Compelling personal reasons (CPR) for full-time undergraduate students

If you've had to repeat part of your course due to difficult personal circumstances, you may be eligible for additional tuition fee support from Student Finance.

Compelling personal reasons (CPR) refers to serious personal circumstances that affected your ability to study, such as illness, bereavement, pregnancy, mental health challenges or a personal/family crisis. Student Finance may grant an additional year of tuition fee loan if CPR applies. General academic difficulties, course dissatisfaction or financial hardship alone are not accepted unless linked to serious issues.

You can apply for CPR even if you have your gift year available. 

1. Write a cover letter

Address Student Finance in a cover letter requesting CPR.

Personal details to include:

• Title in bold: Compelling Personal Reasons Request
• Student Finance Customer Reference Number (CRN)
• Full name, address, email, telephone
• Date of letter
• Request statement

Example: I am requesting a discretionary additional year of tuition fee funding due to compelling personal reasons that affected my studies during the [insert academic year] academic year.

Explain the circumstances for your CPR

• When they occurred (month and year)
• How they affected you personally
• How they affected your studies.

It is your responsibility to explain how CPR affected your studies in your cover letter.

Explain what has changed

Show what has improved and why you can successfully continue your studies.

Example: I am now receiving treatment and support for depression. With this in place, I am confident I can continue my studies from [insert return date].

2. Gather supporting evidence

Provide documentary evidence from a third party (not yourself), such as:

• Doctor's letter or medical report
• UWE Bristol Wellbeing Service letter
• Police report, death/birth certificate, social services letter, solicitor or clergy letter

You must include evidence that confirms the events that led to academic failure. This evidence must come from a third party such as a doctor and must not be written by you. The evidence must be dated within the academic year you are applying for.

A letter of support from UWE Bristol will not normally be sufficient evidence. Student Finance may ask you for a letter of support from UWE Bristol if you cannot provide the evidence outlined above.

Tips for third party letters

• Include a brief description of your CPR.
• Explain how circumstances affected you.
• Provide approximate dates (month and year).

3. Submit your evidence

• Include your CRN on all documents.
• Upload letters and evidence via your Student Finance online account, or post them with proof of posting.
• Keep copies of all documents and receipts.
• Follow up with Student Finance to confirm receipt.

If you are having difficulties obtaining evidence or if you have your covering letter and supporting evidence ready and would like us to review it before you send it to Student Finance, please contact us via our Student Money Service enquiry form.

Student Finance may try to persuade you to use your gift year rather than apply for CPR. If you accept this, you will only have fee support for the standard number of years needed to complete your course. This could cause problems if you need to repeat a year of study in the future. You're entitled to make your request for CPR.

If you are applying for CPR in order to start a new course, Student Finance will want to know why. They may accept your evidence as good reason for failing on your current course but may need reasons for why you are changing courses.

If you are starting a new course with more than two years previous study, please seek advice from a UWE Bristol Student Money Adviser.

If Student Finance refuses your request for an additional year of funding

1. Ask for an explanation - contact Student Finance and ask them to explain why your request was refused. This can help you understand what was missing or unclear in your application.
2. Submit further evidence - if they ask for more information or documentation, you can submit additional evidence. You should speak to a UWE Student Money Adviser before doing this, they can help you strengthen your case.
3. Appeal the decision - if your request is still refused, you have the right to appeal. Details of the appeals process are available on the Student Finance website.

If Student Finance continues to refuse your CPR request

You will need to pay your tuition fees yourself for the next year of study. You will still be entitled to living cost support, including: the maintenance loan, any supplementary grants (e.g. for dependents) and Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) if applicable.

Do not register for a year of study unless you have your tuition fee funding in place.

If paying the tuition fees yourself isn’t possible

You may want to consider interrupting your studies to stabilise your financial situation. This can give you time to save money and return when you’re financially ready.