Student Finance

[Bayum]

So, who's having problems with it?

I sent my stuff off in April... And it's apparently still being looked at... To decide how much I should get...

But my course starts on the 28th... And I need to get my uni card sorted before the 19th as well... Which needs details of whether I got the loan or not, and who's sorting out my tuition fees!!

And I don't even know, that if it's not sorted out... Whether i'll be able to goto uni or not!!



So, yeah - anyone else in the same sort of situation?

 

[Mojo]

What does it say on the website. Something like "Awaiting assessment?"

 

[Bayum]

Still =/

It's been saying that since June. And when I rung them up the other week, they were like - it's been sent off for moderation type thing (not their words) but that thing where they go to assess your claim and decide how much you should get

 

[JustinStacey.x]

My 'problem' with student finance is that it wasn't even enough to cover my halls fees!

 

[Old Timer]

So, who's having problems with it?

I sent my stuff off in April... And it's apparently still being looked at... To decide how much I should get...

But my course starts on the 28th... And I need to get my uni card sorted before the 19th as well... Which needs details of whether I got the loan or not, and who's sorting out my tuition fees!!

And I don't even know, that if it's not sorted out... Whether i'll be able to goto uni or not!!



So, yeah - anyone else in the same sort of situation?

We have been through this in my household some while back.

If you explain to the University, and show them the paperwork, then I expect you will find them quite helpful.

The University that one of my lads went to held back until the April of the following year, whilst things were sorted out.

Sadly this, like everything else Labour has been involved in, ended up as a confused farce with all sorts of systems that neither work properly nor connect with others, and with all the various organisations working in isolation from one another.

One tip, just make sure that EVERYTHING they asked for has been sent and RECEIVED by them, otherwise it goes onto the "too hard" pile and waits until everyone else's has been sorted.

I wish you success in your dealings.

 

[Tom B]

Student Finance make the likes of First group look well run and organised!

Universities are used to their appalling speed and will usually be fine about it.

 

[Bayum]

Student Finance make the likes of First group look well run and organised!

Universities are used to their appalling speed and will usually be fine about it.

It's just annoying... I haven't been able to apply for anything..

I need my laptop replacing, I need a new computer to work from at home, and all my literature too...

I can't even sort out whether i'm going into accomodation anymore cos I haven't heard anything. If I get enough - i'm going to try get in somewhere, but ya know...

 

[Mojo]

Bayum - it's not just you according to the BBC!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8251492.stm

 

[me123]

SAAS is a bit more complicated because it also covers tuition fees now (:razz. I've never had any problems, but I know last year that quite a few people were unable to register because SAAS screwed up their tuition fees, but they simply got a delayed registration and otherwise proceeded as normal, so you'll be fine.

The "means tested" loan is, frankly, a joke as far as I'm concerned. It makes the assumption that my parents can fund me; again, the "parental contribution" plus the loan doesn't cover hall fees. Travelling expenses are, again, means tested (the logic of this is beyond me).

The availability of the loans was abysmal last year as well; I know someone who used their entire overdraft whilst waiting for the loan to be processed (again, delayed resgistration was the problem). And they weren't exactly partying hard or anything either.

 

[Bayum]

Bayum - it's not just you according to the BBC!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8251492.stm

I saw that the other day!

I dunno... It just annoys me as well. My mate applied at the end of July... I applied in April... He's already got his forms back, saying he's been successul, and he knows how much he's going to get.

They have my stuff, because they rung up and told me it was there after I kicked off about them not recieving it... And told me on Tuesday, that it was going through validation, and it wasn't in their hands anymore. Still - it's annoying me. Like I said, theres so much I need to do, that I just can't because this is messing me - and others about!

 

[Max]

Student Finance are a complete disaster. I've had nothing but problems, and I still don't know how much money I'm getting - and I start at university on Sunday! Apparently they're 6 weeks behind schedule, and many many people have had problems and delays.

 

[Mojo]

Just heard why it doesn't affect me, as apparently this year's customers are the first that are being dealt with by them, whereas mine and existing customers are/have been dealt with by Local Authorities.

 

[Broken Viking]

No wonder I've started receiving interest statements for the interest free student loan that I took out a few years ago... :roll:

 

[Old Timer]

I cannot talk as to what is happening today, but previously you had to apply to the SF people for the finance needed to support yourself whilst the LA appeared to be involved with the Tuition Grant.

We found this out to our cost when we wrote to SF telling them that we fell outside of the financial income limits, so they filed the application, although it had to pass from them to the LA so that the Tuition Grant could be paid :roll::roll::roll:

Net result was SF saying they had no action to do and the LA refusing to pay until they had received the Student Finance application from SF, which of course was filed because we were not entitled to any :roll::roll:

 

[1D53]

In the four years of my uni degree I didn't get my first payment on time once in all four years.

They are absolutely useless.

 

[poshbakerloo]

i think everyone has issues with it...I remember when I was applying for it uurrrggg

 

[Bayum]

It's stupid... Utter Bleurgh.

Rung them up again today... As they had sent grants and idea of how much people would be getting, to my mates - who applied at least a month after me.

When I asked them (after finally getting through!!) they said that they didn't have enough evidence that proved who I was...

I explained that I sent off 4 forms, to go with my birth certificate, and they acknowledge that they had those... And when I asked what the problem was, they told me they couldn't share the details, with another department in Student Finance, and that I had to send off ANOTHER of the same forms... Even though they have 4...

So, thats going to delay another 10 days to my application. It's utter stupidity swear down...

And I have to ramble on at PCWorld as well now!!

Bad times all round me feels !!

 

[AlexS]

Wait till the end of the year. I left uni after my first year and they tried to take my last tuition fee payment back despite my technically completing the year. Resulting in my getting an automated invoice from Lboro Uni for over £1000 to be paid immediately.

Sorted it out by calling first student finance, who were useless, then Staffs Council, who bullied them into returning the money. The Uni were fine the whole time, agreed with me, and told me to ignore the invoice and let them know how I was getting on, if I didn't get anywhere after 3 weeks they were going to weigh in and help.

This despite me being a drop out ex student who didn't finish, heh.

Everyone seems to be used to them being a load of rubbish.

 

[Bayum]

Wait till the end of the year. I left uni after my first year and they tried to take my last tuition fee payment back despite my technically completing the year. Resulting in my getting an automated invoice from Lboro Uni for over £1000 to be paid immediately.

Sorted it out by calling first student finance, who were useless, then Staffs Council, who bullied them into returning the money. The Uni were fine the whole time, agreed with me, and told me to ignore the invoice and let them know how I was getting on, if I didn't get anywhere after 3 weeks they were going to weigh in and help.

This despite me being a drop out ex student who didn't finish, heh.

Everyone seems to be used to them being a load of rubbish.

I'm confused by this now...

I thought this was the first year that it was all worked out this way...

So, what sort of problems did you guys have before then??

 

[Max]

So, thats going to delay another 10 days to my application. It's utter stupidity swear down...

Ha, good luck with that - they told me that they have a backlog of post stretching back about 2 weeks! :roll:

 

[Bayum]

They have my application though - like I said, it's all been processed etc...

But, they just wont look on the computers, for what they need - even though they have 3 or 4 copies!!

 

[Max]

They have my application though - like I said, it's all been processed etc...

But, they just wont look on the computers, for what they need - even though they have 3 or 4 copies!!

Trust me, I'm in exactly the same situation. It will still take them ages to open the post and process it!

 

[Bayum]

Well, they did say ten days from tomorrow... So, ya know... I'm gonna ring them up next week to make sure they have it. If not - i'm going to take a load more stuff upto Darlington myself.

 

[Tom B]

This is the first year it has all been centralised. Previously, you could at least go and yell at your LEA (and for some of us, you still can ).