Help With Student Loans - HERE!

ChrisF0

MrsManda wrote: »

I think your daughter will be eligible for the same funding as students in the Republic of Ireland as you are from an E.U. country. You can find more information about studying in an EU country and in the Republic of Ireland in particular

Thanks Mrs Manda, I have read both sites. The problem is this: daughter cannot apply for help in Ireland as she does not have an Irish address (and you need to have had one for a year before applying). Being from the EU does not help -- though it does qualify her (at the moment) for free fees. And the UK site effectively passes the buck to Ireland. Result: impasse. The UK student finance people actively encourage EU students to apply for aid from the UK system, but seem to have no interest in people going the other way.
Thank you for taking the trouble to apply. But I wonder if any other student or parent has actual experience of this dilemma?

tompritchard

There is some basic advice here: http://www.bettermoneyadvice.co.uk/showArticle.aspx?loadid=00524

Oldernotwiser

ms12 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply, no, no-one to take it on, how can the NUS help? have had some advice to contact my home uni and ask for help, But I will try anything I am so stuck need to try everything possible. Why did they centralise everything if they can't handle the load?? was it better before or worse? I see many people are waiting on SF, the stress is unbearable now.

It's one of the roles of your Students Union to take up issues on its members behalf; you've nothing to lose by sending them an email. They should have a Welfare Officer as well as the university.

Oldernotwiser

ChrisF0 wrote: »

The UK student finance people actively encourage EU students to apply for aid from the UK system, but seem to have no interest in people going the other way.

EU students studying in the UK can only get a loan for their fees; they can't get any maintenance funding.

mrfumitsu

jtwjtw wrote: »

Have not had a chance to read all of this thread but is anyone else getting totally fed up with the student finance lot . No final figures even though we started applying in April. No way to talk to a human. No sensible reply to email. Daughter assessed on different year to son etc etc
Is the system in collapse?
Sob sob sob

I applied in April too. Still no figures and a load of phone calls later and they tell me this morning that I will have to re-apply as there has been a major admin error affecting hundreds of applicants. Was yours a paper application? I managed to find a better contact number as it's student friendly - 0141 306 2000. So, I start on 21st Sept and all my direct debits will bounce now and they don't seem bothered. They said they can't fast track anymore even though it is their fault. Nice eh??

fairyqueen48

this no 0141 306 2000 is this another no to student finance ?

mrfumitsu

fairyqueen48 wrote: »

this no 0141 306 2000 is this another no to student finance ?

Yes, it is the switchboard number for Student finance England. Thanks to some Mr Lewis advice, I went to the following useful site, "say no to 0870dotcom" (I am a new user so I can't place the proper link here so google say no to 0870)

I put their number in and it gave me a proper number to call. 0870 and other similar numbers cost more to call and are usually a profit generating tool for the parties involved.

muttsnuts

My father does not want to use the GSA1 form, and insists on sending a letter from his accountant as SLC says this is acceptable.

Can anyone advise me as to what information the accountant needs to include on the letter as I am meeting him tonight. Also, would an accountant letter alone (obviously a proper letter-headed and stamped one) be sufficient to prove income from self-employment?

Thanks!

verguson

Well three thousand. I worked abroad teaching English in a developing country for 4 years and never filled out the deferment despite never earning enough to reach the payment threshold. A very stupid mistake which has seen me rack up over 3 grand in arrears. One loan has already been branded a default harming my credit rating (for some reason 3 years of loans are on two different accounts) and the other is already there, I'm back in the country and trying to behave like a grown-up but I'm job hunting right now the daily phone calls and letters from the SLC are distressing.

I started studying in 1997 (Mortgage Loan). I'm pretty sure there's no way I'll be able to avoid paying this eventually but any advice gratefully received. Even if its about just how bad credit ratings can be.

If not ist a cautionary tale to others. Fill out that form every February.

Oldernotwiser

muttsnuts wrote: »

My father does not want to use the GSA1 form, and insists on sending a letter from his accountant as SLC says this is acceptable.

Can anyone advise me as to what information the accountant needs to include on the letter as I am meeting him tonight. Also, would an accountant letter alone (obviously a proper letter-headed and stamped one) be sufficient to prove income from self-employment?

Thanks!

If the SLC says it's acceptable, then I imagine it must be!

As far as information goes, I would think that if you include the same information that's asked for on the GSA1 then you won't go far wrong!