Student Services

Advice UK is the biggest network of independent advice centres in the UK.  Membership means that we work to a set of standards which helps us work towards providing a society wherein every individual, regardless of means, is able to access the advice they need in order to exercise their rights and deal with any legal and social welfare problems they may face. For more information please visit their website: https://www.adviceuk.org.uk/

The FCA regulates financial activities and provides secure appropriate protection for consumers.  They set out rules which we have to follow and conduct audits to ensure we are following these rules when providing financial advice. Anyone accessing our service for financial advice is protected and has access to the Financial Ombudsman Service who decide the outcomes of complaints, which can include compensation if the complaint is upheld. For more information, please visit their website: https://www.fca.org.uk/

The IMA’s mission is to assure quality in the money advice sector.  Their Statement of Good Practice states that advisers must provide impartial advice and to provide clients with a full range of options available, to explain the consequences of each option and to ensure all advice given is in the best interest of the individual client.  All IMA members are expected to follow the Professional Code of Conduct. Our specialist money and debt advisers are accredited members of the IMA. For more information, please visit their website: https://www.i-m-a.org.uk/

NASMA is the leading authority on all matters relating to student advice and funding, and is a registered charity working to relieve the poverty of students through the provision of advice, information and training.  Members are expected to adhere to the NASMA values: professionalism, knowledgeable and informative, excellence and innovation, honesty, integrity and respect, and collaboration and teamwork. The Advice Service are all accredited members of NASMA.  More information about NASMA can be found here: https://www.nasma.org.uk/

UKCISA is the UK’s national advisory body serving the interests of International students and those who work with them.  As a UKCISA member we provide advice, support and information on all aspects of the international student experience and have specialist knowledge and expertise on the rules and regulations, including visas and fees.  As part of the UKCISA network, we have access to the most up to date relevant law and government guidance which ensures our International students are receiving the most appropriate advice.  We are encouraged by UKCISA to follow the highest possible standard of professionalism and must adhere to the UKCISA code of Ethics and the Code of Practice for Members.  Details of which can be found on their website: https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/

AISA is a sub-group of UKCISA whose focus is International student welfare.  The network of members promote the discussion of issues relating to the development of support and immigration advice services for international students, and are expected to adhere to the UKCISA/AISA Code of Ethics.  For more information, please visit the AISA website: https://aisa.outstandinglearning.net/

The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) is an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the Home Office, and regulates immigration advisers, ensuring they are fit and competent and act in the best interest of their clients. The Advice Service are the only people legally allowed to provide immigration advice to University of Lincoln students and prospective students Immigration advice is very carefully regulated by the OISC, and it is a criminal offence to provide immigration advice or services unless authorised to do so. This provision was introduced by the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 and came into force on 30 April 2001. As an educational institution we are regulated by the OISC, we are not required to be registered. We must adhere to all the competence requirements the OISC expect. Please find further details on their website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-of-the-immigration-services-commissioner

If you are unhappy regarding the service you have received from the Advice Team, we would encourage you to try to resolve the issue informally with the Head of Student Support and Advice. Please email studentsupport@lincoln.ac.uk with full details of your complaint and it will be passed to the Head of Student Support and Advice who will be in contact with you to discuss.

To make a formal complaint you must contact the Student Complaints Officer in the Secretariat who will send you a form to complete, which will help you set out the details of your case. Full details of the complaints procedure can be found here: https://secretariat.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/student-contention/student-complaints/

You can also contact the Students’ Union Advice Centre as they will be able to provide you with support and representation independent of the University. Please visit their website for more information: https://lincolnsu.com/advice