need More Information?

• Visit the University's Fitness to Practise/Study Procedure here.
• Speak to the Students' Union Advice Team:

Email: studentadvice@staffs.ac.uk

Book an appointment: Students' Union Advice Appointments

🎓 What You Need to Know

Academic misconduct means doing something that gives you (or someone else) an unfair advantage in exams, assignments, or research. It includes plagiarism, collusion, or cheating. Even if it is unintentional.

We’re here to support you through every step of the process.

🧭 What to Expect

1. Invitation to a Meeting

You’ll get a letter from the University outlining:

• What you are being accused of
• The evidence
• Potential outcomes

2. Notice & Preparation

You’ll have at least one week's notice before the meeting (excluding holidays).

👉 You can bring a Students’ Union Adviser with you—just let us know well in advance.

3. The Meeting

You will meet with your Course Leader and the person who raised the concern.

You’ll be able to:

• Respond to the allegation
• Share your side of the story
• Submit any supporting evidence
• If you agree with the concern, provide and evidence any mitigating circumstances

4. Admission & Report

If you admit to misconduct, you will be asked to sign an Academic Conduct Report.

5. Decision & Sanctions

Your Course Leader recommends a sanction, which is reviewed by senior staff.

Depending on how serious the misconduct is, sanctions can include:

• Minor – Fail the assessment or module (You may be able to retake)  
• Major – Fail the full level and possibly retake it 
• Serious – Dismissal from the University (reapplication may be restricted for two years) 

6. Escalation

If the case is more serious than first thought, it may be referred to a formal Academic Conduct Panel.

🤝 How We Can Support You

We know this process can feel overwhelming. Here's how we can help:

✅ 1. Personal Advice

We’ll meet with you to discuss your case, explain the process, and help you prepare.

✅ 2. Meeting Support

We can attend the misconduct meeting with you to make sure procedures are followed and you feel supported.

✅ 3. Document Help

Send us any letters or emails you’ve received. We’ll help you understand them and get ready to respond.

📩 Tip: Contact us early—this gives us time to review your case and offer the best support.

🔗 Need More Information?

• Visit the University's Academic Misconduct Policy Page here
• Speak to the Students' Union Advice Team:

Email: studentadvice@staffs.ac.uk

Book an appointment: Students' Union Advice Appointments

We understand that sometimes things can become financially difficult for students. We can support you through this so that you can succeed at university. This page will help you to explore your options.

🍎 FoodHub

We set up the FoodHub after seeing students facing short-term money problems and finding it hard to afford food and essentials. As your Students’ Union, we’re here to support and help you; that’s why we created the FoodHub.

👉 How it works:

• Chat with one of our advisers who can help you to access FoodHub.
• They can give you advice to help get things back on track so you can afford essential items
• They’ll explain how FoodHub support works (we usually send out an electronic supermarket vouchers by email).
• There is a limit to how many times you can use the FoodHub in one academic year, but don’t let that stop you from getting in touch.
• Even if you think you’ve hit the limit, the team might still be able to help. Whether that’s referring you to a Trussell Trust Foodbank or pointing you towards other short-term support options.

🔗Speak to the Students' Union Advice Team:

📩 Tip: FoodHub vouchers cannot be issued via an email request, you must book an appointment with us.

      Email: studentadvice@staffs.ac.uk

Book an appointment: Students' Union Advice Appointments

💰  Student Success Fund

If you are struggling financially or had an unexpected cost, The University of Staffordshire might be able to help through the Student Success Fund.

• This is a support fund for undergraduate students who pay home fees and are going through a difficult time with money.
• Each application is looked at individually, and you will need to apply through a platform called Blackbullion. If you haven’t signed up before, you’ll need to register using your student email. It is free and gives you access to loads of useful tools and tips for managing your money.

👉The good news is, you usually don’t have to pay the money back. Just keep in mind that if your attendance isn’t great or you take a break from your course or leave early, you might have to repay some or all of it.

🔗Access Blackbullion:

Website: Student Success (Support) Fund | Blackbullion

🛒 Food Banks

We have partnered up with the Trussell Trust local food banks to provide you with food parcels in a time of need.

You can access this 3 times within a 6-month period.

If you feel that this would be useful, please book an appointment with us. 

🎓 What You Need to Know

Student Conduct is about the behaviour expected of all students at Staffordshire University. It helps maintain a respectful, safe, and inclusive environment for everyone.

Misconduct means breaking university rules or the law, whether on or off campus.

The Student Conduct Procedure ensures all concerns are handled fairly and consistently.

🧭 What to Expect

1. Initial Contact

You’ll receive an email or letter explaining:

• What the concern or allegation is
• Possible outcomes

2. Your Meeting

You’ll meet with an Investigating Officer to:

• Respond to the allegation
• Share your perspective
• Provide any supporting evidence

👉 You can bring a Students’ Union Adviser—just let us know beforehand.

👉 Being open and honest will help you throughout the process

3. Investigation & Report

• Witnesses may be contacted
• A report will be written and sent to your Head of Department
• A panel may review the case and decide on an outcome

4. Decision

Outcomes can vary depending on the situation. They may include:

• A written warning
• Writing an apology or reflective statement
• Restricted access to facilities
• Suspension from study
• A notice to leave University accommodation

5. Appeals

If you disagree with the outcome, you can appeal within a set timeframe. You’ll need to provide valid reasons and evidence.

🤝 How We Can Support You

We know this process can feel overwhelming. Here's how we can help:

✅ 1. Personal Advice

We’ll meet with you to discuss your case, explain the process, and help you prepare.

✅ 2. Meeting Support

We can attend the student misconduct meetings with you to make sure procedures are followed and you feel supported.

✅ 3. Document Help

Send us any letters or emails you’ve received. We’ll help you understand them and get ready to respond.

📩 Tip: Contact us early—this gives us time to review your case and offer the best support.

🔗 Need More Information?

• Visit the University's Student Misconduct Procedure page here
• Speak to the Students' Union Advice Team:

Email: studentadvice@staffs.ac.uk

Book an appointment: Students' Union Advice Appointments

🎓 What You Need to Know

A temporary suspension is when the University places short-term conditions on your access to campus, teaching, placement activities, or contact with other students and staff. This action is not an assumption of guilt but is taken to safeguard the safety and wellbeing of the University community during an ongoing investigation.

🧭 What to Expect

1. Notification of Suspension

You will receive written confirmation outlining:

• The reason for the suspension
• The specific conditions imposed
• The duration of the suspension
• Any immediate actions you need to take

2. Investigation Process

• The suspension typically occurs during an investigation under the Student Conduct Procedure or the Fitness to Study and Fitness to Practise Procedure.
• You will be invited to a meeting which will allow you to present your version of events along with any evidence you have.

👉 You can bring a Students’ Union Adviser with you—just let us know well in advance.

3. Support During Suspension

While suspended, you will still have access to:

• Student Support Services: Available to provide guidance and wellbeing support. 
• Students’ Union Advice Team: Offers advocacy and support throughout the process.  

If you have a disability, you can request reasonable adjustments to prevent disadvantage during this process.

👉 Please check the terms of your suspension. If you are not allowed on campus, please book an online appointment only.

🤝 How We Can Support You

We know this process can feel overwhelming. Here's how we can help:

✅ 1. Personal Advice

We’ll meet with you to discuss your case, explain the process, and help you prepare.

✅ 2. Meeting Support

We can attend the meetings with you to make sure procedures are followed and you feel supported.

✅ 3. Document Help

Send us any letters or emails you’ve received. We’ll help you understand them and get ready to respond.

📩 Tip: Contact us early—this gives us time to review your case and offer the best support.

🔗 Need More Information?

• Visit the University's Temporary Suspension Policy here
• Speak to the Students' Union Advice Team:

Email: studentadvice@staffs.ac.uk

Book an appointment: Students' Union Advice Appointments

🎓 What You Need to Know

Some professional courses like healthcare, teaching or social work require extra checks to make sure students are safe and ready to undertake your studies. 

🔍 DBS Checks

If your course needs a DBS check, you will complete an enhanced DBS form.

• It’s important to declare anything that might show up.
• Not explaining this could raise concerns about your honesty.
• You don’t need to declare protected convictions even if they show up.

👥Suitability Panels

If something is flagged up on your DBS or self-declaration, you might be invited to a Suitability Panel.

This usually happens early in the course and is like a Fitness to Practise process but at the start.

The panel includes:

• Your Course Leader (or nominee).
• Another academic from your course.
• A professional from the field.

What to expect:

• You’ll get at least one week’s notice (excluding bank holidays). 
• You can bring a friend for support or invite one of our Students Union Advisers.
• You can send in a written statement before the meeting. 
• You will be asked to talk about what’s happened, what you’ve learned, and why you didn’t disclose anything earlier (if that’s the case).

👉 Tip: Be honest, be prepared, and don’t be afraid to reach out for support. These checks are in place to keep everyone safe including you.

🤝 How We Can Support You

We know this process can feel overwhelming. Here's how we can help:

✅ 1. Personal Advice

We’ll meet with you to discuss your case, explain the process, and help you prepare.

✅ 2. Meeting Support

We can attend the meetings with you to make sure procedures are followed and you feel supported.

✅ 3. Document Help

Send us any letters or emails you’ve received. We’ll help you understand them and get ready to respond.

📩 Tip: Contact us early—this gives us time to review your case and offer the best support.

🔗 Need More Information?

• Visit the University's Fitness to Study page here
• Speak to the Students' Union Advice Team:

Email: studentadvice@staffs.ac.uk

Book an appointment: Students' Union Advice Appointments

Are you having issues with your Student Loan? We are here to help you answer any questions that you may have about student funding.

We have compiled a list of frequently answered questions to help you out.

If your query is not stated below or have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact us:

Email: studentadvice@staffs.ac.uk

Book an appointment: Students' Union Advice Appointments

⏱️ What do I do if my Student Loan is delayed?

If your application has been approved in time for the academic year, your student loan will be released to you automatically once you have successfully enrolled on the course (or attended your first session). Usually, you will receive a notification from Student Finance England stating the date that you will receive the funds.

If you applied for funding late or there has been further delays, you can follow these steps:

• The University advice team can support you with a Love to Shop voucher while you wait for your first maintenance loan instalment to come through.

To apply, you will need to upload the following via the Blackbullion platform:

• Your Student Finance entitlement letter for the current academic year (downloadable from your Student Finance portal)

📖 What happens to my tuition fee loan if I repeat a year of my course?

If you are repeating a year of your current course, it is always useful to think ahead about your tuition fee loan.

This is the calculation that the Student Loans Company uses to determine how many years of funding you can get:

• Length of your current course + 1 year (gift year) - years of previous study

👉Example: If you have two years of Tuition Fee Loan entitlement remaining and are beginning a new three-year course, you'll only receive the Tuition Fee Loan for the second and third years.

👉Any Maintenance Loan or grants you're eligible for should be available throughout the entire duration of your course.

If you are repeating a year due to health reasons or unexpected personal circumstances, you may be eligible for Compelling Personal Reasons. This means that Student Loans Company may be able to give you an additional year of funding if you have supporting evidence of your circumstances. You can find more information on this here.

🏠 My personal circumstances have changed; how does this impact my Student Loan?

If your personal circumstances have changed, we advise that you speak to the Student Loans Company about this for a loan reassessment.

Some of these changes include:

• Moving out of your parents' home during the academic year
• Having children
• Relationship breakdown
• You start living together as a couple with someone (under 25s only relevant if you marry or enter a Civil Partnership)
• Changes in benefits
• You have changed your name
• You have moved to a different University
• Changed your course

📉Why have I received less funding than I expected?

You may have received less funding than expected if you applied late or you haven't provided your household details to the Student Loans Company.

Your income may not have been assessed accurately (not means tested). Once you have submitted this information to the Student loans Company, they can adjust the amount you receive and send you a top-up payment.

If you are moving into your final year on your course, it's usual for the final year's Loan to be £400 to £500 or so lower than the loan for other years.

💰Is there any additional funding that I can get on top of my Student Loan?

The answer is yes! The University of Staffordshire has a range of grants and bursaries that can help you financially.

These can help you with:

• Study costs
• Final year shows
• Access to opportunities and employment

👉 Please note, all scholarships and bursaries are subject to eligibility criteria.

🔗 You can find more information on the web page here.

If you are struggling with the cost of living or have found yourself in an unexpected situation which has impacted you financially, you may be eligible for support through the student success fund.

🔗 You can find more information on the web page here.

📞 Can the Students Union sort everything out for me?

Your Students Union enables you to help yourself through our experience and expertise. Our Advisers will support you and give you the advice required to resolve any issues you are facing.

Here is what we can sort out for you:

• If your issue involves a complex Student Finance issue, sometimes it is better for an adviser to speak to the Student Loan Company on your behalf (with your consent).
• We can signpost you and give you the knowledge to resolve your issue
• We can support you if you find yourself in immediate hardship through our FoodHub scheme.

Are you having issues with your Student Loan? Or wondering what postgraduate funding looks like?

We are here to help you answer any questions that you may have about postgraduate student funding.

We have compiled a list of frequently answered questions to help you out.

If your query is not stated below or have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact us:

Email: studentadvice@staffs.ac.uk

Book an appointment: Students' Union Advice Appointments

💰 Am I eligible for postgraduate funding?

• You need to be under 60 years old on the first day of your course.
• You need to be settled in the UK (specifically in England for Student Finance England) and have lived here for at least 3 years. EU nationals with Pre-Settled Status can also apply.
• You must be doing a full master's degree – not a Postgraduate Diploma, and you can’t skip any credits.
• Studying Part-Time? That’s fine – if your course doesn’t take more than twice as long as the full-time version. If there isn’t a full-time version, it needs to be finished in 3 years or less.

👥 Who pays for my fees?

• You do! Unlike undergraduate loans the fees are not paid directly to the University, and it is your responsibility to make payments.
• You will receive one sum of money from Student Finance England which needs to cover both your Tuition Fee and acts as a contribution towards living costs. Having a part-time job during your studies may help you financially.

💰Is the loan paid in instalments?

• Yes however, the number of instalments you will receive depends on how long your course is.
• For example, if you're doing a one-year master's degree, your loan will be paid in three roughly equal chunks. If it’s a two-year course, you’ll get six instalments, and so on.

⏱️ When do the loan repayments start?

• You will only start repaying your loans in the tax year following the end of your last course and only when you exceed the payment threshold. The repayments will be deducted directly from your earnings.
• You can find out how much your repayments will be by heading to the Student Finance repayment calculator. Repaying your student loan: Overview - GOV.UK

📖 What happens if I cannot complete my course or take time out?

• You will still keep any loan money you got before you left or took a break.
• If you take time out and come back later, the rest of your loan will still be there for you to use.
• If you leave the course completely, you normally can’t get another loan under the same system (Master’s and PhD loans are separate).
• If you had to leave for a Compelling Personal Reason (such as illness), and Student Finance England agrees, you might be able to get another loan. You can only use this exception once per loan type.

🤝 Can I get any grants to help with childcare?

• Unfortunately, there’s no government funding specifically for postgraduate students’ childcare costs.
• If your household gets Working Tax Credit, that can include some help with childcare. But Universal Credit will only cover childcare costs if it’s for work – not for studying.
• There might be some help through discretionary funds from charities and trusts.
• You can search for those here: Turn2us Grants Search. Please keep in mind, funding from these sources isn’t guaranteed.

💰 Is there any additional funding that I can get on top of my Student Loan?

• If you did your undergraduate course at The University of Staffordshire, you may be eligible for an "alumni discount” on your fees. Find more information: Alumni discount - University of Staffordshire
• You may get extra help from benefits if you study part-time, receive Child Benefit or PIP, or live with a partner who’s not a full-time student. If this sounds like it applies to you, chat with our Student Advice Team.
• If you study full-time, the Council Tax rules are the same as for full-time Undergraduates
• Have a look at the University's Postgraduate Bursaries and Scholarships

At Staffs Union, we hold a reciprocal agreement with our colleagues at KeeleSU to ensure students can access free, confidential, independent, and impartial advice and advocacy where a conflict of interest exists in specific circumstances.

We aim to ensure that students can receive high-quality advice from reputable sources, and if we're unable to advise you, we want to be able to provide you with other options of services you can access like:

• Housing Cases | Shelter | Citizens Advice
• Money Cases | Turn2Us | Citizens Advice
• Debt Cases | StepChange | Citizens Advice
• Academic Cases | Money & Guidance Advisors
• Conduct Cases | If appropriate, we will refer you to KeeleSU

What is a conflict of interest, and when might the reciprocal agreement be used?

A conflict of interest arises when two students are involved in a case and approach us for advice. We cannot advise both parties to a dispute. If we did, it could impact our ability to provide impartial advice. It is, therefore, our practice to advise only the first party who has contacted us about the issue. If we are approached by the other party, we will look to make a referral to another agency that can advise them.

We will always consider a conflict of interest when two (or more) students approach us about the same issue.

We operate on a shared casework system. This means that cases are not assigned to an individual member of the team, and we work in a way that allows any adviser to pick up and work on a case. 

Some examples of a conflict of interest might be:

• Student A accuses Student B of assault. Student A approaches us first to ask for advice. We are unable to advise Student B because we cannot advise both parties in a dispute.
• Student C is accused of colluding with Student D on an assessment. Student C approaches us first to ask for advice. We are unable to advise Student D because we cannot advise both parties because their cases are intrinsically linked.

Whilst there isn't an exhaustive list, we will only refer you to KeeleSU if a conflict of interest exists. You're going through one of the following University processes:

• Student Conduct Procedure
• Academic Conduct Procedure
• Fitness to Practice Procedure
• Fitness to Study Procedure
• Temporary Suspension Procedure

We can't advise landlords, and we also can't advise you if you're in dispute with the Students' Union or facing one of our internal processes, like the Member Disciplinary Procedure or our Student Staff Disciplinary Procedure. We would not refer cases like these to KeeleSU. 

How does the process work?

In short, if there is a conflict of interest relating to a conduct matter that means we cannot advise and represent you, we will ask you if you'd like to be referred to KeeleSU. With your permission, we'll then make a referral to KeeleSU, and a member of the team will contact you to open a case with them. Please do not approach KeeleSU directly for advice, as they will not be able to support you unless you have been referred to them by us.

Do I have to speak with KeeleSU if there is a conflict of interest?

We can vouch for our colleagues at KeeleSU. They are amazing at what they do and will provide you with high-quality advice. If you don't want to seek advice from them, you don't have to. Our aim is always to provide you with an option of somewhere to go for advice if we can't help you, but the decision is always yours. If you don't wish to be referred to KeeleSU, just let us know when we ask you, and we won't refer you.

Where can I find more?

You can read our reciprocal agreement in full here.