Download the Changes to Registration Status Procedure

Support services available to students

SU Advice page

Provides guidance on academic issues, non-academic issues, and wellbeing

Careers Service

Offers confidential and impartial support through the decision-making process

College counselling service

A free and confidential service available to all registered students of Imperial College London

Student Minds

Student Minds is the UK’s student mental health charity

Samaritans

A free and confidential listening service, available by phone, online, and in-person

Please discuss any changes in registration status with your Personal Tutor, Postgraduate Tutor, or Senior Tutor, or another member of department staff, as they will be able to discuss your options with you and help you make the right choice for you and your studies.

If you require additional support during your studies, please reach out to one the College support services.

I want to...

Transfer Programme

  • If you feel that your current course is not right for you, your department may approve a request for a transfer. It is usually possible to transfer to a different programme within the same department.
  • To transfer to a programme of study run by another department requires the agreement of your current department and the department you would like to join. You will need to meet the admissions criteria for the course you want to join. Both departments will inform the Student Records team in Registry to finalise the process.
  • It may not be possible to transfer halfway through an academic year, and you may need to wait until the beginning of the next academic year to transfer programmes. 
  • If you are on an undergraduate or postgraduate taught programme, the Director of Study of the programme you are transferring to will need to approve whether you can take any previously passed credits with you to your new programme. 
  • If you are on a Student Visa, and/or receiving funding such as a student loan or a bursary, transferring programmes may have an impact on these. Please contact the Student Financial Support team (student.funding@imperial.ac.uk) and the International Student Support team (international@imperial.ac.uk) to understand the impact of a programme transfer on your funding and/or visa. 
  • If you have a Suggested Reasonable Adjustment Document (SRAD), please note that this is programme-specific, and if you transfer programmes the Disability Advice Service will help you create a new SRAD for your new programme. 

Interrupt my Studies

  • If you need to take a temporary break from your studies due to health-related, financial, or other personal circumstances, you may request an interruption of studies. The break is usually for the reminder of the academic year or a full calendar year.
  • If you decide to pause your studies your student status will change (you will still be registered but not enrolled). This may affect things like your access to university services, your funding, and your right to remain in the UK.
  • An interruption of studies needs approval from your department. You should discuss your circumstances with a member of your programme team, ideally your Senior Tutor, supervisor, or Programme Director. 
  • The Student Support Zone webpage provides guidance and information on how pausing your studies may affect your student status.

Withdraw from my studies

  • If you are considering leaving your course, please speak with your Personal Tutor, Year Tutor, or the Senior Tutor beforehand. Depending on the reason for your decision, there may be support which can assist you. You may find that withdrawing from your degree isn’t the most appropriate course of action to take. The university will try and provide support to you so you can continue your studies, or support you in interrupting your studies if that would be helpful. 
  • Once you have withdrawn from your programme of study, you cannot normally return to it at a later date.
  • If your department agrees to your withdrawal request, please note that you may need to pay fees for the period up to the end of your registration. 
  • You are required to notify the department or division in writing, of your intention to withdraw. Your department will then inform the Student Records team in Registry who will formally withdraw you from Imperial. 
  • Withdrawal from your studies will affect an international Student Visa, especially if you have a Student Visa. Please arrange an appointment with an adviser in the International Student Support team to discuss your options. 
  • Withdrawal from your studies will also affect any funding you are in receipt of, such as your student loan/maintenance loan, a scholarship, or a bursary. Please contact the Student Financial Support team (student.funding@imperial.ac.uk) to discuss how withdrawal will affect your funding.

Change between full-time and part-time study

  • Imperial delivers most of it's taught programmes on a  full-time  basis, and for most programmes no part-time version exists.
  • If a part-time version of your programme exists, you can find this information in the programme page on Imperial's website. 
  • If you are on a Student Visa, you must normally be studying full-time.
  • If your programme of study exists as both full-time and part-time, you can make a request to change from one mode of study to the other. Taught students are not permitted to request this in the final semester of their course.
  • If you want to change to part-time or full-time study, you must write to your Director if Study. If your request is approved, the Director will notify the Student Records team in Registry who will amend your registration. 
  • If you are in receipt of any funding, such as a student loan or scholarship, this will likely be affected by a change in your mode of study. Please contact the Student Financial Support team (student.funding@imperial.ac.uk) to discuss how your funding will be affected.