Postgraduate Loan - extended wait, now showing 'Application Submitted'

Hello,

I've had a bumpy time applying for Postgrad finance.
I'm studying part time with the OU - so the duration of the course varies with my study intensity/start dates of modules. The SFE systems don't seem to have coped with this very well (they see the course as 3 years and that's that..) and initially claimed I'd applied too late - then again after a 28 day wait for it to be looked at again...

Somewhere down the line this changed to "Application Submitted - it will take 4-6 weeks...'.
I've had no letter/emails to tell me when this status changed - but have a rough idea given the last 'ineligible letter' was on 14th November.

Some questions:

1) What does Application Submitted really mean is happening - has my application now passed some sort of pre-check to have got passed the 'inelligible / too late to apply' blocks?

2) What are the outcomes from Application Submitted - can I still be told I'm ineligible?

3) assuming it all goes through (everything suggests I qualify - haven't done a postgrad before, applied before the final year of course (which started 2022) etc) how long after the 4-6 week should I receive a payment? The OU have already been notifying SFE I'm studying.. and I'm in my 2nd year presently (didn't need the loan initially as was managing to work full time).

4) With applying later in the qualification how many payments should my loan be split into? (I applied for the maximum which was £11570 for the start year I think)...

Thanks!
Ste

Reply 1

Drew SLC

Official Rep

Hi there,

So when di the course originally start and when did you submit your application? Did you submit the application on your online account or did you post the application to us? When you log into your online account is there a processing date provided?

Thanks, Drew

Reply 2

EduBanana

Original post by Drew SLC

Hi there,
So when di the course originally start and when did you submit your application? Did you submit the application on your online account or did you post the application to us? When you log into your online account is there a processing date provided?
Thanks, Drew

Course started May 2022. Application sent in (paper form as too old a year to apply online) Sept 2024.

No 'processing date' showing - just changed from ineligible for funding to application submitted at some stage since 15th Nov (the last erroneous 'ineligible' letter was sent then).

Reply 3

Drew SLC

Official Rep

Hi there,

I would advise you to call us so we can look into this for you. We are open Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm.

0300 100 0031

Thanks, Drew

Reply 4

EduBanana

Thanks Drew,

After a long couple of hours on the phone last week the application has now progressed to showing 'Verifying Payment Details' with extra text saying:

We've got everything we need from you and your payments are ready to be made – view payments.
Don't forget to register at university – we can't pay you until you do!

Is the second line generic or a sign that my university haven't notified I've been studying?

Thanks!
Ste

Reply 5

SFE Jason

Original post by EduBanana

Thanks Drew,
After a long couple of hours on the phone last week the application has now progressed to showing 'Verifying Payment Details' with extra text saying:
We've got everything we need from you and your payments are ready to be made – view payments.
Don't forget to register at university – we can't pay you until you do!
Is the second line generic or a sign that my university haven't notified I've been studying?
Thanks!
Ste

Hi Ste, once the application is approved we require the university to release your payments by sending us 'confirmation of registration' once they do this it takes 1-3 working days to update and you're then paid in a further 3 working days from the date of the scheduled payment. Thanks, Jason

Reply 6

EduBanana

Thanks Jason - does the message I'm seeing suggest the OU haven't notified SFE yet as they're claiming in that case?

Reply 7

SFE Jason

Original post by EduBanana

Thanks Jason - does the message I'm seeing suggest the OU haven't notified SFE yet as they're claiming in that case?

Hi there, does it show as 'awaiting confirmation' beside the payment? Thanks, Jason

Reply 8

EduBanana

Next to the payments it shows "Verifying payment details".

Reply 9

Drew SLC

Official Rep

Hi Ste,

Is this the 1st time you have ever applied for student finance or have you got funding for an undergraduate course? When it says verifying payment details we may be waiting on your National Insurance Number being validated by the DWP. What day was your application approved?

Thanks, Drew