student finance appeals

Hoping for some advice please after reading through some threads;
I started uni back in 2001 and left due to ill health, tried again in 2003 and 2009 and both times had to leave again (always in the first year each time)
The reasons i left were the following, brittle asthma and lung fibrosis, surgery, undiagnosed bipolar disorder leading to erratic behaviour (now diagnosed and on medication) domestic violence, bereavement and a son with disabilities.
I have read that i can return but would only get funding for years 2 and 3, however have been advised due to the reasons i left i might be able to appeal this to start again?
I have worked in between these times and because of my salary level have paid some monies back to student fnance.
I am now registered as disabled and receive highest rate DLA and ESA so i believe i would be classified as a disabled student also, do i appeal by email or are there special forms to request? has anyone else in a similar position been successful?
Any advice would be gratefully received thanks

Hi,

Firstly, I really sorry to hear that you've been through so much crap.

Yes, it is still possible to get funding for university. You are entitled to the length of your degree plus one year. However if you provide evidence that you had legitimate reasons for withdrawing from study in the past, those previous years don't count towards what you are entitled to.

I'm about to start uni again, having dropped out in 2002 and 2006 due to ill health. I submitted letters from my GP, a consultant and a healthcare worker to support my claim (all three was probably overkill but I wanted to be on the safe side). It took about two months for student finance to process my application, but I've now received full funding.

As for how you go about it: I rang student finance and they told me to apply online as normal and post them the evidence. I was advised that the letters had to specify the dates and how my health problems affected my study.

Hi,

Firstly, I really sorry to hear that you've been through so much crap.

Yes, it is still possible to get funding for university. You are entitled to the length of your degree plus one year. However if you provide evidence that you had legitimate reasons for withdrawing from study in the past, those previous years don't count towards what you are entitled to.

I'm about to start uni again, having dropped out in 2002 and 2006 due to ill health. I submitted letters from my GP, a consultant and a healthcare worker to support my claim (all three was probably overkill but I wanted to be on the safe side). It took about two months for student finance to process my application, but I've now received full funding.

As for how you go about it: I rang student finance and they told me to apply online as normal and post them the evidence. I was advised that the letters had to specify the dates and how my health problems affected my study.

According to student finance, you can only claim for Compelling Personal Reasons for one year at a time, working backwards. So, at present you have studied for 3 years, which means if you were to go on to a new 3 year degree, your entitlement will be 3+1-3 = 1 year of funding for your third year.

You can claim Compelling Personal reasons for any of those years, however you would only be able to claim it for your second year, as they work backwards, this would still mean funding your first year yourself.

This is the exact predicament I was in. I decide to go to University part-time, as full-time study wasn't counted in my entitlement. So, I am awarded full funding for my new degree, which will take me 4 years instead of 3, but I won't receive maintenance loans etc. I, personally, find this much better for me with a mental health disability, so it isn't as strenuous as full time university.

Your standard entitlement to fee support and special support grant are calculated following a formula

Length of course + 1 year - previous study

so

3+1-3 = 1 which would be applied to last year of course.

You can make SFE that you withdrew from your most recent previous course for compelling personal reasons (CPR). If they are satisfied this is the case then they would award an extra year to the first year of your course.

So your funding could be as follows

Y1 - Fee loan, Special Support Grant (SSG) (awarded for CPR) and maintenance loan plus Dependents Grants for your child and Disabled Student Allowance

Y2 - maintenance loan plus dependents grants for your child and Disabled Student Allowance (NO fee loan or SSG due to previous study)

Y3 - Fee loan, Special Support Grant (awarded for CPR) and maintenance loan plus Dependents Grants for your child and Disabled Student Allowance

You could write to SFE first with evidence,if they do not accept your CPR then you could appeal.

Your situation is complex so I strongly recommend you seek advice from a university money adviser to ensure you get the funding you are entitled to and the welfare benefits plus understanding how you student income can affect your benefits.

Good luck

According to student finance, you can only claim for Compelling Personal Reasons for one year at a time, working backwards. So, at present you have studied for 3 years, which means if you were to go on to a new 3 year degree, your entitlement will be 3+1-3 = 1 year of funding for your third year.

You can claim Compelling Personal reasons for any of those years, however you would only be able to claim it for your second year, as they work backwards, this would still mean funding your first year yourself.

This is the exact predicament I was in. I decide to go to University part-time, as full-time study wasn't counted in my entitlement. So, I am awarded full funding for my new degree, which will take me 4 years instead of 3, but I won't receive maintenance loans etc. I, personally, find this much better for me with a mental health disability, so it isn't as strenuous as full time university.

Hi, good to find this post.

So based on that formula, if I'm doing a 1-year PGCE, it works out as

1 (length of new course) +1, - 3 (length of undergrad)

This works out as -1. Crap!!

Is this correct?

D

PS I just got a letter saying I'm getting no loan, and am currently figuring it out and seeing if I can appeal.