Help With Student Loans - HERE!

gunsandbanjos

For anyone waiting on SAAS i phoned today and was told they are still only on applications submitted by 13th July! EEEP! Thankfully i got through to a nice man who sorted mine for me:)

nessar

Hi, I'm hoping someone can help.

Just before A level exams I was kicked out of my Mother's house and was able to get temporary sheltered accomodation for vulnerable young persons from the housing association, before my Uni course started. I am classed by them as estranged from my parents. I have no contact with my mother but still talk to my father on the phone (my parents are divorced). I receive no financial support from either of them.

In the first year of uni I was therefore classed as an independant student, under the criteria that I had been under the care of a local authority for a period of 3 months or more and estranged from my parents. A letter from the social worker I had in the temporary accomodation secured this. This meant I had a loan of around 6000 and so could still afford to go to uni, despite my lack of parental financial support.

In the second year, the criteria changed (something that I was not made aware could happen) and the criteria that I fitted no longer existed at all. I was told that I could only still be an independant student if I got pregnant, married, or never talked to my father again, and if I even answered the phone to him I could be done for fraud. This meant that I could not be tried on my own income, yet I still could not be tried on my parents income as I am estranged from them. This meant I got the non-means-tested loan of around 3500, a BIG drop. To make matters worse, I also had to repay £300. I managed to keep myself afloat by working as many hours as I could at my part-time job, and taking money from my small inheritance from my Great Grandfather. I nearly quit, but I figured it may change again the next year and allow me to be an independant student again, plus then I would have been in debt for nothing.

Now, at the start of my third year, the criteria has not changed. My loan doesnt even cover my rent, let alone any other bills or food! and to make matters worse they have reduced it even further this year. My inheritance is nearly gone. My overdraft is maxed out and cant be extended. I was relying on working loads of hours in the summer (I have to stay up here all year as I have no parental home to go back to), but I couldnt get anywhere near the amount I wanted.

I wouldnt have gone to uni if I hadnt have thought I would be an independant student and get enough to actually live on. I was not made aware that the criteria would change yearly. Student finance say theres nothing I can do.

Is there any way I can be tried on the criteria I was lead to believe would last the entirity of my course?

tobyjones2000

slcworker wrote: »

Hey, i have alot of Knowledge of how the student loans procedure works. If anyone needs any help, i can advise as much general info.
Obviously i cant divulge into specifics due to Data Protection and the fact that i'd get fired, but anything i can help with, just let me know.

Hi there,

I ran into some troubles yesterday with the student finance company. I failed a year away in Spain and the university has put me back a year, as a full-time student, in the third year.

In Scotland it is typical to do a four year degree, so now my total will add up to five years. I phoned student finance england yesterday to inform of my change, and the employee told me I would not be entitled to any student finance this year because they only offer four years of student finance to each student. Furthermore, this year would not be financed as they would want to finance my last year to make sure that I completed the degree

As you can imagine it was quite a shock and I decided to get some advice from student union because I was sure that they offered every student full student support for the duration of their degree + 1.
So in English-degree 3 years + 1. Or a course with a foundation year or a degree in Scotland 4 years + 1. The advice place re-confirmed my opinion and will seek to speak to student finance england in the next couple of days.

Can you clarify on this, and does anyone recommend what I should do if the finance doesn't come through as It's going to put me an extremely vulnerable economic position. :-(

Many thanks in advance.

aseraph28

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum, but of course have a query regarding my student loan for this academic year.

I'll keep it as simple as possible. Basically I first applied for finance when I attended uni in 2006. Everything was fine and I completed one year of study on a Media and Cultural studies degree.

However, after the first year I decided the course and the uni wasn't really for me and so I withdrew from the course and uni. I had already applied for funding, but never received anything. This was for academic year 2007/2008.

As I had left it too long I was unable to apply for another uni, and so I had to take a year out. I then returned to a new course and new uni in 2008. Everything was fine up until last year.

I was due to start my final (3rd) year last September 2010, but I fell pregnant in May and after a few emails back and forth between myself and my uni the only option they had was for me to take an interruption of studies and return this year. They stated it was due to the fact that the modules on my course were year long and could not be interrupted once I had enrolled (my baby was due January 2011).

So a few months after having my son I applied for my finance for this academic year. I then received a letter stating that I would not be entitled to the tuition fee loan and maintenance grant due to previous years study. i obviously got in contact with them straight away to try and find out why. They told me that as I hadn't cancelled last years application I had used my quota of finance, I explained that I had no choice but to take a year out last year, and that I had not received any money into my account last year, nor had I even signed the declaration. (I wasn't aware that cancelling the application was terribly important, as I thought they would be able to see on their system that I never received any funding last year.)

So I was then told I would need a letter from my doctor confirming that I was in fact pregnant last year, and that once they had this I should then be eligible to receive the tuition fee loan. Before I was prepared to pay for the doctors letter (they're not cheap) I called up to double check this was all I needed I was then told by another person that I didn't in fact need a letter from the doctor, but did need a letter from my uni stating that I had had an interruption of studies and that I would be returning to uni this year.

I have sent them all of the information they requested, only to now be told that the information I provided when I filled in my application online was never received, and now I am subject to a wait time of up to 3 weeks before they give me a decision as to what finance I will be entitled to. (I am due to start uni 10th October, and my son is due to start nursery also.)

So I would just like some advice as to whether I will in fact be entitled to the tuition fee loan and the maintenance grant, without these I will not be in a position to complete my final year, as I have childcare and travelling costs to pay for, and I'm only able to work on weekends. I live with my partner, but he takes care of all the household bills so we have no extra money whatsoever. I have also applied for the childcare grant and the parent's learning allowance but have not had a decision yet.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Taiko

nessar wrote: »

Hi, I'm hoping someone can help.

Just before A level exams I was kicked out of my Mother's house and was able to get temporary sheltered accomodation for vulnerable young persons from the housing association, before my Uni course started. I am classed by them as estranged from my parents. I have no contact with my mother but still talk to my father on the phone (my parents are divorced). I receive no financial support from either of them.

In the first year of uni I was therefore classed as an independant student, under the criteria that I had been under the care of a local authority for a period of 3 months or more and estranged from my parents. A letter from the social worker I had in the temporary accomodation secured this. This meant I had a loan of around 6000 and so could still afford to go to uni, despite my lack of parental financial support.

In the second year, the criteria changed (something that I was not made aware could happen) and the criteria that I fitted no longer existed at all. I was told that I could only still be an independant student if I got pregnant, married, or never talked to my father again, and if I even answered the phone to him I could be done for fraud. This meant that I could not be tried on my own income, yet I still could not be tried on my parents income as I am estranged from them. This meant I got the non-means-tested loan of around 3500, a BIG drop. To make matters worse, I also had to repay £300. I managed to keep myself afloat by working as many hours as I could at my part-time job, and taking money from my small inheritance from my Great Grandfather. I nearly quit, but I figured it may change again the next year and allow me to be an independant student again, plus then I would have been in debt for nothing.

Now, at the start of my third year, the criteria has not changed. My loan doesnt even cover my rent, let alone any other bills or food! and to make matters worse they have reduced it even further this year. My inheritance is nearly gone. My overdraft is maxed out and cant be extended. I was relying on working loads of hours in the summer (I have to stay up here all year as I have no parental home to go back to), but I couldnt get anywhere near the amount I wanted.

I wouldnt have gone to uni if I hadnt have thought I would be an independant student and get enough to actually live on. I was not made aware that the criteria would change yearly. Student finance say theres nothing I can do.

Is there any way I can be tried on the criteria I was lead to believe would last the entirity of my course?

I think SFE have assessed you wrong. Paragraph 2(1)(f) of The Education (Student Support) Regulations 2009 states:

the student was looked after by a local authority (within the meaning of section 22 of the Children Act 1989(3)) throughout any three-month period ending on or after the date on which the student reached the age of 16 and before the first day of the first academic year of the course (“the relevant period”) provided that the student has not in fact at any time during the relevant period been under the charge or control of the student’s parents;

You appear to have met this criteria, so under the regulations, you are independent for the full duration of the course. There's been no chance in the regs here, so I would write to SFE informing them of this.

Post back if they decline.

Taiko

tobyjones2000 wrote: »

Hi there,

I ran into some troubles yesterday with the student finance company. I failed a year away in Spain and the university has put me back a year, as a full-time student, in the third year.

In Scotland it is typical to do a four year degree, so now my total will add up to five years. I phoned student finance england yesterday to inform of my change, and the employee told me I would not be entitled to any student finance this year because they only offer four years of student finance to each student. Furthermore, this year would not be financed as they would want to finance my last year to make sure that I completed the degree

As you can imagine it was quite a shock and I decided to get some advice from student union because I was sure that they offered every student full student support for the duration of their degree + 1.
So in English-degree 3 years + 1. Or a course with a foundation year or a degree in Scotland 4 years + 1. The advice place re-confirmed my opinion and will seek to speak to student finance england in the next couple of days.

Can you clarify on this, and does anyone recommend what I should do if the finance doesn't come through as It's going to put me an extremely vulnerable economic position. :-(

Many thanks in advance.

It is course +1 - previous study, so the advisor who said this was wrong. I would suggest making a complaint, noting the time of the call, number you dialled, and the number you called from.

The rep from the SLC should be sacked for that, as it's completely false. I have previously seen staff forced out due to that before. It's more a case of wanting to end the call, and hoping the student doesn't know better I assume.

nessar

Taiko wrote: »

I think SFE have assessed you wrong. Paragraph 2(1)(f) of The Education (Student Support) Regulations 2009 states:



You appear to have met this criteria, so under the regulations, you are independent for the full duration of the course. There's been no chance in the regs here, so I would write to SFE informing them of this.

Post back if they decline.

Thank you so much! Do you have a source for that so I can reference it properly? I have a feeling they wont take it easily so I would like to be prepared.

I found it on the legislation.gov website but I cant find the quote within it. (sorry I would link it but the forum wont let me)

Taiko

nessar wrote: »

Thank you so much! Do you have a source for that so I can reference it properly? I have a feeling they wont take it easily so I would like to be prepared.

I found it on the legislation.gov website but I cant find the quote within it. (sorry I would link it but the forum wont let me)

Sorry, should of added it's in Schedule 4, right at the bottom of the page on legislation.gov.uk

RufusDave

Taiko wrote: »

I think SFE have assessed you wrong. Paragraph 2(1)(f) of The Education (Student Support) Regulations 2009 states:



You appear to have met this criteria, so under the regulations, you are independent for the full duration of the course. There's been no chance in the regs here, so I would write to SFE informing them of this.

Post back if they decline.

Could I add that the online application has an option for "been in the care of a Local Authority". However the proforma that is sent out to request evidence of independence does not have it on. I think that causes some confusion when you ring SFE. But since then there have been no problems.


May I ask if anyone knows what turnaround that SFE are having on Change of Course Requests? My daughter informed them 18th August and has been ringing each week to be told "a few days". Last week she was told her proforma has been lost and they will accelerate it. Today on a chase up call she was told another 6 weeks.

I actually shook my head when I heard the girl on the phone say they were swamped. It is not as though Clearing comes as a surprise each year is it and they have not had any time to prepare.

Taiko

Never got the stats even when I did have more dealings with. I think the date being worked on varies according to moon phase right now.

They were made aware of the workflow patterns in 2005. Nice to see it's been sorted out.