Do students get punished for having a part time job when applying for sudent loans?

Oldernotwiser

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Sorry I don't have a reference: I haven't a clue how to access the student finance application online! I've pulled my loans file and I haven't kept a copy of the application form. I think the question was in the additional income section but I am not sure on that ... I suppose it may have changed if you don't know what I am on about??

I had to complete paper forms for both years of my student finance and I definitely had to declare at some point that no-one paid anything on my behalf. I don't know whether that includes rent or bills when you live with your parents, hence I said 'may' in my earlier post. I particularly remember because my parents loaned me a fairly substantial sum in my first semester, and I made them pay the bill directly in a great wodge of cash!!

I don't really have the experience of helping students complete finance applications as this was done by someone else at my college. I know the theory more than the practice!

student_advisor

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

You should receive £2,906 Maintenance Grant and £3,497 Maintenance Loan if you're starting your degree in 2009, giving you a total of £6,403 plus any bursaries. (See www.direct.gov.uk for confimation.)

If you are going to stay living with your mum during your studies, you will be entitled to £2906 maintenance grant and £2385 maintenance loan giving a totalof £5291. This is because you get a smaller loan if you live with your parent(s).

Your mum's income will not be included in any way and your part-time earned income will not be asked for (they will however, want to know about all of your trust fund income, interest on savings and income from property you rent out!)

hbloomers

I'm not sure if this is the case in England, but on the paper form in NI there is a section for additional notes, explaination of circumstances.

Oldernotwiser

student_advisor wrote: »

If you are going to stay living with your mum during your studies, you will be entitled to £2906 maintenance grant and £2385 maintenance loan giving a totalof £5291. This is because you get a smaller loan if you live with your parent(s).

I'm not sure that's true if you're assessed as an independent student. I might be wrong as it's an unusual situation. Do you have a reference for this?

bestpud

student_advisor wrote: »

If you are going to stay living with your mum during your studies, you will be entitled to £2906 maintenance grant and £2385 maintenance loan giving a totalof £5291. This is because you get a smaller loan if you live with your parent(s).

Your mum's income will not be included in any way and your part-time earned income will not be asked for (they will however, want to know about all of your trust fund income, interest on savings and income from property you rent out!)

I can see nothing which suggests this applies for independent students.

All the tables that say about the reduction for students living at home clearly state it applies to dependent students, and there is no such mention in the independent students section.

Would you post a link, or tell me where I can find this information, please?

Oldernotwiser

bestpud wrote: »

I can see nothing which suggests this applies for independent students.

All the tables that say about the reduction for students living at home clearly state it applies to dependent students, and there is no such mention in the independent students section.

Would you post a link, or tell me where I can find this information, please?

Great minds eh!

bestpud

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Great minds eh!

Lol, I didn't realise you'd posted just before!

And we are both being polite this time!

Must be the heat...

student_advisor

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Great minds eh!

It is not in any quick guide, but it is in the regulations and both myself and other colleagues (I work in a HEI) have students who are independent (either aged over 25 or with children or both) who get the lower loan because they live with their own parent(s) still. I have queried this in the past with both SFE and other colleagues in different institutions and the same answer has always come back.

When a student lives with a parent, no reference to dependency is made at all.

If you require more "proof" than this, I will have to have a read through the regs as I do not have this particular reg to hand. (Of course, you could trawl the regs yourself, they are on the opsi website somewhere)

genuinegal

Over the aged of 25 and you're classed as independant, therefore, my mothers income (as low as it is), shouldn't be taken into account. That's my understanding having spoken to the SF support line!

student_advisor

genuinegal wrote: »

Over the aged of 25 and you're classed as independant, therefore, my mothers income (as low as it is), shouldn't be taken into account. That's my understanding having spoken to the SF support line!

This is correct, your mother's income will not be requested.

(I am impressed you had a conversation with the "support line" and left with understanding!)