Second degree takers - funding changes heads up

mark1024

I recently learnt that the government plans to remove much of the funding for anyone planning to take a second degree. Currently the government allocates funds for all undergraduates taking degrees, giving the college money along with any course fees paid by the student.

The imminent Equivalent Level Qualification (ELQ) funding changes will remove this funding, putting a UK second degree student in the same bracket as a non-EU student. This could lose the colleges £6000+/year, and may eventually mean fees are increased from £3000/yr to more like £10000/yr

This will basically remove the option of re-training for many of us, and flies in the face of much current government policy, such as life-long learning.

http://www.bbk.ac.uk/news/news-releases/elq-funding-cuts

Anyone hoping to return to college, like myself, should be aware of the situation, and may want to bring plans forward.

Mark

NovaBlack_2

see im so confused...

i recently began a second degree.. but was told i wasnt entitled to any funding (tuition fee or student loan) because i had already had a degree

Even the fact i didnt get ANY funding first time round didnt affect that....

So at this point in time (2nd year uni) i SHOULD be getting funding???

dmg24

I think what Mark is saying is that, whereas at present we would only pay the same fees as a home student (which are currently subsidised), in future we may have to pay the same as an international student.

Is that right? x

mark1024

Sorry to add to an already confusing area. At the moment the government will give money to your college because you are enrolled as a student. This is something like £6k a year. This is the money that the government plan to drop.
You will probably be paying fees at the moment yourself, perhaps around £3k a year. In the future its likely that the fees will need to be increased to make up for the shortfall. So we may have to pay for the full cost of the course, which is something like £11/year for most degrees. This is what people from outside the EU pay to study here.

As you are already enrolled you will probably continue at the current level. Myself, on the other hand , may well have to pay much greater fees in the future. 3k a year is "reasonable" compared to £11/yr. Basically all but the very rich will be barred from career changes.

To be honest I'm surprised that you do not get funding for the tuition fees or a loan since you never received money before. I know I will not get a loan as I received a grant 17 odd years ago the first time round. If I were you I would make absolutely sure the advice you were given is correct. When I looked on the student loans site it was the fact that I had received a maintenance grant which barred me from applying.

Zziggi

Wasn't there a lengthy article about this on Newsnight last night? (Might not have been newsnight as I was only half paying attention as I was ironing at the time).

I was planning on starting another degree next year, we'll have to see how this materialises.

mark1024

dmg24 wrote: »

Is that right? x

Yep. And very succinctly put ; )

M.

mark1024

Zziggi wrote: »

Wasn't there a lengthy article about this on Newsnight last night?

Just checked the bbc site, and don't think it was Newsnight last night. - special on drinking 'boozenight' .
Let us know if you track down which programme..

melancholly

http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,2226332,00.html

so this will effect people who have one undergrad degree and choose to then study another. it won't make a difference to postgrad courses, including those doing medicine.

from what i've just read, it looks like fees will be increased, but not necessarily to the level of international students - sounds like it will be up to each institution.....

Zziggi

mark1024 wrote: »

Just checked the bbc site, and don't think it was Newsnight last night. - special on drinking 'boozenight' .
Let us know if you track down which programme..

Sorry, it was Channel 4 news...... (it just seemed like 11pm at night!)

DrFluffy

dmg24 wrote: »

I think what Mark is saying is that, whereas at present we would only pay the same fees as a home student (which are currently subsidised), in future we may have to pay the same as an international student.

Is that right? x

It sucks, but it's also worth remembering what might happen in 2010 when the fees cap comes off.

DrFluffy

melancholly wrote: »

http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,2226332,00.html

so this will effect people who have one undergrad degree and choose to then study another. it won't make a difference to postgrad courses, including those doing medicine.

from what i've just read, it looks like fees will be increased, but not necessarily to the level of international students - sounds like it will be up to each institution.....

Aye - the short of it is that fees will follow what has happened with access to student loans. Some second degrees will still get help (med, dent, healthcare allied, archietecture), but all others will not.

I personally think it's crazy. The Government 'force' you to make decisions about your life at a point where at you probably don't really know who you are yet, and then penalise you for it at a later point...