Student Finance Appeals - anyone been through it?

Gemmzie

I know they say up to 15 working days but has anyone been through this process and had it sorted more quickly? Are they efficient at fixing problems once they've looked at them?

I'm meant to be enrolling tomorrow and it's been 6 working days already...panic is setting in!

fishybusiness

Keep chasing them. Sometimes they will need more information, and it takes them a good while to issue a letter.

Much quicker to call once a week and find out if they do need anything else. Don't take no for an answer from the frontline staff, they can check with assessors if they need to.

Gemmzie

I wasn't given a phone number for appeals - only an email. Do you have it?

I have had it checked by three assessors, according to the last SF person I spoke to but he told me to appeal.

mintymoneysaver

Complaints number- 0845 073 8908

Good luck! I am now finally getting somewhere with my complaint, after finally finally finally speaking to someone with a bit of common sense and humanity.

Gemmzie

Thanks minty, I'm due to register today and can't

nimbo

Good luck sweetie.

Do they university have anything in place for people in this situation - it must happen all the time. Find someone in student support that may be able to help - at least with advice.

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Gemmzie

The university have written a supporting letter explaining that this is a recognised 3rd year top-up course as they sometimes have this problem with student finance.

I've spoken to the complaints team, and they should be looking at it today or tomorrow

Taiko

Out of interest, what's the actual problem? Is it that SFE are claiming the course isn't recognised? Or some argument over previous study meaning they're refusing to pay fees?

The reason why would tend to dictate the time needed for resolution.

Gemmzie

They said that as the course is 1 year, I can't get funding for tuition fees as I've already used up two years funding (the 1+1 calculation) as I have a Diploma. But you need a Diploma to get onto the third year top-up to degree course so I don't understand why it's been refused.

Taiko

Yep, completely wrong assessment as I thought.

Paragraph 22(5) of The Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/1986/regulation/22/made

(5) Subject to paragraph (6), the standard entitlement of a student to whom paragraph (2) applies is calculated as follows–-

(D + X) - PrC

where
D is the greater of 3 and the number of academic years that make up the ordinary duration of the course
X is—
1 where the ordinary duration of the preliminary course (or preliminary courses in total) was less than three years,
2 where the ordinary duration of the preliminary course (or preliminary courses in total) was three years,
3 where the ordinary duration of the preliminary course (or preliminary courses in total) was four years,
4 where the ordinary duration of the preliminary course (or preliminary courses in total) was five years, and
5 where the ordinary duration of the preliminary course (or preliminary courses in total) was six years
PrC is the number of academic years that the student spent on preliminary courses excluding any years of repeat study for compelling personal reasons.

So this would come out at (3 + 1) - 2 = 2 years of fee entitlement. For a one year course, means you're perfectly eligible.

Gemmzie

Would that apply even if they were using the eligibility based on...
1st year - at university
2nd year - left at Christmas due to illness (which I believe counts)
Completed 2nd year over two part-time years with the Open University
Does that still give me one year left?

As I wonder if that's the actual situation they are looking at, rather than the 1+1 which the telephone advisor stated.