Student financing second time round

Astrild

Ok...so

I was a bit of an idiot the first time I went to uni in 2005. I got bored after the first year, ended up being offered a job that I wanted at the end of it anyway.

So I tried to tell the uni I had quit, on a number of different occasions, but got no official notification...I just forgot about it and got on with my life...

Except...I still received the finance for another year Free money is difficult to say no to

Now, I have been accepted onto the course I want. I'm applying as an independent mature student. I just tried to register on the studentfinance site, in order to apply, and it says I've already registered - clearly still remembering me from 4 bloody years ago!

Now I'm terrified that the amount of loan/grants I get will be reduced, because I have already received 2 years and dropped out...

Has anyone had any experience of this? Will they deduct how much I've had or a proportion of it for this year? How will it affect me? Any help much appreciated.

Oldernotwiser

You can get funding for a maximum of 4 years. You've had 2 of them and are, presumably, looking at doing a 3 year course. Theft often catches you out eventually!

Taiko

Sorry older, it's not 4 years. It's the duration of the new course plus one year, less any years of previous HE study that a student would have been eligible to receive funding. So in theory it could be more years if, for example, a student was doing engineering.

mancmum

Hi Astrild

Its not unusual to change courses, a lot of people are pushed into university. I don't know whether the subject area you are interested in is one in which a foundation degree is offered (two year FT work based degrees with an option to upgrade to full degree). Changes in the way that universities are financed actually mean that not only have you missed two years of maintenance funding, but you have also used up two years of government funding to the university. Some universities are now charging second time arounders a fee that is fixed at midpoint between the standard tuition fee and the fee charged to international students. However, this does not apply to Foundation Degress ...which are also exceptionally good value with some newer universities pricing them at 1,200 per year.

Oldernotwiser

Taiko wrote: »

Sorry older, it's not 4 years. It's the duration of the new course plus one year, less any years of previous HE study that a student would have been eligible to receive funding. So in theory it could be more years if, for example, a student was doing engineering.

Normal full time degrees are 3 years; I thought it was only the MEng that was 4?

dieselhead

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Normal full time degrees are 3 years; I thought it was only the MEng that was 4?

There are quite a few exceptions architecture is 7 as is vetinary sciences, medics 5 years (although I think their funding is slightly different) I think there are others.

Taiko

More and more 4 year degrees are popping up. The bit about the previous study calculation is contained within The Student Support Regulations. It's unfortunately not the straightforward 4 years support due to the variety of courses now offered.

Oldernotwiser

dieselhead wrote: »

There are quite a few exceptions architecture is 7 as is vetinary sciences, medics 5 years (although I think their funding is slightly different) I think there are others.

I'm sorry, of course I knew that. I was only generalising about the vast majority of degrees.

Oldernotwiser

Taiko wrote: »

More and more 4 year degrees are popping up. The bit about the previous study calculation is contained within The Student Support Regulations. It's unfortunately not the straightforward 4 years support due to the variety of courses now offered.

However, going back to the OP's question, she's already had 2 years support (one of them illegitimately) so she won't get full funding for another degree, whether 3 years, 4 or 7.

I'm sorry about my generalisation but your comments have taken this thread very much off the subject.

MrsManda

It is difficult to get funding for another degree after recieving student support in the past unless you dropped out for a good reason (a reason the LEA deem to be good). What I found slightly annoying is if you drop out of your course but start a new one in the next educational year it is alot easier to get continued funding than if you drop out, get your head sorted and then go back.

I dropped out in 2004 after recieving a year of tutition fees, plus two years of student loans - I told them I'd left, I even got a letter saying that they'd only give me the minimum loan because I was no longer a student

Last year I decided I wanted to try again and had major problems getting the LEA to fund it (I wouldn't have minded so much but this time round the tuition fees are loans, not grants). I dropped out in 2004 due to serious illness, which is classed as a valid excuse but it still took 6 months of sending letters to the LEA, sitting on hold for hours, THREE doctors letters, and a letter from my personal tutor at my previous university saying the university I dropped out of was satisfied I could not have continued that course at that time before they agreed to fund me.

After all that faff, I would be doubtful that the OP would be eligible for further funding but stranger things have happened.

Taiko

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

However, going back to the OP's question, she's already had 2 years support (one of them illegitimately) so she won't get full funding for another degree, whether 3 years, 4 or 7.

I'm sorry about my generalisation but your comments have taken this thread very much off the subject.

Actually, my first point clarified from the regulations entitlement, which yours did not. You then proceeded to derail the thread, causing my replies to break down the regulations for you. My original post even detailed they would not be eligible in the first year.