How can I contact Student Finance England from outside the UK?

I sent in my application forms in June (in fact I had to do it twice as I originally applied to EU student finance and was told the rules have changed since last year and I'm now allowed to count as a home student again). Since then all I've received is a letter with my customer service number, not even the password and secret answer which I got by using the "forgot your password" thing and having them emailed to me. My status says "Assessed" (as in "being assessed" though, for some reason, when it sounds like "has been assessed") and has done since I first logged in months ago. In the evidence bit all it says is that they have my application form, they don't even seem to think that I requested a loan.

Anyway, so I'm about ready to cry from frustration and I've finally decided I'm going to have to push aside my fear of speaking to people on the phone and call them. But the problem is, I can only find an 0845 number, which I can't call from Switzerland...or so my parents say. I can't find an email address either. I know there was an "ask a question" bit when you log in online, but it's disappeared. Someone said it's only there after 9pm but it's 9.45 in the UK now and it's still not there.

How am I supposed to contact them? Except for maybe writing a letter...which is a bit draconian and to be honest, I can't trust them with anything sent through the post. Am I just being thick and missing a contact number that's staring me in the face?

Reply 1

Illusionary

19

Penguin_Juice

I sent in my application forms in June (in fact I had to do it twice as I originally applied to EU student finance and was told the rules have changed since last year and I'm now allowed to count as a home student again). Since then all I've received is a letter with my customer service number, not even the password and secret answer which I got by using the "forgot your password" thing and having them emailed to me. My status says "Assessed" (as in "being assessed" though, for some reason, when it sounds like "has been assessed") and has done since I first logged in months ago. In the evidence bit all it says is that they have my application form, they don't even seem to think that I requested a loan.

Anyway, so I'm about ready to cry from frustration and I've finally decided I'm going to have to push aside my fear of speaking to people on the phone and call them. But the problem is, I can only find an 0845 number, which I can't call from Switzerland...or so my parents say. I can't find an email address either. I know there was an "ask a question" bit when you log in online, but it's disappeared. Someone said it's only there after 9pm but it's 9.45 in the UK now and it's still not there.

How am I supposed to contact them? Except for maybe writing a letter...which is a bit draconian and to be honest, I can't trust them with anything sent through the post. Am I just being thick and missing a contact number that's staring me in the face?

Two possible suggestions:

•

This post details a 'trick' that apparently allows you to send online messages to SFE when the contact link no longer appears.

•

www.saynoto0870.com lists alternative (non-0845) contact numbers for SFE. Note that these do not get you though to exactly the same office as the standard 0845 number, so they probably won't be the best people to advice you. However, I'd expect that you can ask them to put you through to the right people once you get through to someone.

Unfortunately, you won't find a publicly available 'proper' alternative to the 0845 contact number. :frown:

Reply 2

Penguin_Juice

OP

Thank you, I will try in the morning.

Edit: Have sent a message...it sounded quite angry though, not sure if that will help or hinder me.

Reply 3

Lamasamaka

14

I'm pretty sure you can dial +44 845 instead of 0845 from abroad. I don't know if it works for 0870, but I have seen +44 845 given as the prefix for calls from abroad

Reply 4

Laurah5498

18

Try using +44 since thats the UK code

Failing that then go for a carrier pigeon, the phone lines are rammed!!

Reply 5

Illusionary

19

Lamasamaka

I'm pretty sure you can dial +44 845 instead of 0845 from abroad. I don't know if it works for 0870, but I have seen +44 845 given as the prefix for calls from abroad

I think that it works sometimes, but not always, depending on the overseas telephone network operator.

Reply 6

Mardoxx

+44 instead of the leading zero

+44141 243 3929

Illusionary

Two possible suggestions:

•

This post details a 'trick' that apparently allows you to send online messages to SFE when the contact link no longer appears.

•

www.saynoto0870.com lists alternative (non-0845) contact numbers for SFE. Note that these do not get you though to exactly the same office as the standard 0845 number, so they probably won't be the best people to advice you. However, I'd expect that you can ask them to put you through to the right people once you get through to someone.

Unfortunately, you won't find a publicly available 'proper' alternative to the 0845 contact number. :frown:

rubbish :P the number I posted is the geographical number of the 0870

Reply 7

Illusionary

19

Mardoxx

+44 instead of the leading zero

+44141 243 3929

rubbish :P the number I posted is the geographical number of the 0870

May I refer you to this post and Taiko's reply immediately following that in the thread.

Taiko

Those two numbers do not go through to the same office.

He works for a local authority, so knows what he's talking about on this. The two numbers may both get you through SFE, but not to the same department internally - hence my comment.

Reply 8

Penguin_Juice

OP

Yay the 0845 number works...now if only I could get through.

Reply 9

SophiaBA2015

7

I used this thread in 2013 to look for ways to contact Student Finance England from abroad, and I have to say a massive thank you after calling over 30-40 times the 0845 number and YES I did use the bloody dialling code hehehe.
Illusionary got it spot on, I used the website 'saynoto0870' and found an alternative number and got straight through!!!! Problem all sorted and all I have to do is post a letter back to them. Thank You.

Reply 10

jenifferhomes

Given all of the recent problems with contacting Student Finance England, I thought it would help if I share an alternative, geographic telephone number for Student Finance England. Unlike numbers that have previously been posted in this forum, this number will go through directly to the assessments team. Hopefully this will help those of you still waiting for your finance applications to be fully processed.

The number is 01325 21 52 08, and it's available from 9am until 5pm, Monday to Friday. (source:qwikfix.co.uk)

How can I contact Student Finance England from outside the UK?

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