Student Finance - OVERPAID GRANT ??? WHAT DO I DOOO! HELP!!

Original post by bibekpd

Okay, basically I am from London and I went to Newcastle university and studied there from September 2010 till now. I have applied to Brunel university (in London) and i have been given an offer which I am pretty sure I am gonna meet.

Prior to leaving Newcastle I was advised that I had to fill out an Withdrawal form to stop them from sending me enrollment letters and asking me to pay the tuition fees and so on. On the form i CLEARLY stated until September 2011 I would still be their student as I WOULDN'T start studying at Brunel OFFICIALLY.

Last week got an reminder email to chose the modules at Newcastle and I replied the email going I don't think I will be returning FROM SEPTEMBER 2011 as I have got an offer and according to my exams I shouldn't have any problems meeting the offer. I also mentioned that i HAVE submitted the Withdrawal form to the school office. Unfortunately, the woman who I replied the email to, *IMMEDIATELY* went ahead and withdrew me from the system which automatically notified student finance that I have left studying -_-

A week later I receive a letter through the post asking me repay 20% (£584) of my grant which is now supposedly overpaid as i *WITHDREW from my studies* when its just meant to be a transfer from one uni to the other.

I rang the woman who put me into this mess and she asked me to write an email so she could forward it to school office and have it looked over. The Student Loans Company Limited ( responsible for collecting back the money ) have given me 14 days to sort this out.

Now the question is IF Newcastle says they cant put me back in the system, will it be stupid of me to just pay it back ? At the moment I'm thinking of NOT paying it back as I haven't withdrawn from my studies, I'm just doing the same course, second year at a different Uni.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks!

If you don't pay it back then they will just not pay you any money next year, or take out what you owe from the money they are awarding you next year.

Reply 3

OP

Yeah but I haven't really withdrawn from the course? i am just moving universities. Why am i being asked to pay something back which i am entitled to ? :s-smilie:

lol

Reply 4

OP

Original post by Humpty_Dumpty

From Newcastle university to Brunel!! Are you not embarrassed? Brunel Is a right **** hole.

I turned down Warwick and Loughborough *sigh* ..blame my parents. They want me to stay at home that's why i'm having to go Brunel. It wasn't even on my top 10!

Also, I would like to give Brunel a chance! I have heard good things about it, well for engineering courses anyways. Dont know if you're talking from a personal experience or just a look from the outside!

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 5

Humpty_Dumpty

Original post by bibekpd

I turned down Warwick and Loughborough *sigh* ..blame my parents. They want me to stay at home that's why i'm having to go Brunel. It wasn't even on my top 10!

Also, I would like to give Brunel a chance! I have heard good things about it, well for engineering courses anyways. Dont know if you're talking from a personal experience or just a look from the outside!

The people who go there are all "black wana be" "gangster wanabe" Fools who have not grown up from MTV.

And top employers do not respect Brunel in the same way they respect Warwick.

Well..I am sorry to hear about your situation.

Reply 6

OP

Original post by Humpty_Dumpty

The people who go there are all "black wana be" "gangster wanabe" Fools who have not grown up from MTV.

And top employers do not respect Brunel in the same way they respect Warwick.

Well..I am sorry to hear about your situation.

Yeah, that I DID hear from one of my friends too. My parents are Asian and this is what they say to me "no matter what uni you go to, its you who has to work hard no matter how good the uni is for you to get a good degree" LOL

Reply 7

Huskaris

16

On the bright side, a fair chunk of Clockwork Orange was filmed in Brunel. So Kubrick and Malcolm McDowell were once there!

Srsly though, rest of it's ****.

Reply 8

anythingbutord

5

Original post by bibekpd

Yeah but I haven't really withdrawn from the course? i am just moving universities. Why am i being asked to pay something back which i am entitled to ? :s-smilie:

lol

I would ask Newcastle what date they told the SLC you actually withdrew on? It seems strange to have to pay anything for withdrawing this late in the year. Especially 20%, when there's only 15% of the academic year left. The date they've told the SLC you've left does make a difference though as this affects your entitlement - you may not be entitled to the money in that case.

However, you do have to accept that you HAVE withdrawn from the course at Newcastle. The course you're moving to at Brunel is a new degree at a new institution.

Reply 9

OP

Original post by anythingbutord

I would ask Newcastle what date they told the SLC you actually withdrew on? It seems strange to have to pay anything for withdrawing this late in the year. Especially 20%, when there's only 15% of the academic year left. The date they've told the SLC you've left does make a difference though as this affects your entitlement - you may not be entitled to the money in that case.

However, you do have to accept that you HAVE withdrawn from the course at Newcastle. The course you're moving to at Brunel is a new degree at a new institution.

When i called the company that are asking the money back, they told me that on 20th of June 2011, Newcastle notified SFE that I withdrew when the university is OFFICIALLY over on the 17th of June. This clearly doesn't make sense. And Also i was told by SLC that the grant we get paid is to cover the costs for June and July as well therefore I am having to pay that back as i have withdrawn in June :s-smilie:

Reply 10

anythingbutord

5

Original post by bibekpd

When i called the company that are asking the money back, they told me that on 20th of June 2011, Newcastle notified SFE that I withdrew when the university is OFFICIALLY over on the 17th of June. This clearly doesn't make sense. And Also i was told by SLC that the grant we get paid is to cover the costs for June and July as well therefore I am having to pay that back as i have withdrawn in June :s-smilie:

That makes sense then. Yes, as you've withdrawn, they have to tell the SLC the last time you were in attendance - this was the end of term - sorry, but the SLC are right to claim the money back in that case.

However, the next step is to get Newcastle to tell the SLC that you didn't withdraw afterall, and then in September complete a Change of Circumstances to get your SLC account moved to Brunel - then there's no gap in your attendance and you'll be entitled to all the money as usual.

Reply 11

mabrookes

14

Original post by bibekpd

Yeah but I haven't really withdrawn from the course? i am just moving universities. Why am i being asked to pay something back which i am entitled to ? :s-smilie:

lol

Did you stop attending and handing in work - because you don't get to just choose you are a student still the university is required to tell them when you stopped attending if you withdraw and it will be calculated from that point.

Also you don't have to withdraw like this if you were just transferring.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 12

OP

Original post by anythingbutord

That makes sense then. Yes, as you've withdrawn, they have to tell the SLC the last time you were in attendance - this was the end of term - sorry, but the SLC are right to claim the money back in that case.

However, the next step is to get Newcastle to tell the SLC that you didn't withdraw afterall, and then in September complete a Change of Circumstances to get your SLC account moved to Brunel - then there's no gap in your attendance and you'll be entitled to all the money as usual.

Yeah that sounds like a good idea BUT in my defense on the withdrawal form I DID write FROM SEPTEMBER 2011 i will not be attending Newcastle, so it was stupid of them to remove me from the system in JUNE making it look like i withdrew already because JUST IN CASE i don't meet the offer from Brunel i would have to enroll onto second year at Newcastle ?

After I get a reply from the woman I will mention what you said, hope they can still put me back in the system and notify SFE that i haven't withdrawn. (fingers crossed)

Reply 13

OP

Original post by mabrookes

Did you stop attending and handing in work - because you don't get to just choose you are a student still the university is required to tell them when you stopped attending if you withdraw and it will be calculated from that point.

Also you don't have to withdraw like this if you were just transferring.

Nope, went in almost EVERY lecture, handed in EVERY SINGLE piece of work. Really ? Before applying, I individually emailed universities and was told to normally apply through ucas. After that, I asked my year director and he told me that IF i was leaving I would have to fill out the Withdrawal form and i said I would be in London around September and he goes why don't you fill it in and write that you will be withdrawing in September WHICH IS EXACTLY what i did but still now im in this mess!

Reply 14

Universities have to be very careful how they report students attendance, especially after the London Met fiasco where they were claiming money for students that had withdrawn and got in big trouble and fined, they are now struggling to survive.

The government could have come down heavy handed if they were aware of you wanting to withdraw but didn't actually withdraw you. I don't know why you didn't just wait until you got in to Brunel before withdrawing from Newcastle, there shouldn't be any reason why you couldn't have done it by post without needing to go back to Newcastle in September.

Reply 15

OP

Original post by flipshot

Universities have to be very careful how they report students attendance, especially after the London Met fiasco where they were claiming money for students that had withdrawn and got in big trouble and fined, they are now struggling to survive.

The government could have come down heavy handed if they were aware of you wanting to withdraw but didn't actually withdraw you. I don't know why you didn't just wait until you got in to Brunel before withdrawing from Newcastle, there shouldn't be any reason why you couldn't have done it by post without needing to go back to Newcastle in September.

To avoid this EXACT situation , On the withdrawal form i wrote September 2011 but clearly people cant read and withdrew me in JUNE :angry:

Reply 16

Original post by bibekpd

To avoid this EXACT situation , On the withdrawal form i wrote September 2011 but clearly people cant read and withdrew me in JUNE :angry:

By if the government was to audit them I doubt they would accept someone withdrawing months later just because the put a date on the form. Who told you to do it was it the finance people, or just a tutor?

Reply 17

OP

Original post by flipshot

By if the government was to audit them I doubt they would accept someone withdrawing months later just because the put a date on the form. Who told you to do it was it the finance people, or just a tutor?

Erm, hes the course director so the guy who decides students modules/courses etc..yeah but technically I WILL be a student at Newcastle because If i want I can still continue my studies at Newcastle if i enroll around mid August so they have no rights to withdraw me from their system until September anyways .

Reply 18

anythingbutord

5

Original post by bibekpd

Erm, hes the course director so the guy who decides students modules/courses etc..yeah but technically I WILL be a student at Newcastle because If i want I can still continue my studies at Newcastle if i enroll around mid August so they have no rights to withdraw me from their system until September anyways .

No you now can't, unless the University (and not just this guy who doesn't really seem to know how the administrative side of things works) has said so.

You have withdrawn from Newcastle - why would they let you keep a place occupied over the summer, and then withdraw on the first day of term when they could instead be filling your place with someone else transferring in? Universities don't tend to get into the business of keeping places open for students who want to go somewhere 'better' but might not be able to so stay instead. What did you want them to do with the person they might have got to fill your place if you decided to stay afterall?

Reply 19