Will I get the loans for MSc from Student Finance?

On student Finance website it says I have been paid for MSci for years 1,2 and 3. I am currently on the 3rd year. I want to switch from MSci to BSc so that I can graduate with a BSc (yes I have time in my uni to do this, they are quite chill), and not do the 4th year hence I will not receive any MSci certificate but I will received a BSc certificate.

I already have offers for MSc. Can I get postgraduate Masters loans for my MSc if I graduate with BSc and not do MSci, despite on my student finance account saying I have received funding for MSci years 1 to 3, even though I would have only done BSc?

I know that 3 years of BSc loans is the same as 3 years of MSci loans since the money being paid is the same, but I don't know how I'm affected or if I am affected.

Reply 1

Calum SLC

Official Rep

Hi siam.hs,

Are you currently on an integrated masters course?

Thanks,
Calum

Reply 2

siam.hs

Original post by Calum SLC

Hi siam.hs,
Are you currently on an integrated masters course?
Thanks,
Calum

Yes I am on the integrated masters course at the moment and I am on the 3rd year.

This is why I stated that I would like to switch to BSc so I can graduate with BSc, so that I can do an MSc for my 4th year and not a MSci for my 4th year of education. I have already accepted my MSc offer but I am not sure how I am affected in regards to getting a loan for it from student finance.

Reply 3

Graeme SFE

Official Rep

Original post by siam.hs

Yes I am on the integrated masters course at the moment and I am on the 3rd year.
This is why I stated that I would like to switch to BSc so I can graduate with BSc, so that I can do an MSc for my 4th year and not a MSci for my 4th year of education. I have already accepted my MSc offer but I am not sure how I am affected in regards to getting a loan for it from student finance.

Hi Siam,

Yes, this is fine. So, your university should send us a Change of Circumstances (COC) confirming that you're now on the 3rd and final year.

That way, you can then apply for the Masters Loan if you want.

Thanks, Graeme

Reply 4

siam.hs

Original post by Graeme SFE

Hi Siam,
Yes, this is fine. So, your university should send us a Change of Circumstances (COC) confirming that you're now on the 3rd and final year.
That way, you can then apply for the Masters Loan if you want.
Thanks, Graeme

Hi so before I saw your reply I decided to call SFE up and the person I talked to said I am illegible because I have received funding for MSci for 3 years and they said even if I drop to BSc I won't get any loans for an MSc since I have had 3 years of funding for MSci and they count MSci as a postgraduate even if I don't complete MSci and graduate with BSc.

The person on the phone also said that they base postgrad loans on the highest qualification that I will hold, so that would be BSc. However, then they said because I received postgraduate funding via MSci I will not be able to get funding for MSc, despite only having BSc.

I feel like I have gotten conflicting information now.

On the student finance website from the government it says this:

•

you’ve received a loan or grant for a master’s course before - unless you only got a Disabled Students’ Allowance or you left your course for a serious personal reason like illness or bereavement

Which is why I initially made this entire post because I was confused since I'm not doing a masters course.

If I drop to BSc and find out I can't get postgrad loans then I'll be stuck and I can't go back to MSci again and I can't pay for the MSc offer that I accepted (which then I will be forced to reject). What do you propose that I do? Am I eligible or ineligible?

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 5

Ross SLC

Official Rep

Original post by siam.hs

Hi so before I saw your reply I decided to call SFE up and the person I talked to said I am illegible because I have received funding for MSci for 3 years and they said even if I drop to BSc I won't get any loans for an MSc since I have had 3 years of funding for MSci and they count MSci as a postgraduate even if I don't complete MSci and graduate with BSc.
The person on the phone also said that they base postgrad loans on the highest qualification that I will hold, so that would be BSc. However, then they said because I received postgraduate funding via MSci I will not be able to get funding for MSc, despite only having BSc.
I feel like I have gotten conflicting information now.
On the student finance website from the government it says this:

•

Which is why I initially made this entire post because I was confused since I'm not doing a masters course.
If I drop to BSc and find out I can't get postgrad loans then I'll be stuck and I can't go back to MSci again and I can't pay for the MSc offer that I accepted (which then I will be forced to reject). What do you propose that I do? Am I eligible or ineligible?

Hi there,

If you do the 4 year course to gain the MSci then you would not be eligible for Post Graduate funding. However, if you do change to a BSc then you would be eligible for the Masters funding.

Thanks, Ross

Reply 6

siam.hs

Original post by Ross SLC

Hi there,
If you do the 4 year course to gain the MSci then you would not be eligible for Post Graduate funding. However, if you do change to a BSc then you would be eligible for the Masters funding.
Thanks, Ross

Okay thank you. I called SFE again and someone new talked and she said the same as what you guys have told me here. However, I like to be absolutely sure, is there any email that I can contact SFE with? Or is it only just a phone number?

Reply 7

Claire SFE

Official Rep

Original post by siam.hs

Hi ,

We don't have an email address. You can contact us using the live chat option online in your account, or call us on 0300 100 0607. We 're open till 8pm tonight.

Thanks,
Claire