Help With Student Loans - HERE!

best_gillybear

Help needed please. I started a marketing degree course in 2007. I left this in January 2008. I had a break from study and then started a completely different course (quantity surveying) in 2009. I'm now eligible for a maintenance grant but the amount seems really low. I spoke to Student Finance and they say I'm a 2007 cohort transferring student and therefore all loan/grant calculations are considered on the rules of a 2007 student not a 2009 one. Does anyone know if this is right?

chevy01

Taiko wrote: »

The woman is wrong. If you're on paid placement, you are entitled to the reduced rate maintenance loan and half rate fee loan.

If you can remember the time you called, I'd suggest making a complaint. Whenever your account is accessed, it does leave some details, so I'd complain about the incorrect information you have been given. If needbe, they can also trace the call, providing you can give them the rough time and number you called from.

Hi, I'me having a similar issue with SLC, my son is going into his 2nd year which is a year long UNPAID placement, and for the last 2 -3 months I've spoken to SLC advisors who assured me he would get all his normal loans and grants - until today that is - when I've now been told he will only get the reduced amount that a PAID placement will get! How is that fair for someone on a paid placement to get the same as someone on a non paid placement? the most annoying thing is that we have been told be SLC all along that he would get all the normal grants and loans to enable him to take this unpaid placement but now we find out (with 3 weeks to go), that he will have £2324 to pay his rent and feed himself on for the next 12 months - plus he will have to pay £1000 from his own pocket for tuition fees too!! I'm so frustrated - it doesn't mention this anyone on the SLC loan caculator and you would be hard pushed to find the info anywhere on the SLC website. Plus when advisors are telling you one thing and then another, how are you supposed to make sensible choices? Now I'm faced with the terrible decision of whether my son can stay on his course or if he will have to drop oout because we can't afford to fund him for a year - so sad!

botany_2

Hi, I have just got my student loan repayment details for September through to March 2012 (when I should ahve finally repaid my Student loan), but have had a bit of a shock as it has spilt the final repayments into 6 X £25 and 1 x £439 in March. Any ideas how i can spread the payments more evenly?

Savvy_Sue

Split the final payment into 6, and make a payment of that amount into an ISA or the highest interest paying Instant Access Savings Account you can find. Then withdraw it when you need it.

FOXGLOVE_2

Can anyone offer any information on the following?

My OH has a pre-1998 loan and has deferred this every year as she doesnt earn enough to begin making repayments.

Her employer is about to pay her around £15000 after settling an equal pay tribunal (5 years of being unfairly paid). This payment will be paid to her through her salary and be shown on a payslip, not by cheque or anything. She is now worried that student loans are gonna take the lot.

She earns around £15,000 a year now and with this huge backpayment, it would take her over the threshold to begin repayments. But since this lump sum is the accumulation of 5 years underpaid salary, can student loans touch it?

Savvy_Sue

They won't take the lot: it's always a flat % of anything over £15,000 pa.

So yes, she'll pay a lot more in that first month than she will in subsequent months.

But no, AFAIK there's no way of getting out of this.

Whenever any of my colleagues with student loans get any back pay they always moan about the extra payment to SL, but they are still better off than they would have been without the back pay.

palmer24

Hi,

I'm an independent mature student. I would like to query how a 'gift' affects my student finance. My course began Sept 2010 and following the start of the course the house my wife and I were purchasing completed, but my mother gave me £6000 to meet the deposit requirements for the mortgage. I did not declare this in my 2011/12 application as I did not think that it was relevant, however I have since received an adult dependent grant confirmation form and whilst going through the details have remembered the £6000. Is this money declarable and what happens if I repay it in installments to my mother.

Thanks

lizm8906

Hi,
You seem to know a lot about student finance so thought I'd ask your advice!
I studied at university 20 odd years ago and returned 2 years ago to find I was only entitled to 1 years funding which would be in year "4". After appealing for a year I was finally granted an extra year - my first year was then paid and I had to negotiate to continue last year (my second year). I had a lot of support through the university and with special funding was able to continue but still owed £1300. Year 4 would have been funded if I had continued for the full BSc this year...
However on completion of this foundation degree I have now transferred to an NHS bursary funded nursing degree. I have written to SFE to explain that last year was therefore my final year (year 4) and could it be funded retrospectively - ie my fees and parental learning allowance - neither of which I was entitled to.
Do you know the answer to this as I am still waiting to hear - a month after sending in the letter?
I know that although the above makes sense to me it may not to you so please do not hesitate to ask me any questions to clarify things! I would appreciate any advice or knowledge that you may have in this matter.
Thanks in advance,
Liz.

Taiko

No, you've no grounds for appeal in accordance with The Education (Student Support) Regulations 2009.

smevans

Hi all,

I would very much like to study for an undergrad course but already with a mortgage & child and a wedding next year i'm not clear on whether or not I would be 1) entitled to funding and 2) entitled to apply for a student loan?

Can anyone enlighten me?

I listened to Martins video on youtube about the new funding system and being able to spread the cost would really allow me to get a decent qualification which is now really important to me.