Student Protection Plan Website FAQs

What is a Student Protection Plan?

A Student Protection Plan is a mandatory document that the regulator for higher education in England – the Office for Students (OfS) – requires all universities to have in place. It sets out the key actions that the University would need to put in place in the event that we could not continue to deliver your programme, or where we might have to close a campus, or the University itself might need to close. Many of these risks are unlikely to happen, but being able to set out what we would do is intended to give you reassurance and clarity in a situation where it does.

What is the purpose of a Student Protection Plan?

The purpose of the Student Protection Plan is to ensure that you can continue and complete your studies, or for you to be compensated if this is not possible. This Student Protection Plan provides an assessment of the risks to the continuation of your studies at the University of Exeter, sets out the University’s plans for potential material changes and how we would mitigate these.

The measures detailed in the Plan are in addition to the protections you have under consumer protection law and do not affect your consumer rights.

Where is the Student Protection Plan Published? And how will current and future students be made aware of the Plan?

The Student Protection Plan (PDF) is published on the University website for anyone to access. All new students are made aware of the Student Protection Plan when they accept their offer to study at the University of Exeter.

How is the Student Protection Plan produced?

The Plan is co-produced in collaboration and consultation with the Exeter Students’ Guild and the Falmouth and Exeter Students’ Union and continues to be reviewed and refreshed on a regular basis as we regularly look at our assessment that the risks in the plan might happen.

What events or issues are covered by the Student Protection Plan?

A number of examples are detailed below of the type of events that could trigger the Student Protection Plan being activated such as:

• Programme closure or suspension
• Unexpected changes to Programmes or Core Modules
• Loss of Programme Accreditation by a professional, statutory or regulatory body (for example the Nursing and Midwifery Council)
• Suspension of our licence to recruit international students impacting our ability to recruit and register international students
• Closure of the Campus where a course is taught

What events or issues are not covered by the Student Protection Plan?

A number of examples are detailed below of the type of events that would not trigger the Student Protection Plan:

• Minor changes and improvements to a course
• Minor changes to module content or changes to non-compulsory modules
• Timetabling changes, including rooms, buildings or locations
• Supervision changes for research students
• No longer accepting new students onto a particular version of a programme

What are the risks of the Student Protection Plan being required?

The Student Protection Plan identifies and assesses the potential risks that you would not be able to continue and complete your study. We currently rate these risks as low or very low.

My course is wholly online, am I covered by the Student Protection Plan?

Yes, students who study entirely online are covered by the Student Protection Plan

What if I am on a ‘Year Abroad’?

If your programme of study is covered by the Student Protection Plan and you go on a ‘year abroad’ at another provider, the Plan will not cover you for any changes that take place at the overseas provider. We will, however, contact you about anything that could be changing at Exeter on your programme when you return.

Where can I find further information about the Student Protection Plan?

Further information about Student Protection Plans can be found on the Office for Students (OfS) website at the link here