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Discrepancy with maintenance loan?

So I am entering my last year of a full time 4 year course where I will be studying in London away from parents. I do not fall under any of the categories for extra money such as childcare, DSA etc. My household income is above the threshold for any extra money as well, so I can only apply for the full repayable loan. These circumstances are EXACTLY the same as my friend's.

I have looked at my application details correspondence and have been told that my maintenance loan for the upcoming year will be £4586, all of which is repayable. My friend has been told that she will receive £5037, all is repayable. The only difference between our applications are that she studies at Queen Mary (UoL) and I study at Imperial College London, both are in London. Why is there such a drastic difference in how much we will be paid?

Also, I looked at the student finance calculator and did a calculation based on my details above, but had to say:

When does your course start?
Between September 2014 and August 2015

and the final maintenance loan that would be paid to me is £6022. Why would I be given more money for living costs if my course started a few years later? The start date of my course has nothing to do with how much I will be paying for accommodation or food...

I'm looking forward to any helpful response as the £4586 that I am being offered equates to £88 per week for rent including bills, in London. The loan is supposed to provide me for my accommodation and food, and it can't even do the former.

Reply 1

ViralRiver

Update: My friend called up and asked what the maximum loan available is without income being taken into account and she was told £5037. I then rang up SFE within 10 minutes and was told that the £4586 that I am given is actually the maximum.

It seems that no one I speak to over the phone know what the right amount is, and the values we both have been given are completely random.

Bump for wednesday.

Bump....

Mark Lee - SFE Official Adviser

Official Rep

Hi there.

You mentioned your friends details are exactly the same, are they also in their final year? Students going into their final year receive a final year rate where we no longer award funding for the period between course years, usually the summer months.

£5037 is the maximum loan someone living in London can receive with a non-income based app and who are not in their final year,

whereas £4586 is the maximum someone who is non-income assessed, living in London and is going into their final year can receive.

The figures you were given were correct if your circumstances are in fact different from one anothers.

Thanks.

(edited 9 years ago)