Over 60’s loss of student loans.

gordir999

Hi, as I’m 63, am I right in thinking from 2025 I will not have access to student finance for tuition fees and that there would be little point in starting a course before the changes in January as I wouldn’t get funding for years two and three? I had hoped to do an OU access module and then three years of Accounting, given the government drive to keep people of my age working and contributing economically well into and beyond retirement age, the loss of access to further education seems at odds!

silvercar

“ There's no age limit for undergraduate tuition fee loans or grants. To get a maintenance loan for full-time undergraduate study, normally you must be under 60 on the first day of the first academic year of your course. If you later change course, you’ll lose eligibility.

However, in England, undergraduates over 60 can access a means-tested loan for living costs.

For postgraduate students, loans that can only be used for tuition fees have no age limit (i.e. in Northern Ireland, or the tuition fee element of support in Scotland). In England and Wales, where support can also be used for your living costs, you must start your course before you turn 60. If you change to a different course after that, you’ll no longer be eligible for student finance.”

From: https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/student-advice/finance/are-you-eligible-for-student-finance

gordir999

Thankyou, and I agree today that is correct but I believe that from January 2025 when finance moves to LLE  instead of the current application process, I along with anybody of 60 or over, can no longer get tuition fee loans. The Gov.uk website on LLE state “ Learners who are over 60 may still qualify for maintenance support, though not a tuition fee loan.” As the tuition fees are the larger part of the costs, we are basically being excluded from higher education.

silvercar

gordir999 said:

Thankyou, and I agree today that is correct but I believe that from January 2025 when finance moves to LLE  instead of the current application process, I along with anybody of 60 or over, can no longer get tuition fee loans. The Gov.uk website on LLE state “ Learners who are over 60 may still qualify for maintenance support, though not a tuition fee loan.” As the tuition fees are the larger part of the costs, we are basically being excluded from higher education.

I thought that was for the advanced study grants.

gordir999

I hope that is correct but I’ve checked again on the Gov commons library web site this morning and I thought this was clear in the below quote that over 60’s will no longer qualify for any help with tuition fees 😔 

“ From 2025, the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) will replace the two existing systems in England of undergraduate student finance and Advance learner loans”

“ Prospective students over the age of 60 will not be eligible for a tuition fee loan under the LLE but may qualify for maintenance support. Under the current system, those over 60 can access tuition fees for undergraduate degrees, so the LLE represents a loss of tuition fee entitlement for this group.”

Ed-1

gordir999 said:

Hi, as I’m 63, am I right in thinking from 2025 I will not have access to student finance for tuition fees and that there would be little point in starting a course before the changes in January as I wouldn’t get funding for years two and three? I had hoped to do an OU access module and then three years of Accounting, given the government drive to keep people of my age working and contributing economically well into and beyond retirement age, the loss of access to further education seems at odds!

Firstly, nothing has been implemented yet. It is still uncertain what the new government will choose to do in this policy area.

Secondly, the existing plans were for LLE to launch in January 2026.

Thirdly, if implemented, students already in study won't move to the LLE.


https://www.heinfo.slc.co.uk/lle/lle-faq/lifelong-learning-entitlement-faq