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Frozen out of higher education - where to appeal?

I have no degree. I am guilty of once (10 years ago) making a bad choice of course - due to a combination of youthful stupidity and unrealistic expectations and not realising at the time what I really wanted to do. Now I am told I won't receive more than one years funding.

I only completed 2 years of a media degree before realising I want to work in Land/Countryside management - a totally different area with no transferable skills between the two.

I had completed half of my first year in 2001 before running into some severe financial and personal difficulties meaning I had to leave halfway through the first year - I arranged to return a year later and complete the first year - student funding say that this used up 2 years of funding - despite my only studying one year in total in that time. I did the second year - another year of funding so I only have one year of funding left. Not enough to start a new degree.

I left Uni 6 years ago and have worked in the countryside sector since but the lack of degree is a real obstacle to getting anywhere and gaining vital skills.

I accept that an endless stream of funding is not going to be given to anyone, but the way I see it is this - when I got my tuition fees paid in 2001-4 they were only £1250 per year - a total of £3750 then I have received in tuition fee loans. Considering eligible students now receive in excess of £10000 and will soon be able to borrow up to £27000 to cover tuition, It seems quite stingy that they are refusing to fund a 'fresh start' degree for someone who hasn't got one and has only had a comparatively small award so far. It feels that the the value of my education is deemed to be less than those of students now. It sucks. A career development loan is out of the question as you have to start repaying them within about a month of the end of your course - I am afraid I do not have enough faith in the job market that I will be able to do this - and then what if you lose your job?

Fees - in one way or another - make University a much more challenging and limiting option for the poor for a variety of reasons. Does anyone know if there is a discretionary (as opposed to bureaucratic) appeals process? I know I won't tick any of the boxes so I am hoping there is a discretionary body I can apply to. Anyone?

Reply 1

xoxAngel_Kxox

Are you working at the moment? The only thing that I can really suggest is that you save up for a couple of years and then go to uni! I know it might not be ideal, but at least you'd get there eventually, and wouldn't be stuck forever :smile:

Reply 2

babygirl110

Gee, I wish I'd had my tuition fees paid for me whilst I was studying.

I think the poster above is offering good advice. Work and save up for it.

If only we all knew how our decisions can affect the future.

Reply 3

BeanofJelly

Original post by wyrdsister

I accept that an endless stream of funding is not going to be given to anyone, but the way I see it is this - when I got my tuition fees paid in 2001-4 they were only £1250 per year - a total of £3750 then I have received in tuition fee loans. Considering eligible students now receive in excess of £10000 and will soon be able to borrow up to £27000 to cover tuition, It seems quite stingy that they are refusing to fund a 'fresh start' degree for someone who hasn't got one and has only had a comparatively small award so far.

That's a deeply flawed way of looking at things. The government/taxpayer ultimately still paid for you to go to university, they just didn't expect you to pay back as much. Which means they were being considerably less stingy with you than with current students.
Would you rather be burdened with £10,000 of student debt? I'll swap if you're interested.

As for your problem, I can't comment on land and countryside management because I don't know the ins and outs, but you're not going to get another loan (and I'm not saying that's fair) so you need to accept it. Either look for ways of advancing without a degree, or save/raise the money to pay for one. But the second option is probably looking a bit impossible as fees are going up again now.

EDIT: Perhaps, I really don't know, it is possible to use your previous credits (from the first 2 years that you did) to finish a degree and be awarded a qualification. You might then be able to get funding for something like a masters because it would then not count as an equivalent qualification. Or at least if you didn't get funding, you'd would be paying for 2 years total instead of 3.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 4

hypocriticaljap

There is nothing you can do about it. There is certainly no appeals process about a perfectly reasonable application of the rules.

Reply 5

modgepodge

The advise about saving is a good idea but I fear completey unrealistic. If you don't start uni next year you are looking at tuition fees £18-27k across a 3year course, plus living costs which OP also won't get help with. Who do you know that can save that sort of money up? Unless OP is currently earning a hell of a wage, in which case he probably wouldn't be wanting to go back to uni.