The Student Room Group

Students' Spending Review: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The good:

- Giving part-time students access to maintenance loans from 2018-19.

- ELQ exemption for all STEM subjects from 2017-18. It still isn't clear exactly what subjects will come under the STEM umbrella.

- Lifting the age cap (from 30 to 60) on postgraduate loans from 2016-17.

The bad:

- Replacing NHS grants with loans.

The ugly:

- Retrospectively freezing the rate of loan repayment until 2021.

--

Personally I am thrilled that more degrees are going to be made ELQ exempt and part-time students will be able to get maintenance loans, but the freeze on loan repayments is a betrayal.

@PQ @OU Student @Klix88 @claireestelle @jimmy_looks_2ice @SuperCat007 @Jantaculum @jelly1000 @Carnationlilyrose @laalNick @Juichiro @Juno

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Original post by Snufkin
The good:

- Giving part-time students access to maintenance loans from 2018-19.

- ELQ exemption for all STEM subjects from 2017-18. It still isn't clear exactly what subjects will come under the STEM umbrella.

- Lifting the age cap (from 30 to 60) on postgraduate loans from 2016-17.

The bad:

- Replacing NHS grants with loans.

The ugly:

- Retrospectively freezing the rate of loan repayment until 2021.

--

Personally I am thrilled that more degrees are going to be made ELQ exempt and part-time students will be able to get maintenance loans, but the freeze on loan repayments is a betrayal.

@PQ @OU Student @Klix88 @claireestelle @jimmy_looks_2ice @SuperCat007 @Jantaculum @jelly1000 @Carnationlilyrose @laalNick @Juichiro @Juno


Already knew about this, but thanks. Too little too late as far as I'm concerned. It's devastating that they're not starting the maintenance loans until 2018 (if they start them at all), I'll be well done by then!

I am pleased that they've increased the age limit for postgrad loans, 30 seemed ridiculously low.

Also it's hardly a betrayal to freeze loan repayments, more a breach of contract. But hey, who cares, it's not like we're ever going to question our all knowing tory overlords are we?!
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Snufkin
The good:

- Giving part-time students access to maintenance loans from 2018-19.

- ELQ exemption for all STEM subjects from 2017-18. It still isn't clear exactly what subjects will come under the STEM umbrella.

- Lifting the age cap (from 30 to 60) on postgraduate loans from 2016-17.

The bad:

- Replacing NHS grants with loans.

The ugly:

- Retrospectively freezing the rate of loan repayment until 2021.

--

Personally I am thrilled that more degrees are going to be made ELQ exempt and part-time students will be able to get maintenance loans, but the freeze on loan repayments is a betrayal.

@PQ @OU Student @Klix88 @claireestelle @jimmy_looks_2ice @SuperCat007 @Jantaculum @jelly1000 @Carnationlilyrose @laalNick @Juichiro @Juno

There's another ugly

Student Opportunity Funds are going (although they called that "ensure universities take more responsibility for widening access and social mobility, and ask the Higher Education Funding Council for England to retarget and reduce the student opportunity fund, focusing funding on institutions with the most effective outcomes."

In 2015/15 this was scheduled to cover:

Student opportunityThis mainly consists of allocations that recognise the extra costs associated with recruiting and supporting specific groups of students. See our student access and success pages for further details. These include:

£68 million for widening access for students from disadvantaged backgrounds

£20 million for widening access and improving provision for disabled students

£279 million for improving the retention of students at risk of not continuing their studies.

A further £13 million has also been assigned for establishing collaborative outreach networks between institutions.


The main uses of this include support staff (disability support, counselling services, financial support) and hardship funds for current students.

It also means most outreach activity that isn't aimed exclusively on recruiting students directly to a university will probably end up being scrapped.

Although the statement doesn't spell out the level of cuts to the SO fund HEFCE will be implementing.

It's going to result in universities without substantial reserves having to increase income from other sources - which in the short term means higher hall fees, higher food prices on campus and if you're an international student without fixed fees for the duration of your course above inflation fee increases.

In 2015/16 the OU was the largest recipient of SO funding - £34m
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/HEFCE,2014/Content/Pubs/2015/201505/HEFCE2015_05a.XLSX shows who got what. This is essentially a way to substantially cut funding to non RG universities without anyone realising.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by PQ
There's another ugly

Student Opportunity Funds are going (although they called that "ensure universities take more responsibility for widening access and social mobility, and ask the Higher Education Funding Council for England to retarget and reduce the student opportunity fund, focusing funding on institutions with the most effective outcomes."

In 2015/15 this was scheduled to cover:


The main uses of this include support staff (disability support, counselling services, financial support) and hardship funds for current students.

It also means most outreach activity that isn't aimed exclusively on recruiting students directly to a university will probably end up being scrapped.

Although the statement doesn't spell out the level of cuts to the SO fund HEFCE will be implementing.

It's going to result in universities without substantial reserves having to increase income from other sources - which in the short term means higher hall fees, higher food prices on campus and if you're an international student without fixed fees for the duration of your course above inflation fee increases.

In 2015/16 the OU was the largest recipient of SO funding - £34m
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/HEFCE,2014/Content/Pubs/2015/201505/HEFCE2015_05a.XLSX shows who got what. This is essentially a way to substantially cut funding to non RG universities without anyone realising.


Osbourne really is a magician. Being able to make these cuts and have nobody in the media notice/care is an achievement. Hall prices in London can't go up much more, they're already at the limit of affordability - much more and people won't have money for food.
Original post by Snufkin
T

Personally I am thrilled that more degrees are going to be made ELQ exempt and part-time students will be able to get maintenance loans, but the freeze on loan repayments is a betrayal.

@PQ @OU Student @Klix88 @claireestelle @jimmy_looks_2ice @SuperCat007 @Jantaculum @jelly1000 @Carnationlilyrose @laalNick @Juichiro @Juno


Isn't it a bit illegal?

The terms are binding when you take out a loan are they not?


@somethingbeautiful are you affected by

"Replacing NHS grants with loans" ?
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by ChaoticButterfly
Isn't it a bit illegal?

The terms are binding when you take out a loan are they not?


@somethingbeautiful are you affected by

"Replacing NHS grants with loans" ?


The terms state explicitly that repayment conditions are subject to retrospective changes.
Original post by PQ
The terms state explicitly that repayment conditions are subject to retrospective changes.


Oh rite.
Original post by ChaoticButterfly
Isn't it a bit illegal?

The terms are binding when you take out a loan are they not?


@somethingbeautiful are you affected by

"Replacing NHS grants with loans" ?


So far from the information the council of deans put out, it will come in September 2017 so if you get on a course before then, then you still get the funding for the full course.
Another good point:

Equivalent or Lower Qualification bar The government will enable people to retrain in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics by removing the restriction on accessing tuition fee loans for a second degree in these subjects from 2017-18.

However, I'm not sure if this means fully accessing loans i.e. maintenance as-well as tuition fee? Unless this is their idea to allow people to retrain in previously NHS funded areas as-well as many more?

In terms of the Postgraduate Loaning system, they've lowered the age thankfully (under 60's) and decreased the repayment % from 9 to 6, as it is re-payed alongside Undergraduate Degrees.
Original post by bigsmoke
Another good point:

Equivalent or Lower Qualification bar The government will enable people to retrain in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics by removing the restriction on accessing tuition fee loans for a second degree in these subjects from 2017-18.

However, I'm not sure if this means fully accessing loans i.e. maintenance as-well as tuition fee? Unless this is their idea to allow people to retrain in previously NHS funded areas as-well as many more?

In terms of the Postgraduate Loaning system, they've lowered the age thankfully (under 60's) and decreased the repayment % from 9 to 6, as it is re-payed alongside Undergraduate Degrees.

Probably doesn't apply to loans. ELQ was always about additional top up funding from HEFCE for high cost subjects.

Eligibility for student finance was a different category.
Original post by bigsmoke
Another good point:

Equivalent or Lower Qualification bar The government will enable people to retrain in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics by removing the restriction on accessing tuition fee loans for a second degree in these subjects from 2017-18.

However, I'm not sure if this means fully accessing loans i.e. maintenance as-well as tuition fee?


I got an email from my MP (apparently he thought of me when this was announced, no doubt because I've been pestering him so much about the ELQ policy) - he said it is just tuition fee loans for second-degree students. I'm curious to see how they're going to define 'science'.
Original post by Snufkin
I got an email from my MP (apparently he thought of me when this was announced, no doubt because I've been pestering him so much about the ELQ policy) - he said it is just tuition fee loans for second-degree students. I'm curious to see how they're going to define 'science'.


Yeah - it'll be interesting to see how someone can afford to do this, unless they already have a huge amount of savings or some form of secure flexible/part-time job to support themselves.
Original post by ChaoticButterfly
Isn't it a bit illegal?

The terms are binding when you take out a loan are they not?


@somethingbeautiful are you affected by

"Replacing NHS grants with loans" ?


No, as far as I'm aware, I was never eligible for a grant for my Physio degree due to having done a previous degree. I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that all I'm entitled to, as it stands, are tuition fees paid by the NHS and a reduced rate means tested maintenance loan. If any of that changes then I'm up **** creek, quite frankly.
Original post by somethingbeautiful
No, as far as I'm aware, I was never eligible for a grant for my Physio degree due to having done a previous degree. I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that all I'm entitled to, as it stands, are tuition fees paid by the NHS and a reduced rate means tested maintenance loan. If any of that changes then I'm up **** creek, quite frankly.


If you start before september 2017 then you're eligible to your tuition being covered, the means tested nhs bursary and the reduced maintenance loan as the current information they ve provided stands anyway (it being a second degree makes no difference currently, but not sure what second degree rules they ll bring in if any for nhs degree once these changes come in though) .
Probably going to be a case of waiting for more info:
Does anyone have any more information about the maintenance loans for part time students?
Original post by OU Student
Does anyone have any more information about the maintenance loans for part time students?


I doubt we will see any specific information until 2017 tbh. I think it safe to assume they will give part-time students less than what full-time students get.
Original post by Snufkin
I doubt we will see any specific information until 2017 tbh. I think it safe to assume they will give part-time students less than full-time students get.


Yeah, I guessed that on both parts. I imagine it would be like the course grants we used to get, which were around £265 per year.
Original post by OU Student
Yeah, I guessed that on both parts. I imagine it would be like the course grants we used to get, which were around £265 per year.


That's still a hell of a lot better than nothing though. That would have paid for my travelling costs to my 5 tutorials this year AND for the field school I need to attend (not compulsory, but the optional project if you don't go to the field school is pretty dire).
Original post by SuperCat007
That's still a hell of a lot better than nothing though. That would have paid for my travelling costs to my 5 tutorials this year AND for the field school I need to attend (not compulsory, but the optional project if you don't go to the field school is pretty dire).


Indeed. I did a module with the OU where you had to post your TMAs, which obviously cost money. The grant was useful there too.
Original post by OU Student
Indeed. I did a module with the OU where you had to post your TMAs, which obviously cost money. The grant was useful there too.


Exactly, every little helps. It's just a shame they're taking so long to get it together. Although, whether they actually do or not is another matter entirely.

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