drpping full to part time how finance affected

surfsister

hiya someone i know is disabled with a dsa award (probably incorrect name.) he has been assessed by disability docs`and gets disability allowance.

he is really struggling at uni and hardly manages to attend. Question is if he drops from 3 units (full time) to 2 units part time how would his funding be affected?

he gets a good grant/loan as low income and a bursary. any idea how much of these he would lose. also will the uni inform student loans of new status or should he?

thanks

bestpud

There is no loans for part time study.

There is a grant towards tuition fees which leaves a shortfall at my uni of around £200, which the student would have to pay.

Then there is a course grant of £260 a year, which he would probably get in full if he has a low income.

That's it as they expect part time students to fund their own living costs. I don't think there is more help from SF for students with a disability but check that out...

He would obviously still receive help via his DSA though and can still apply for help from the access fund if he needs it. Plus, he'd have his DLA and could possibly claim other benefits - I'm not sure about that.

The uni tell student finance, but he would be advised to tell them himself or there may be an overpayment between the time he goes part time and the uni lets student finance know.

Taiko

There's a bit in the SSR's that allows a student to receive full time support for part time study. It affectively uses their +1 year though.

They need to still be enrolled on the full time course, and the university would need to confirm in writing that they will study it on a part-time basis. They will also need to provide revised end dates, fee charges etc.

bestpud

Taiko wrote: »

There's a bit in the SSR's that allows a student to receive full time support for part time study. It affectively uses their +1 year though.

They need to still be enrolled on the full time course, and the university would need to confirm in writing that they will study it on a part-time basis. They will also need to provide revised end dates, fee charges etc.

I think that depends on the uni though as mine wouldn't even contemplate it.

I think it's down to their discretion isn't it?

dmg24

If the student is disabled they may be able to claim ESA once they go part time (if they are not already in receipt of ESA/ IB).

Taiko

bestpud wrote: »

I think that depends on the uni though as mine wouldn't even contemplate it.

I think it's down to their discretion isn't it?

From a finance viewpoint, there's technically no way of saying. Most universities will allow this, for two reasons:

1) It will allow them to charge higher fees.
2) Part time support is a lot less, and the financial impact will sometimes mean that the student will drop out completely, therefore they lose money.

I know our local university allow it, as I have a student in the situation who I currently have assigned to myself for dealing with.

surfsister

thanks guys what is SSR and ESA? I will see them tomorrow and cah help a bit now!! Always a helping hand on this site!

Taiko

SSR - Student Support Regulations. Apologies for the shorthand.

surfsister

Taiko wrote: »

SSR - Student Support Regulations. Apologies for the shorthand.

Thanks can we get a copy of these anywhere?