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Architecture Part 2 help, transferring from England to Scotland.

I'm doing my 2 year architecture Part 2 at Strathclyde university, having started in September 2014, and having trouble with the fees. I did my 3 year Part 1 in Manchester from 2009-2012, took two years out, and am thus classed as a continuing student by SFE.

Strathclyde have set my fees at £9000 a year, though including a scholarship from the Engineering faculty, it's £6000 a year. As an architecture student I'm entitled to a student loan for the Part 1 and Part 2 course, as Student Finance England see my course as a 5 year undergrad course. Strathclyde treat me as a new student here and set my fees at £9000, but SFE treat me as a continuing student who's fees are capped at £3465.

According to SFE, I am on the fourth year of a course, transferring from Manchester. Despite being told over the phone by SFE at various stages that would be fully funded for this course despite the higher fees, I am now being told by that I'm only going to get £3465 of loan this year. This is what the tuition fees would be if I did my Part 2 course in England. This leaves a £2535 shortfall that I can't get a loan for.

I originally applied to SFE for my Part 2 as a 'new' student, requesting £9000 fees, but then I was advised to change as I was a 'continuing' student, which now means my tuition fee loan is capped at £3465. RIBA guidelines state that fees for continuing PG students should pay what they paid at the UG stage, as long as they have no more than three years out. I took two years out, graduating from Manchester in 2012, and starting here in 2014. Strathclyde university said that RIBA's guidelines must just apply to England, but SFE clearly think this applies to all of the UK.

I have contacted the RIBA who have confirmed the £3465 limit just applies to England , and acknowledge there is a discrepancy. Previous students have had this problem and say they will look into it, though the power to set fees is not in their hands. It's ridiculous that my decision to transfer to a university in a different part of the UK means I'm not getting my full tuition paid, and potentially having £5070 that will have to be financed privately. Strathclyde's Student Business dept said they will speak to SFE's HEI line, but who's going to blink first?

As it stands they're going to be at loggerheads SFE won't loan me more than £3465, because that's what my fee is capped at as a continuing student. Strathclyde, as a Scottish university, have set their fees at £9000, I owe £6000. Has anyone else here had this problem, going to Scotland from England for their Part 2, following the fee rises?

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