From £1,200 to £2,700, its extortionate.

jinkssick

This is how much the price has jumped to study at Thames Valley University here in West London. Incredible jump and I am happy that its only for new starts (Im on my third year).

Is this not extortionate and it is now not being covered by the student loan grant, as before when they paid for my £1,200 for 3 years running.

talksalot81

If that is what it costs, then so be it. Inspite of government opinion, Higher level education is not for everyone. We actually need people like plumbers/electricians etc., there is no need for them to be at Uni. Maybe the new costs will scare some of the slackers and the more vocationally talented out of university and into a better place.

cupid_s

talksalot81 wrote:

If that is what it costs, then so be it. Inspite of government opinion, Higher level education is not for everyone. We actually need people like plumbers/electricians etc., there is no need for them to be at Uni. Maybe the new costs will scare some of the slackers and the more vocationally talented out of university and into a better place.

and in turn hopefully this will make uni degrees actually worth doing cos not everyone is doing one

up the fees more I say!

Tallulah22

£3,000 for me!!!

Hellz85

The whole fees thing and who gets given support is extremely biased.

It's a way of letting only those with lots of money and those who can claim they have none go to uni.

I feel like one of the many 'in the middle' students. I can't claim any kind of grant/support because of my parents income even though I've lived away from home and financially supported myself for 2 years. I see myself as a [I]very[/I] low earner.

Some students are getting given laptops and money for books because of dyslexia!???? I don't understand this!! What happened to equality?

And how come people whos parents are divorced or people whos parents are disabled get support???
Go out and earn your own money!!!

talksalot81

Agreed. It basically works out that the 'perceived earning' is all that counts. It doesnt matter whether the person who gets the help came out with 3 A-level D's, they will still get it above someone in the middle who earned themseves 4 A's and can demonstrate high intellectual ability. Hence undergraduate university has little to do with intellect anymore.

DrFluffy

Eh = confused. If you started your degree paying £1,100 and something plus inflation, you should still be paying that... They can't 'pop you over to the new tarrif'. Question it...

anewman

I actually looked at all the information having been a student under the old system finishing before it changed. Tuition fees at The University of Huddersfield had gone from something like £1000 (paid for by Government when applying for the approx £3k loan each year in my case) to over £3000. Well I found that I would have been better off. Don't assume because it costs more you won't be better off. As far as I understand the new system, the difference now is your loan covers the tuition fees, and instead of a loan for living costs you get a grant of some description (one from the government and in some cases the University itself) - or something like that.

anewman

Hellz85 wrote:

Some students are getting given laptops and money for books because of dyslexia!???? I don't understand this!! What happened to equality?

If it's made available to you then it's worth (ab?)using it. I remember a psychology tutor at a college I went to saying the college liked to have people found to have dyslexia as it meant money for the college.

cupid_s

anewman wrote:

I actually looked at all the information having been a student under the old system finishing before it changed. Tuition fees at The University of Huddersfield had gone from something like £1000 (paid for by Government when applying for the approx £3k loan each year in my case) to over £3000. Well I found that I would have been better off. Don't assume because it costs more you won't be better off. As far as I understand the new system, the difference now is your loan covers the tuition fees, and instead of a loan for living costs you get a grant of some description (one from the government and in some cases the University itself) - or something like that.

How I thought it worked is you still took out the loan - there are no grants at all - and this is to cover books rent food bills etc. Then you pay no fees as you go through uni. However after you graduate the amonut of loan you pay back will not only be the 3-4k you took out as an actual loan but also 3k for each year you were there to cover the fees.
So you would end up owing £7000 for each year you were at uni.

anewman

It does all take a bit to get your head around I admit. Universities will probably offer a degree in student finance next.

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport/students/200_2006_entry.shtml

"5. New Maintenance grant

From 2006, new full-time students from lower income households will be eligible for the new non-repayable Maintenance Grant which is worth up to £2,700 a year. How much a student will get will depend on their income and that of their household. If that income is
- £17,500 or less they will receive the full £2,700 grant.
- A partial grant will be payable where household income is between
£17,501 and £37,425.

Around half of all new full-time students are likely to be eligible for a full or partial grant. Grants are payable in three instalments - one at the start of each term.

Up to £1,200 of the new grant will be paid in substitution for part of the student loan for maintenance (see section 5).

6. Bursaries

Universities and colleges wishing to charge more than £2,700 a year for a course will have to provide additional non-repayable financial support, such as bursaries, to students on these courses who are receiving the full £2,700 Maintenance Grant. This means that students who receive the full maintenance grant and who are on courses charging the maximum fee of £3,000 a year will get at least £300 a year in additional financial support from their university or college, making a total package of non-repayable support of at least £3,000 a year. This may take the form of a Bursary or some other type of financial help. The type and amount of financial help will depend on the university or college concerned.

Some students will get more than this, as many universities and colleges are expected to offer financial help worth more than £300. It will be important to speak to the university or college that you're interested in and find out what it offers. Contact their student advice service for information."