Placement Year Grants

TraderDJ

I know if you're on a placement you aren't normally eligible for a grant from SFE, only a loan and fees.

The Uni are 'only' charging £1700 fees, which rules out the possibility of me getting my normal bursary (specifically says you must be paying full fees to get it).

However I've seen on my declaration that the loan has been slashed to about £2,250.

I'm a care leaver so am normally eligible for the full grant (which then replaces some of the loan) without assessment as such, just a letter from my LA to SFE and they approve it. Is there any way care leavers get would be able to get a grant with a similar letter? Unlikely I know, but what about a normal loan (i.e. 3k+) by writing in?

I phoned SFE to try and find out, but the woman and her manager both insisted that we get absolutely nothing on a placement year as we're supposed to earn it, and that uni's 'aren't allowed' to charge tuition fees so we don't get a loan either!

Taiko

Advisor is wrong, universities are allowed to charge fees on the placement year.

If you're on a paid placement, or an unpaid placement that doesn't fall within Paragraph 38(7) of The Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011, then you are only entitled to the reduced maintenance loan, no grant entitlement.

Simon11

Have you actually found a placement?

From experience most placements pay around £15k, so there shouldn't be much need to have a loan. I had my placement around 2 years ago and paid £800 for uni fees that year.

And finally I would def recomend doing a placement! They are the key to opening doors, not degrees!