[FinlayMcFarlane]

Hello All,

Really need your help regarding my Tuition Loan status and eligibility. I have previously studied (and completed) both HNC and HND in Acting and Performance. These were paid for by SAAS as i am a Scottish Citizen. To further pursue my career in acting I auditioned and successfully gained a place at one of the top drama schools in london, Rose Bruford. This is for a three year BA course in European Theatre Arts. (Thanks to the tuition fee rises, this is now £9000 a year)
It has recently come to my attention that i am not eligible for the Tuition loan, and can only receive an extremely subsidized maintenance loan of £900 ish. Completely blowing out my chance to go to Drama school. I had no previous idea that in anyway an HND course would be held with the same equivalent as a BA hons, I thought I would be ok as I was still * furthering* my education.
I was hoping someone could please please clarify what exactly i am eligible for, or if someone could give me any advice as as im sure you will understand, im completely gutted, this has been my dream since I was really small.

Thankyou so much for your help in advance, and sorry for the rambling!
Finlay

[Rosie1422]

I'm pretty sure you should still be eligible since you're meant to be funded for your first degree and one year long HNDs are counted as standalone courses. My brother has just finished an HND in computing and is now getting funded for the Bsc in it following on from that. Have you had it confirmed by SAAS on the phone that you're ineligible? I myself have already done an HNC and I still qualify. I would double check that!

[FinlayMcFarlane]

How odd! I phoned today and was told by the lady that Scottish Law means that I am not eligible for funding for my first year! Its perhaps because i was funded through an HNC (one year) and then an HND (one year) ? I wonder that if the HND is indeed counted as a one year standalone course that I may be able to claim it as a false start, which you are supposed to be able to do if you have only completed one year of an HND... Any ideas?
Its all so confusing !!
Thanks for your help!
Finlay

[Rosie1422]

I would double check that with another advisor at SAAS (Helen at their offices is lovely, Morag not so much! I had a loan issue and had to call them nearly every week!) My brother's done both an HNC and HND at Dundee college and is still getting funded for continuing at Robert Gordon uni? And plenty of my old college mates went on to do the HND without me then went to uni - one just got her degree in Hospitality and Tourism, I'm sure. Weird! Funding's a nightmare but I hope you manage to find out a way of getting it. Seems unfair!

[FinlayMcFarlane]

Hey Rosie!

I phoned again today and she again stated that I cant get the funding. Do you know if your friends went into 1st year at university? It does all seem a bit unfair and im at a bit of a loss of where to go from here. I even asked about getting a false start but that isnt possible as i completed my HND. If id known it would have been better for me to fail! What kind of logic is that?
Really at a loss now :/
Thanks for your help

[Foghorn Leghorn]

(Original post by FinlayMcFarlane)
Hey Rosie!

I phoned again today and she again stated that I cant get the funding. Do you know if your friends went into 1st year at university? It does all seem a bit unfair and im at a bit of a loss of where to go from here. I even asked about getting a false start but that isnt possible as i completed my HND. If id known it would have been better for me to fail! What kind of logic is that?
Really at a loss now :/
Thanks for your help

You need to realised that an HND is basically the equivelant of the first 2 years of a BA degree. For you to get funding you need to make progression i.e. go into 3rd. I know it seems unfair but it is basically just a safe guard to stop people abusing the system (not that I am in any way implying that is what you are doing). Unfortunately if they say no, then it's a no. I'm not sure if they have some sort of appeal system you could ask to go through, if so try and do it. Other than that the only thing I can suggest is to phone up the uni you applied for and ask what sort of funding they might offer or direct you towards to see if you can get funding for your first two years from another organisation.

[Rosie1422]

Ah, now that might be what it is. My brother's HNC and HND are counting as his first two years. I know one of my college mates went into 1st year, but I'd have to ask her whether she got funded for certain. No way you can go into 3rd year with your previous experience? Sucks, I know. It's not the end completely, as after 3 years without any SAAS funding you count as an independent applicant and previous loans are not counted (such as, in my case). It's a long time, of course, but just a thought. =S I think that's quite crap, really...

[FinlayMcFarlane]

Thanks again for your help guys.
The lady on the phone said that I am eligible for support from Year 2 onwards. I might try and get this in writing though before i make any decisions.
Unfortunatley, when training as a professional actor they really want you to be put through all three years of their training, due to the high competitiveness between the best schools.
I have emailed the school asking for help, and have also previously been nominated for a Donald Dewar award so il just have to see how that turns out.
Que Sera, Sera. I guess the most annoying thing out of all this is that im not even eligible for any grants etc outwith the loans anyway. Any money im wanting for putting me through 1st year would all have to be paid back.

[willinfected]

Hey guys yeah this sounds all right. Remember that in the SCQF that a HNC is level 7 the same as a Certificat of High Education (first year or Uni) and a HND is the same as Domploma of Higher Education (2nd year Uni). Because some HND's only allow for entry to second year of Uni SAAS will pay this year twice, probably counted as a false start or something but most HND's will get you into 3rd year. SAAS usually don't pay for the same year more than once.