Student loan revoked! Help!

gemmar1987

My husband did a 3 year degree, but due to one thing and another, has ended up going back to college to do a foundation degree in chemistry. Sorting out his loan for last year, we were pointed towards "Withdrawal of funding for equivalent or lower qualifications (ELQs) consultation paper" (You can google this for .pdf on hefce.ac.uk it won't let me post the link)
which states that Foundation degrees are exempt qualifications from not getting another loan because the qualification is at a lower level. He got his loan sorted for last year (eventually, after some arguing), but we returned from holiday this year to find a pile of SLC letters saying he's not getting funding for this year, and that they're revoking his loan for 12/13. This means we owe his college 6k for last year's tuition fees, which is now 4 months overdue according to the nice payment schedule the SLC sent us.

Does anyone know if they're allowed to just do that?!

Angry and upset doesn't cut it...

Taiko

They are allowed to do this, and in this case it would appear their assessment is correct. Chemistry isn't an exemption under ELQ, so they're right to make him ineligible. I'm afraid there's no grounds for appeal, as this is in line with Chapter 5 of The Education (Student Support) Regluations 2011, as amended.

Dunroamin

Where did you find that Foundation Degrees are exempt?

susieanne

How long ago was it when your husband did his first degree the 3 year degree?

Has he only just finishes this degree and gone straight onto the foundation degree ?

gemmar1987

Dunroamin wrote: »

Where did you find that Foundation Degrees are exempt?

Withdrawal of funding for equivalent or lower qualifications (ELQs): outcomes of consultation

It says in Key point 5aii "Our final plans for implementing the ELQ policy are therefore as follows.
a. We will exempt the following students from the withdrawal of funding for ELQs:
...
ii. Those studying for a foundation degree."

and in point 29 under foundation degrees

"We want to ensure that a route remains open for students who already have an HE qualification, but who wish to develop new skills that can be used in the workplace. To address this issue, we will exempt foundation degrees from the withdrawal of funding for ELQs"

I'd post a link to the document, but I'm not allowed as a new user :S If you either google the name, or go to hefec. ac.uk /data/year/2008/withdrawaloffundingforequivalentorlowerqualificationselqsoutcomesofconsultation/

Just take the space out of the url.

gemmar1987

susieanne wrote: »

How long ago was it when your husband did his first degree the 3 year degree?

Has he only just finishes this degree and gone straight onto the foundation degree ?

There was a 2 year gap between finishing one and starting the other, in which he did 2 self-funded qualifications that he didn't request any funding for.

Taiko

gemmar1987 wrote: »

There was a 2 year gap between finishing one and starting the other, in which he did 2 self-funded qualifications that he didn't request any funding for.

Paragraph 13 of The Education (Student Support) Regulations is the relevant legislation in this. The HEFCE comments aren't really worded in line with it, and the regulations override the rest.

13.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) to (4), an eligible student does not qualify for fee support under this Part if—
(a)the student has an honours degree from an institution in the United Kingdom, where—
(i)the current course began before 1st September 2009; or
(ii)the current course begins on or after 1st September 2009 where the student transfers to the current course pursuant to regulation 7 from a course which began before 1st September 2009; or
(b)the current course leads to an equivalent or lower qualification, where the student begins the course on or after 1st September 2009.

I can appreciate it's not the answer you're looking for, but SFE have made the correct decision here.

bellaboo86

Having gained a degree and a teaching qualification with the help of student loans I was of the opinion that there is a limit to the amount of student finance you can have. When I applied for finance for my PGCE course they asked why I was applying for finance when I already had a degree. If I was to want a career change and to complete a new degree I believe that the SLC would (quite rightly) tell me to get lost. Why should unlimited money be provided for people?

Taiko

Don't know why they asked you on the PGCE - they're exempt if you're not already a qualified teacher!

nimbo

gemmar1987 wrote: »

My husband did a 3 year degree, but due to one thing and another, has ended up going back to college to do a foundation degree in chemistry. Sorting out his loan for last year, we were pointed towards "Withdrawal of funding for equivalent or lower qualifications (ELQs) consultation paper" (You can google this for .pdf on hefce.ac.uk it won't let me post the link)
which states that Foundation degrees are exempt qualifications from not getting another loan because the qualification is at a lower level. He got his loan sorted for last year (eventually, after some arguing), but we returned from holiday this year to find a pile of SLC letters saying he's not getting funding for this year, and that they're revoking his loan for 12/13. This means we owe his college 6k for last year's tuition fees, which is now 4 months overdue according to the nice payment schedule the SLC sent us.

Does anyone know if they're allowed to just do that?!

Angry and upset doesn't cut it...

Hi you need to appeal - there will be instructions on how to do this in the letter telling him his funding has been revoked. However given the circumstances he may be out of luck.

He will need to call the finance dept at the university, as it will be better of they are on side, and know what is going on.

I had a similar letter in April. (half way through placement, while trying to pull together a 60'000 word portfolio - haha)

Although my circumstances were different, after appealing they reinstated my second year funding (12/13), which at least meant I didn't owe the university any money. The confusion for my course stemmed from the fact that I was eligible for some support (studying social work), and hadn't managed to finish my first degree due to ill health.

After writing to Michael Gove, and my MP (even got responses from both!!!! - and an early response form the student finance office, even though they were running behind), I managed to get the decision overturned. It was incredibly stressful, and thankfully I will (hopefully) manage to complete my third year.

With the tight time frame, is he able to suspend his place until next year, as the appeal will take at least 28 days to process?

nimbo

gemmar1987 wrote: »

Does anyone know if they're allowed to just do that?!

Angry and upset doesn't cut it...

I totally get this bit, and according to the lovely finance lady at my university it is in the small print that they can revoke funding. (It unfortunately happens alot).

at busy times they just 'accept' applications, and then when people apply for the next years funding something gets triggered, and they realise they made a mistake...

My boyfriend still gets mad when they are even mentioned in his presence...

Good luck.