The Student Room Group

I think Student Finance have been charging me even though I didn't get into uni!!

I missed my offer for Sept 2011.

I did not know I had to cancel my SF application.

I log into SF today to apply.



It says: You are about to commence your 2nd year of Study at X. WTF!!! :frown:

It also said: Payments approved for every term so far. :confused:


Am I in big trouble? I definitely did not get in because I was rejected on UCAS and via e-mail. I've been doing my resits instead because I missed the grade by 2 grades. And I did not attend my missed firm for even a second. I also did not receive a penny so what is going on here? Is this a big mistake? I feel so scared and confused -- someone please help? :redface:


PS: Sorry about the rushed tone. I'll explain more if you want... I just feel so stressed now. :cry2:
(edited 11 years ago)
You have to give your university a form to scan at the start of every year before you get paid, so I doubt you've lost money. Ring them and check though.
Reply 2
Hoping against hope this is just an admin error and that I can do it by paper instead... :frown:
Reply 3
Best thing to do is give them a ring, explain the situation. I'm sure it's just a (typical) error in government run programmes..
Reply 4
Original post by milienhaus
You have to give your university a form to scan at the start of every year before you get paid, so I doubt you've lost money. Ring them and check though.



Thanks for replying. :smile:


Can I still cancel last year's application and start a new one for 2012? Or will this mistake affect how many years of funding I get?


I went to Uni in 2010 for one year for the first time. One year's funding used up.

I changed courses for a different university and then missed the offer for 2011. I did not receive any funding but my SF application thinks I went.

I reapplied and have now got an offer for 2012 (for the same university that rejected me so they know I haven't gotten in!)



Do I still get my 3 years worth of funding then? I mean I've only used 1 year's worth. Sorry to spring this all on you, I'm just very confused. :colondollar:
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 5
Original post by nickss
Best thing to do is give them a ring, explain the situation. I'm sure it's just a (typical) error in government run programmes..



I only just found out now so I'm going to give them a ring in the morning tomorrow. Hopefully it's just a mistake. :smile:
Reply 6
This is what happens when people don't tell SF that they aren't going to university. They will just assume you went but didn't take out finance as you never told them you weren't going.

You should call them to sort it out.
Reply 7
Original post by Doutzie
I only just found out now so I'm going to give them a ring in the morning tomorrow. Hopefully it's just a mistake. :smile:


i did what you did - missed my offer 2011, and then didn't realise i was meant to tell them.

they won't give you any money until your uni has confirmed that you're there each term. so they won't have given you anything.

when you phone them (which you should) they'll probably tell you to cancel your course online but you obviously want them to know that you haven't been there at all! here are your options: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/Gettingstarted/DG_171586

good luck!
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 8
Original post by Shani
This is what happens when people don't tell SF that they aren't going to university. They will just assume you went but didn't take out finance as you never told them you weren't going.

You should call them to sort it out.


Oh, okay. It's definitely my fault then! Will it affect my funding? Or can I still sort it out? I'll call them in the morning as they've closed past 8 but it's eating away at me *sigh*. Thanks for the help. :smile:
Reply 9
Original post by canŵio
i did what you did - missed my offer 2011, and then didn't realise i was meant to tell them.

they won't give you any money until your uni has confirmed that you're there each term. so they won't have given you anything.

when you phone them (which you should) they'll probably tell you to cancel your course online but you obviously want them to know that you haven't been there at all! the other option is filling this in and sending it:
http://www.studentfinanceni.co.uk/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/NPIPG001/NPIPS001/NPIPS008/SFNI%20CO1%20FORM%20(DOWNLOADABLE)%20-%20V1.2%20-%20SIGNED%20OFF-%2028-02-2012.PDF

good luck!



Thank you so much! :biggrin: Did you get the same messages about starting the 2nd year on your SF application page as well? And the link you gave me doesn't say anything about "cancelling applications" so how did you do it, sorry? :smile:
Reply 10
Original post by Hotsauce
same thing for me too - even though i actually DID cancel and they said it would be fine to just start the whole application process again this year.

anyway, i rang up and they were fine about it and cancelled it again (hopefully properly this time) so apparently i can just apply online as normal as soon as that's gone through..


This was also the case for me. Still waiting for the form to go through properly so i can restart my finance for this year.
Reply 11
Original post by Hotsauce
same thing for me too - even though i actually DID cancel and they said it would be fine to just start the whole application process again this year.

anyway, i rang up and they were fine about it and cancelled it again (hopefully properly this time) so apparently i can just apply online as normal as soon as that's gone through..


That's a relief. :cute: Did you cancel yours by paper or online? And do you know what form you have to fill out? Aargh, I should started earlier! Oh well. Lesson learnt. :smile:
Reply 12
Original post by Doutzie
That's a relief. :cute: Did you cancel yours by paper or online? And do you know what form you have to fill out? Aargh, I should started earlier! Oh well. Lesson learnt. :smile:


when i cancelled it was a while back (you've left it quite late!!) and when i phoned them they sorted it all out for me! but now they've got new systems where you're able to do it online.
i'm not entirely sure how as they didn't have that system when i changed it, but i think it might have something to do with the 'make changes to your application' link on the very first page when you sign in. when you phone ask if they'll talk you through it!

considering they surely want to lend us the least amount of money possible, they really don't make things very clear do they?!
Reply 13
Called them up and managed to sort it out. :smile: Turns out I should send a paper form and an explanatory note instead and that will overwrite my existing application. Thanks everyone!
Reply 14
Original post by Doutzie
Called them up and managed to sort it out. :smile: Turns out I should send a paper form and an explanatory note instead and that will overwrite my existing application. Thanks everyone!


Sorry, did they ask you to send the paper application form, then just a note saying you never attended Uni last year but the payments were listed on SF or whatever?

I'm in the same boat, so I rang up and she said she would fill a form out and it would clear the old stuff off within a couple of days. That was about a week ago.

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