Do payments need to be arranged by September 1st or before enrollment?

I will be using all my Maintenance grant to pay for the tuition fees. Do I need to have these installments set up before I enroll or before Sept. 1st ? Also, am I right in saying that Lincoln take the installments out on Nov 15th for the first payment ?

Thanks

Reply 1

1990jordan

Are you not getting a tuition fee loan? They're paid automatically.

I know that if you are paying seperately though you need to set up a payment schedule with the university, there was something about it in the enrolment guide if I remember.

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Reply 2

NStocks

No I'm not getting the Tuition fee loan. I don't really need it and I only got the Maintenance loan as a ' safe guard' and to pay the remaining from the maintenance grant. I will be using the Loan to make money from the interest or to pay for my car.

I just don't want to set up a payment installment too early/late when I don't have the funds in my account. I'm pretty sure that you need to have them arranged by enrollment, it was the enrollment from that needed sending before september 1st.

Is this your first year ?

Reply 3

Mossy212

Paying for everything is REALLY confusing me at the moment! I haven't got confirmation from Student Finance yet that I'm actually getting the money suggested even though i've DEFINITELY sent everything they wanted off!! Like they've said "this is what you'll get" and then I sent off the declaration a month ago and...nothing.

And then the Brayford Quays brochure thing says we have to pay for accomodation on like the 9th, and the tuition fee loan is confusing the hell out of me and...argh!
I'm SO not good with numbers and stuff like this! So if anyone can literally explain it in a way that makes it so easy that the cushion next to me could understand it, then my word i'd owe you.

Reply 4

1990jordan

Mossy212

I'm SO not good with numbers and stuff like this! So if anyone can literally explain it in a way that makes it so easy that the cushion next to me could understand it, then my word i'd owe you.

Well this is what I've figured out, because this whole thing has been confusing me too!

Student Finance have messed a lot of people around this year. I applied back in May and still haven't been allocated what I should have been. Everyone should have been assessed for the basic loan though, so that you'll at least have basic finance for when you start, and they'll backdate anything else you're owed later. But if you've not recieved anything about the loan through yet, ring them up and find out what's happening.

Took them a while to process my 'declaration form' that had to be signed and sent back, so sit tight on this one. They might send you another letter saying you've not done it (which happened to me and countless others) so if they do, just sign that one too and send it back.

As for the tuition fee loan, you shouldn't need to worry about that. It just gets sent straight to your university, you don't have to do anything.

I'm not sure about accommodation. I assumed that it needed to be paid for before you move in, (and before getting the loan). If that's the case the best you can do if you're short on cash is to ask relatives if they can loan you the money, or use an overdraft on your bank account. I read somewhere else that if you applied for courts and they placed you somewhere else, you didn't have to pay till the same time as courts and that's after your loan goes in.

I wish someone would have explained this to me back when I was applying. The way we were told at college made it sound like I'd be able to apply for finance when I got my place, be able to use that to pay for everything and not have to worry about a thing till I was earning £15,000 or more. I didn't realise I'd be scrambling around for so much cash at the last minute! But that's just my two cents, pah!

Reply 5

Mossy212

yeah, it does sound like you can apply when you get your place and stuff! It all sounded so easy when they were telling everyone last year! I took a gap year so i kind of listened to what they said but was like "this doesn't matter to me!" and then this year in May, i was visiting my girlfriend and she had to do hers for her second year and i was like "...bugger! oh bugger bugger, i need to do that..." So i did it frantically and got it sent off in May.

I got a first letter that said what I'd get, which was so much less than i needed, despite having been financially assessed. Then i got sent ANOTHER one through which HAD been financially assessed, so i sent off the declaration in late July. And then i got the letter you mentioned saying i hadn't done it and IF YOU DON'T DO IT YOU'LL GET NOTHING, YOU'LL JUST GET NOTHING SO SEND IT OFF, SEND IT OFF NOW NOW NOW!!!! Which was like...huh!? so i rang them and they said it'd take a while, so i've sent another one which they said wouldn't do any damage if i wanted to be sure.

I mean it's so frustrating isn't it?! I JUST want it to make sense and be sorted out! Makes the planning for everything that bit more stressful!!!

Reply 6

MTGrafik

I sent my student finance application form off in May this year but have only been given my customer reference number, other than that I have have heard nothing... I have 4 weeks till I go and dont know how much money I am getting! They lost my gf's applciation and she had to re-apply this system is diabolical! the govt say they want to make university available for everyone, but make getting hold of money so danmed difficult...!

I think I need to phone up again and ask them how it is going, I have a horrible feeling that things aren't going to go my way...

Reply 7

wheatley2k9

unlucky, ya might wanna ring student finance and check mate, exactly same story, it turns out they lost all the my information and didnt think about mentioning it so could be same for you

Reply 8

MTGrafik

Yeah i think i will, I phoned them before to ensure my name was on the system, and they said it was and they were processing it and I would recieve a letter in a week or two... baring in mind this was about 4 weeks ago I am getting really annoyed with this whole thing!

Reply 9

NStocks

So do payments have to be made before enrollment or before september 1st ?

Reply 10

Mossy212

It says in the handbook "Students paying their fees in full at or before enrolment", which says to me that you can pay it any time before enrolment.
There's a bit more about it in there to do with payment options. But if you're not getting a tuition fee loan, things might be different. If you read the handbook and still don't get it (it's not very clear), ring them and ask, they might explain it better over the phone!!

Reply 11

Mossy212

Just been on the Lincoln website, too, which says that if you're not getting a tuition fee loan from Student Finance England "must make arrangements for the payment of their tuition fees BEFORE they are permitted to complete enrolment.
This is the link to their page which explains it better. It gives you 3 payment options, (paying in full, in instalments, or sponsorship) but apparently you need to pay before enrolment, not before the 1st September. Check it for yourself just to be absolutely sure.

The 1st September date is for the enrolment forms, as far as i can tell.

Hope that makes sense...

Reply 12

NStocks

Thank you. I thought that's what it meant. So I can just arrange installments for when I want ? I think mid-november will be good ! All student finance will be payed by then !