Access to Learning application refused

rainbow_carnage

My husband is a full-time student. Up until recently, he was also working full-time to pay for his studies. He had to quit his job at the end of last year because it was starting to take a toll on his uni work. It's a very competitive field. He was starting to fall behind his classmates, who can afford to take unpaid internships to advance their careers.

This is his second degree, so he does not qualify for any loans.

I've recently finished a masters and work freelance. I'm also studying part-time. Since the collapse of the economy, some of my clients can no longer afford to pay me, so my income has halved.

A couple weeks ago, my husband applied for financial aid through the Access to Learning fund. His current income is zero. I make £150-200 (before taxes) per week, which barely covers our rent. Our overdrafts are maxed out. We're living off a couple zero-interest credit cards.

The application was rejected. He called to ask why and was told that they have to take student loans into account, even if he isn't eligible for them. With that, an income of £150 a week for 2 people is apparently too high to qualify for the fund. In London. Where the rent on a studio is higher than that.

He asked if there was anything else he could apply for and was told no. He can reapply for the fund if his circumstances change significantly, but the only way that will happen if I stop working completely. Surely that's not what they want.

Is the system genuinely this absurd? That someone who's worked full-time, paid all of his own tuition without any help from parents, loans, uni, etc. can't get a few hundred quid to help him get through the next couple of months?

And now my husband has to go back to work so we don't get kicked out of our flat.

Any helpful advice would be much appreciated.

Oldernotwiser

Please don't think I'm being rude but are you sure that they understood that he CAN'T get a Student Loan rather having chosen not to take one? I know that you can't get money from the ALF if you haven't accessed all the money available, but I haven't come across your situation before. It just strikes me that there might have been room for a misunderstanding here.

Edit: I've just had a quick Google and many universities say that you can apply for ALF for a second degree.

custardy

i have to agree
i think they havent understood he doesnt have the loans option available to him

welf_man

Have you applied for Local Housing Allowance?

With ALF, it is possible to apply for second degrees, but the assessors would want to be sure that the original funding plan was viable and that there is a realistic chance of him completing.

Working full-time to support himself was clearly not going to be possible for the whole course, but if the plan was that you would mainly support him but the changed economic situation has affected that - and you can prove it -they might be sympathetic.

Mel xxx.

mark1024

FYI as I mentioned in another thread, the ALF is not open to many second degree takers. Certainly at the largest university in London the fund is not available to people taking a second degree, and I believe most universities will have similar policies. I have a letter from our registrar stating this, and closing my appeal over the matter.

They tend to follow the HEFCE guidelines which make it clear that the government will not fund such people, and this unfortunately extends to the ALF. This may also have something to do with the change from hardship fund to ALF.

I do find that some advice on this forum regarding most things second degree related, although well meaning, is not entirely accurate.

I hope things work out for you, but rest assured, you are not the only people struggling with funding second degree.

Oldernotwiser

mark1024 wrote: »

from hardship fund to ALF.

I do find that some advice on this forum regarding most things second degree related, although well meaning, is not entirely accurate.

I did point out in my post that many universities websites specifically state that you can get help from ALF for second degrees; I didn't just make that up!

rainbow_carnage

Yes, he did make it clear that he CANNOT get a student loan.

Technically, second-degree students are eligible for ALF. But in doing the calculation, the university adds the standard student loan amount to the student's income, even though he can't actually get the loan. With this extra imaginary income, he doesn't qualify for financial help.

We looked into eligibility issues before filling in the forms. The uni stressed that they take special circumstances into account. I'm annoyed that they clearly did not.

custardy

thats crazy if they calculate income not avaialable to him.

Oldernotwiser

rainbow_carnage wrote: »

Yes, he did make it clear that he CANNOT get a student loan.

Technically, second-degree students are eligible for ALF. But in doing the calculation, the university adds the standard student loan amount to the student's income, even though he can't actually get the loan. With this extra imaginary income, he doesn't qualify for financial help.

We looked into eligibility issues before filling in the forms. The uni stressed that they take special circumstances into account. I'm annoyed that they clearly did not.

Thank you for explaining that.

What still puzzles me though, is why he can't get help from ALF, even if they take this non existent money into account. Most typical students get a loan and still get help and, from what you've said, your income isn't high enough to affect this. Have you appealed this decision?

DrFluffy

mark1024 wrote: »

FYI as I mentioned in another thread, the ALF is not open to many second degree takers. Certainly at the largest university in London the fund is not available to people taking a second degree

I'm at a UoL institution, doing a second degree (well third really ) and have accessed ALF.

mark1024

DrFluffy wrote: »

I'm at a UoL institution, doing a second degree (well third really ) and have accessed ALF.

Well London Metropolitan is the largest single university in London. London Uni is more an grouping of autonomous colleges. My first degree was from UCL which although big, is smaller than London Met.

You are lucky to have access to the ALF as despite any extreme emergency financial hardship, as in my case, you would be rejected (for your whole term of study here) The DIUS guidelines make this clear.