Can't access full loan for fees

CMoCupcake

Hi my son is in second year of Foundation Degree. Next year he will take a top-up year to complete a BA Hons. The college have put up the fees to £5,665. But as he is classed as a continuing student his loan is capped at £3,465. How does he go about getting a student loan to cover the shortfall? SLC say the college should not have put up the fees if he is classed as a continuing student. Is this correct? Any help would be great.

The_One_Who

If he is classed as a continuing student then the fees should not have increased by that much. They should still be somewhere around the £3.5k mark. This is because he is studying under the current (2006-2011) system and regulations.

Taiko

Trying to get hold of a copy of the end-on guidance. I imagine the college are in the wrong, however it may be a case SLC have it wrong.

Previously, end-on would've added, meaning it stays the same fee rate. May have all changed, hence wanting to read up on the amended regulations.

CMoCupcake

Thanks for all response so far. Much appreciated.

I have found the end-on update. It states "the student will be treated as having started their current course at the beginning of the academic year in which they started the previous course. They will continue to be subject to the student finance arrangements that applied on their first course". Finances are definitely capped at 3465.
So I guess my next question is, how do I find out if the college are in their rights to fix their fees at 5665?
And how do we go about finding funds for the shortfall of 2200?

amiehall

If you're treated as starting the new course at the time you started the old course, there is no shortfall. You need to explain this to your college and tell them fees for you should be £3465

Taiko

Yep, looked into it, college are wrong. Paragraph 2 of The Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011 states:

“end-on course” means—

(e)a full-time honours degree course beginning on or after 1st September 2012 which, disregarding any intervening vacation, a student begins to attend immediately after ceasing to attend a full-time course mention in paragraph 2, 3 or 4 of Schedule 2 or a full-time foundation or ordinary degree course, which started before 1st September 2012, having achieved a qualification;

If you then go to Paragraphs 23(1)(b):

where the current course is an end-on course of the kind described in paragraph (e) of the definition of “end-on course” in regulation 2;
the current course is treated as beginning before 1st September 2012 in relation to the student.

Current course is defined as the topup year.

With this in mind, Paragraph 23(3)(a) applies, stating the maximum fee payable is £3465. With this in mind, I'd arm yourself with this information and contact the college directly. Better to solve their problem now rather than down the line.

Hope that helps.

CMoCupcake

This is sooooooooooo helpful, thanks. I will definitely contact the college and update you when I have news.

Taiko

Just realised how much I appear to repeat myself in the last post. Maybe I should stop helping late nights >.<

Lokolo

Taiko wrote: »

Just realised how much I appear to repeat myself in the last post. Maybe I should stop helping late nights >.<

With this in mind, I agree.

CMoCupcake

No probs!
No probs!

CMoCupcake

So Taiko, I've got a copy of afore-mentioned Student Support Regulations, but on closer looking it talks about loan fees and states what the maximum loans are - but I can't see that it states the maximum fee that the college can actually charge. Do you see what I mean?