Student Loans 2012

melancholly

kayr wrote: »

It's a Conservative led coalition - surely they can't afford to alienate their own too much.

but they have somehow managed to deflect most public anger towards the lib dems and save themselves from the worst of the attacks!! quite skilful!

kayr_2

I wonder if the Government would quite like some upfront payments as I've read they were banking on an average £7.5K fee and can't really afford what it's going to cost now £9K is the norm. Why not make the deal unattractive to those who can afford to play the present system and get them to opt out, thus reducing the number of loans they have to give out?

kayr_2

melancholly wrote: »

but they have somehow managed to deflect most public anger towards the lib dems and save themselves from the worst of the attacks!! quite skilful!

Yes, good point - after all, the word "progressive" is used a lot, and we all know which party likes to bandy that word about!

setmefree2

Two English universities are "actively considering" opting out of the publicly regulated higher education system in a radical move that would mean cutting themselves off from all state funding, including student loans.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jun/30/two-universities-may-opt-out-state-system

Also

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8609382/Universities-may-opt-out-of-state-system-says-study.html

dizzie

Scottish universities look set to try to charge the full £9k per year. Given the length of their standard degree is 4 years, rather than 3 in England, this could make Scotland an expensive option.

I still think this whole issue is outrageous. English taxpayers pay the same taxes as the rest of the UK, but already do not get the same benefits as Scotland and Wales as far as things like free prescriptions, care of the elderly is concerned. We will now be paying taxes to subsidise Scottish and Welsh students....and any students from EU countries who chose to study there...whilst our own kids will not be able to benefit.

The law that EU students should be treated like "home" students should be treated in the spirit in which it is meant. It is highly immoral to exploit a loophole that forces English taxpayers to subsidise all or some of the HE costs for students from other countries whilst not being able to benefit from those subsidies themselves. I cannot believe that most of the British public just lie down and accept it.

What an utter farce! VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE TO WILLETTS?....Too right!!!

sultryabyss

Does anyone know how I can find information about funding and finances if I plan to study abroad? The guide seems to be aimed at UK unless its not actually different at all?

Thanks

melancholly

sultryabyss wrote: »

Does anyone know how I can find information about funding and finances if I plan to study abroad? The guide seems to be aimed at UK unless its not actually different at all?

Thanks

there is no financial help from the government if you choose to go abroad. all scholarships/help would have to come from the institution you want to go to. there are some scholarship schemes like the Fulbright scholarships for the US, but there is no 'guide' as every country will have different fees and living expenses. the only common theme would be you'd get no student loans at all from the SLC.

melancholly

so to add to the post above, i google 'uk student study abroad'. these links might be a starting point but i'm sure you'd find lots more with a bit of variation in the search terms.

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/studying_abroad.htm
http://www.britishcouncil.org/new/features-folder/Should-more-UK-students-study-abroad/
http://www.independent.co.uk/student/study-abroad/pack-your-bags-a-world-of-opportunity-is-only-an-ocean-away-2304309.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/student/study-abroad/news/get-more-study-for-your-money-inside-the-eurozone-2289241.html

setmefree2

It has recently been revealed that the British Government might encourage students to take out loans to pay for education from high street banks. The universities minister, David Willetts, is currently in talks with banks as he tries to reduce the liabilities of the Student Loans Company, a state-backed organisation.

However, such initiative faced criticism. For instance, Universities UK, the body that represents British universities, said that the Government's proposal is very risky.

Gareth Thomas, shadow universities minister, in his turn, said that the idea to promote bank loans among students was born out of desperation.

Banks, in their turn, are also unsure of whether the proposal is good. As such, talking about Spanish bank Santander - the one minister Willetts was in talks with - Steve Smith of Universities UK said that "banks would only become involved if either the government or the universities accepted liability for unpaid loans."

Alternative proposals are to be announced next week.

http://www.moneyavenue.co.uk/news/student-loans/new-proposal-on-uk-student-loans-faces-criticism-919.html

setmefree2

7 July 2011
Medical training
Short-term regimen for fees pain
The government has announced temporary measures for medical students who had feared they would have to pay up front to meet increases to tuition fees for courses starting in the 2012-13 academic year. There were worries that students, particularly those taking four-year graduate-entry courses, would have to stump up thousands of pounds in additional costs because an NHS bursary scheme that covers some fees would be unable to meet the higher charges. Student loans will now be offered to those starting graduate-entry programmes to cover the extra costs while the bursary will continue to meet fees for the latter part of undergraduate courses.

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=416740&c=1