What are the changes Re: student grants/loans in 2006??

wanderlust_wannabe

can anyone shed any light on the new provisions for students if you start in sept 2006?

I will be a mature student (undergraduate) and will have been out of work for a year due to leaving my job this September to travel for a year.

My partner is in the same boat and on her return will be earning £12,000 a year tax free doing her PhD (don't know if this gas any impact on me??)

Any ideas on what I'd be entitled to under the planned changes.

Cheers,

Paul.

dsk1980

Hi,

Under the new rules, you will be liable to pay up to £3000 tuition fees, however, as your partner is also a student it is likely that you will get a substantial portion of this paid for by your LEA.
The new system also means that you can get a 'Loan for Fees' that means that your portion of the fees are paid for you by the Student Loans Company, and then you pay this back with the rest of your student loan when you are working and earning above £15k.
The student loan for maintenance will also be rising above the rate of inflation for students starting in 2006, so you should have more money to love off whilst you are studying, but then have a larger debt when you leave.

It depends where you are studying, but all Universities charging the higher rate of fees are obliged to offer bursaries to students on low incomes.
I know that the University of Manchester are offering very generous schemes, so it is worth contacting your institution to see what is available. :rotfl:

Your partner's income WILL be taken into consideration when they assess you for your loan and fees.
On the amount that they are earning though, I doubt that you will have to pay anything.

Check out :https://www.dfes.gov.uk to see exact details of schemes

stuwilky

Unfortunately you are likely to be in limbo for a little while, whilst some of the changes are known and announced. There are a significant amount that aren't. Some Universities have revealed their support packages, most havnt. Most will be charging the full £3k per year that they are allowed.

As soon as I get the info supplied Ill be posting on here.

nearlyrich

Does anyone know how the changes will affect student already in the system before Sept 2006, will there be additional tuition fees? Will parental contribution to fees and living expenses be worked on the current system or will it change? I will have both my children in university by Sept 2005 so it would be nice to know in advance.

student100

dsk1980 wrote:

...so you should have more money to love off ...

nice typo

stuwilky

nearlyrich wrote:

Does anyone know how the changes will affect student already in the system before Sept 2006, will there be additional tuition fees? Will parental contribution to fees and living expenses be worked on the current system or will it change? I will have both my children in university by Sept 2005 so it would be nice to know in advance.

Other than the annual adjustments in terms of salary to funding ratios there will be no change.

Savvy_Sue

dsk1980 wrote:

so you should have more money to love off whilst you are studying

student100 wrote:

nice typo

I thought so too ... check out the free condom availability in the uni bar! (Apologies if this lowers the tone of a serious discussion. )

apple_mint

My youngest wants to take a gap year next year (to earn some cash for uni) and start Sept 2006.

She says that she has read some paperwork saying that if she applies for her student loan now she will have her fees maintained at the current rate (i.e. not at the £3k level). Sounds iffy to me, I would rather she went in September 05 at the lower fee rate than find she is paying £3k a year in fees. She is a lot better with her money than eldest daughter and I would hate for her to have a high debt just because she wants to save for uni.

Any one know the reality?

student100

Yeah I think it depends if you have a deferred entry (which means you applied this year and make the grades etc. but you won't actually start your course till 2006) then it's as if you started your course in 2005. Otherwise if you take a gap year then apply again for 2006 courses you'll have to pay the full fees.

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport/students/gap_gap_year.shtml

apple_mint

Thank you Student 100 :A- I have to admit I was worried about this. My daughter has a deferred entry offer, conditional on grades, so I assume this is OK.

My eldest daughter enjoyed working in her gap year and it enabled her to save up for her laptop. Youngest wants to be able to do the same.

student100

apple_mint wrote:

My daughter has a deferred entry offer, conditional on grades, so I assume this is OK.

I would assume so, yes, if she makes the grades. I would be tempted to phone up your LEA just to get the official line, I wouldn't like to be proved wrong!