Postgraduate (full time) loans wiped out by covid

myownconga

I’m not sure this is the right category by couldn’t find one for university. 

I took out a fulltime postgrad loan through student finance England - I’m studying MA fine art at the university of Wolverhampton. Due to lockdown we had no access to studio facilities to complete our studio practice modules so in April we were given the opportunity to pause these modules and complete our theory ones with a view to returning when safe to do so. Originally the course should have run straight through summer into september. Now we are due to return in September with an anticipated final deadline of May. In April when we received this information I contacted SFE to find out if we could get another loan - I was eventually told yes. To submit a paper application in the summer with evidence of Compelling Personal Reasons (CPR) - content with this my coursemates and I agreed to pause when theory was complete in July. 

At this time a friend spoke to SFE and was advised that because we were full time we had been paid all of the loan and couldn’t get another one. I contacted them again and was eventually told the university needed to supply a change of circumstances (COC) form directly time them through a specific system, and that then we would get support. I of course relayed this to the university who did so.
last week I got a letter from SFE confirming that they had received notification of the pause to my studies but with no information on what to do next. I logged into my account with them and it told me no further action was required. Having previously been told to submit a paper application form with evidence (CPR) I contacted them once again. Yesterday I received confirmation that no further action was required but as I had been paid my full loan, I had no other option than to withdraw entirely from my course and start from the beginning, applying for a new loan with evidence of CPR - but it would not guarantee another loan and be judged on a case by case basis. So feasibly I could withdraw, lose the distinctions I’ve achieved on every module so far, lose the money for my fees which I have paid in full and still not get funding to start afresh. I queried this and was told that’s just how it is and to go through the complaints procedure in case exceptions can be made. In April I had specifically asked what their contingency plan was in these unprecedented times and pointed out that this was an issue that possibly had not been noticed yet, so requested that it be referred for consideration. It can’t just be my course at my uni affected.
i contacted the student union who today chased this up for me and confirmed that there will be no new loan - but worse - the CPR process does not apply in our case as we have paid our fees. SFE it turns our claim that postgrad loans are specifically for fees, and any excess can be spent however you choose for example on living costs - as opposed to being for fees and living costs. Therefore under no circumstances will we get another loan or extend this one in any way.  I was paid my final instalment in April which I used on tuition fees and to replace materials of my own that I could not access because they were in the uni studios, as well as staying alive. I am now told that I can’t have another loan because I used it to pay my fees etc but could not have submitted my other assignments had I not done so - plus they had already told me I could get a new loan. This I have in black and white.
later today a course mate received a reply from SFE detailing Precisely the same course of action I’d been urged to take in April - paper application plus evidence of CPR from the uni - no mention of withdrawal.

i’m trying absolutely Any Avenue I can’t think of from MPs to newspapers - I’ll take any guidance I can get on this. 

I’m full time so can’t even claim universal credit - and I’ve lost my part time job this month so have no money coming in at all now. I’ve been trying to work on a small scale hence purchasing some replacement materials but that’s basically prep work to keep me going, there’s no way I can afford materials without a loan.

i’m at my wits end after the last two days - three of us are chasing this and getting completely differing results. I’m so frustrated because I raised the issue four months ago and thought it was settled. 

Grumpy_chap

Sorry, is there a question in there, or just a rant?

sourcrates

Grumpy chap living up to his name again I see.
OP, is there a specific question you want to ask, as your post is a bit unclear ?

Grumpy_chap

sourcrates said:

Grumpy chap living up to his name again I see.
OP, is there a specific question you want to ask, as your post is a bit unclear ?

What?

I am defo grumpy now.

myownconga

sourcrates said:

Grumpy chap living up to his name again I see.
OP, is there a specific question you want to ask, as your post is a bit unclear ?

Sorry if unclear - I didn’t think it was - it’s just longwinded because the situation is complex and long winded in itself. I’m effectively just asking for help. I don’t know which way to turn.

myownconga

Grumpy_chap said:

Sorry, is there a question in there, or just a rant?

No it’s not just a rant - I am desperate for help and don’t know what to do.

[Deleted User]

theres a student forum further down the list of MSE forums which might be better for this?

MalMonroe

Are you saying that you want yet another loan, on top of the loan you've already had to do this course?? Why? That will just put you further into debt. I don't see any benefit to that whatsoever. What was your original intention when the MA finished in connection with finances if coronavirus hadn't struck? Were you going to work?  The fact that the course has been suspended does not mean that it is a longer course, just that the course has been paused. The course is continuing and you have already received your loan for that course, which as far as I am aware for 2019 to 2020 was £10,906. The course is still the same length as it was before. The loan was to cover you for the period of study. I really don't get it. If you do take on another loan - and it's gone up a bit this year - you will owe over £20k. That's just crazy. Is it just me? I already have my MA, including distinctions, and thought I wasn't too dumb. . .  

PixelPound

Were you not able to apply for UC when your course was paused to allow you to preserve the rest of the loan for when it resumed?
Will they allow you longer time to complete the course, i.e. part time, to allow you to get a job to fund you.

PixelPound

MalMonroe said:

Are you saying that you want yet another loan, on top of the loan you've already had to do this course?? Why? That will just put you further into debt. I don't see any benefit to that whatsoever. What was your original intention when the MA finished in connection with finances if coronavirus hadn't struck? Were you going to work?  The fact that the course has been suspended does not mean that it is a longer course, just that the course has been paused. The course is continuing and you have already received your loan for that course, which as far as I am aware for 2019 to 2020 was £10,906. The course is still the same length as it was before. The loan was to cover you for the period of study. I really don't get it. If you do take on another loan - and it's gone up a bit this year - you will owe over £20k. That's just crazy. Is it just me? I already have my MA, including distinctions, and thought I wasn't too dumb. . .  

Effectively they have used the portion that was to cover the final part of the course to live over the Covid19 period and replace materials that were left at Uni (so extra costs). I suppose this is the equivalent of having a gap year, using money to fund that and then realising you have nothing left for the final year.

To OP, unfortunately options are limited, there is no right to additional loans, and whilst there may be additional help out there (e.g. SU, charities, etc) it will be limited and probably well oversubscribed. 

As stated what was your intention once you finished the MA? Most people line up jobs well in advance, and it could be an employer might be flexible in allowing time for the MA completion. Family loans or part time work could be options. You probably need to see what options your Uni can help with, vis-a-vis options over when you can complete and over what time period.

Brock_and_Roll

MA fine art at the university of Wolverhampton
Without wishing to be rude, what job/career are you targeting post course? With the Covid impact on the arts you may have to change plans. To me it looks like you are going to have to get ANY job you can for now, do & sell some art in your spare time.