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Where do I stand with SFE

Long story short, I need ONE year funding, Ive have used 3 yrs of funding already, I did a two year foundation degree then went onto a topup yr at uni but droppedout for legitimate reasons which includes becoming a father and my gf had a difficult birth and couldn't look after our newborn so I had to stepup, also I was in and out of hospital that year to I'd litterally be in every few weeks, technicaly I'm entitled to 4yrs funding but SFE have said nothing about me dropping out and haven't asked me to pay back anything for the year I droppedout off so tbh I dont want to wake a sleeping beast. They could litterally tell me to transfer the money over right now..

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Reply 1

MollyApple

Hi, I'm in a previous study situation too and have been researching it, so I know something of what I have read, I don't know if it applies to you or whether SFE would agree. My understanding is this:

If you leave a course before achieving your qualification, you are considered as having used that year's allocation of funding, regardless of whether you attended for one day, one month or almost one year. However, if you can provide compelling evidence of your reasons to leave the course - becoming a parent is one, being too ill to continue is another - then you may be granted an additional years funding to enable you to restart/complete your course. They take into account every higher education course you have ever done to count how many years you have of funding.

I have heard and I don't know if this is correct, that even if you do not take out funding, a year/partial year of study privately funded will also count towards the total for considering funding. I have also heard that privately funded courses do not need to be declared. So hard to call on that one.

Because this is a top up to a FD, SFE may look at things differently in terms to granting additional funding - the EQL issue so many are talking about. I am afraid I know little on that as it does not apply to me.

When you reapply for funding, you will have to provide evidence of your reason for leaving, e.g child's birth certificate, perhaps home visit details in the red book where you're mentioned as primary carer, hospital records for your admissions, etc. I left on health grounds and may have to request my GP provides evidence to SFE that I received treatment following my swift exit from my course.

As for them pouncing on you and demanding the money back before they give you any more, I had exactly the same worry that I'd have to pay back what I had outstanding from the first time (the first installment of the Maintenance Loan, which is partially repaid from working) before they would release more funds. That is not the case though, you will repay the incomplete year's finance under the normal lending circumstances that applies for every other year and if they agree to grant you another year then you'll repay that as normal too, so your overall debt will be higher in the long run but you won't be paying anything back just yet. (I left my course in the first couple of weeks, no tuition fees had exchanged so I did not owe those and they did not ask me for my first ML installment back which was lucky because some of it went on non-refundable rent and study expenses, the rest supported me while I was ill until I was able to find work). So don't be afraid to get in touch, and don't delay because time is money as they say!

Congratulations btw on the birth of your child, I hope your GF has recovered from her traumatic experience, I'm a mother myself and I know those glistening magazine pictures of newborns and their moms just lie. I hope you too are recovering from your own condition. And don't feel like you're having to "step-up" to anything, you're a father in your own right and your child will love you for who you are (even if you do put their nappies on back to front or not at all as was my experience with my daughter's dad), you don't need an inbuilt food supply and a womb bond to be a better parent, just lots of love and patience! Good luck with getting your finance.

Reply 2

SFE'R

Original post by Waka Flocka

If you were in overpayment, you'd have received a letter from Student Loans by now.

On the question of funding. If you've had 3 years funding, yes you'll have a year left of funding. However, if you are studying a three year course you'll only be eligible for a tuition fee in the final year of that course. You'll be able to apply for a Maintenance Loan and a Grant, however a tuition fee is off the table until year three.

The way it is worked is...

Length of (new) course + gift year, minus previous study (3 years) = 1 year of funding.

Year 3.

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