Help Please - Student Loans on Placement years

b00kworm

Does anyone know the rules for Student Finance on unpaid placements?

From what my department have told me, I am only entitled to the non-income assessed maintenance loan and none of the maintenance grant, not having the maintenance grant means that the uni wont give me the additional bursary either (£900 at my uni). This means that instead of getting about £7000 (including loan and grant and bursary from the uni) maintenance (not including tuition fee loan). I will get less than £2500 next year.

My placement is with The Big Issue, doing some research and working with the vendors the rest of the time. I have been told that I would be entitled to everything if I was working with children or young people, instead of with homeless and vulnerably housed. Which doesn't strike me as particularly fair, especially since my degree is a 4 year with placement, so the placement is compulsory.

I am fine to do a voluntary placement but in my first year I was told that I could still get the same loans etc as when I was studying at uni, but as it stands my loan wont even cover my rent


I have been told so many conflicting things and the SLC seem equally confusing on the phone, does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks

Lokolo

Not sure if it matters being unpaid or paid placement, but the amounts you have quoted are for paid placements for definate. I would have thought you might get a big more for unpaid, but I can see why you might not.

Taiko

Information is correct, you're only entitled to the reduced amounts, in accordance with Regulation 37(5) and 37(6)

jollyme

Students on unpaid placements that conform with those stated in Schedule 5 of the grant awarding regulations will be able to apply for a full student loan, all other students will receive a half the amount of the loan to which they are entitled.

Now I know this applies to some NHS placements - or did 12mths ago when my dd applied. I'm not sure if it is still current. There are other types of positions it applies to too - I just can't remember right now - I'll check later, have to dash just now

Taiko

It's not Schedule 5 of the regs, I'm afraid. Unless you've been sent a copy of ones I haven't yet.

Mortigi_Tempo_2

Where are you finding these regulations and so on? I've been scouring their website for an hour now trying to extract any useful information, but the only thing I've found out so far is that their website is useless.

edit:

"I have been told so many conflicting things and the SLC seem equally confusing on the phone, does anyone have any suggestions?"

Sums it up really.

Taiko

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20080529_en_1

spikey123

I'm in the same boat, you can apply for more money although you're not guaranteed to be accepted. Although voluneer placements are usually less hours than paid giving you plenty of time to get a part time job on the side.

Taiko

If you don't meet the specific criteria, you won't get anything and are wasting your own time and that of the assessor.