Applied Business Academy (ABA)
It has been announced that the Applied Business Academy (ABA) have told students that their higher education courses will be closed. On the 25 October 2024 ABA appointed FRP Advisory as voluntary liquidators.
The higher education courses offered by ABA are validated by other higher education bodies including the University of Buckingham and Leeds Trinity University. The Office for Students is working with the ABA and its partners to offer support to their higher education students.
We understand that this is a very difficult and upsetting situation for students and staff. Students will be receiving information from the relevant partner provider about their options. This will include details about who they can contact for additional information.
If a student is dissatisfied with the actions taken to support them, they may be able to make a complaint to us. Before doing this students should first raise their concerns with the relevant partner provider. We have published some additional information for students in the FAQs below.
FAQs
Some courses delivered by ABA were part of a partnership arrangement with other higher education providers including the University of Buckingham and Leeds Trinity University.
You should have received a letter that relates to the course you were on and what options are available to you now.
If you have not received any letter you can contact:
| ABA courses | University to contact |
|---|---|
| For students on BA (Hons) International Business registered with Leeds Trinity University | Leeds Trinity University 0113 517 2428 (9-5pm, weekdays) apu@leedstrinity.ac.uk |
| For students on BSc (Hons) Business Management validated by University of Buckingham | University of Buckingham 01280 827528 (from Thursday 19 September, 9-5pm, weekdays) Admissions@buckingham.ac.uk |
| For students who are completing BA (Hons) Innovation in Learning and Development (top up) validated by University of West London | University of West London PartnerStudent.Experience@uwl.ac.uk 020 8231 2473 |
Keep checking your email regularly because the situation may change quickly and there may be new information for you about what is happening.
You will need to decide whether you want to continue your studies immediately under a new arrangement that is offered to you, or if you want to take some time out before continuing your studies.
Students are being asked to make decisions quickly so that they can carry on with their studies without a break. It is important that you pay attention to any deadlines set for making a decision. If you don’t feel able to make a decision, contact the provider named in the letter you received to ask them for advice.
You should consider the option you have been told about and decide whether it is right for you and your circumstances. If you have concerns you should talk to the provider about them in the first instance.
You may need to think about the timing and location of any teaching and assessment under the new arrangements and whether this is practical for you.
You may need to ask about arrangements for any additional support, for example, because you have a disability or other health need.
You may need to find out about the fees you will have to pay. If you already receive some additional financial support such as bursaries or hardship fund support, you may need to ask about what will be available in the future.
If you decide not to carry on with your studies immediately, it is likely that you will not be able to receive any more student loan payments for tuition fees or maintenance until you are studying somewhere again.
It is important that you seek advice about what will be best for you individually to do, as different students will have different circumstances.
Yes. ABA is a member of our Scheme and so ABA students can complain to us until at least Sept 2025. But because ABA has closed, we may not be able to fully review your complaint, and if we were to uphold your complaint it is likely that ways to put things right would be very limited.
Before you fill in our Complaint Form, it may be helpful to talk to us first. You can call us on 0118 989 9813. Or you can email enquiries@oiahe.org.uk.
Tell us briefly what you are unhappy about and what outcome you are hoping for. You can ask us to call you back, or we can reply by email if you prefer.
If you already have a Completion of Procedures Letter from a complaint you had made to ABA before it closed, and you want to bring your complaint to us, you should fill in our Complaint Form as soon as possible.
If you are dissatisfied with something to do with the university partner or have transferred to another provider and are unhappy about them, you may be able to complain to us about that. As a first step, you should raise your concerns with the provider you are studying at.
No. The fact that ABA has closed does not mean that you will get a refund of tuition fees for any tuition delivered before the closure. This is because up until the closure, ABA had been delivering teaching and assessment as usual.
We understand that ABA closing has been very distressing for students. Your options might mean that you have moved to a course which doesn’t quite match what you hoped to receive at ABA. You may be concerned that the new course will mean you have more costs to pay. You may have decided that you are not able to continue your studies immediately.
As ABA has gone into liquidation you may wish to lodge a claim with the liquidators if you feel you should be an unsecured creditor. The liquidators details are FRP Advisory and you should contact them for more information.
If you are unhappy about something the university partner has or hasn’t done you should contact them in the first instance.
Your financial arrangements will depend on your situation and what you have decided to do.
If you have transferred to a different higher education provider, you should ask that provider for advice about any issues with student funding.
You can find details about how to contact the Student Loans Company on their website..
If you are very worried about your financial situation, then you could speak to:
- The Money Advisory Service. This is a free government service.
- Your local Citizen’s Advice Service.
You may find it helpful to contact another organisation that can give you some additional support.