Student Social Workers

VIP **Offline** Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Posts: 138

Hi all,
My son is heading off for uni in a couple of weeks and we are really confused about his student finance. He applied for the maximum of everything and qualifies for full assistance. However he received his notification the other day and it was only for the tuition fee loan and the maintenance loan, with no mention of the grant or bursary he should be entitled to from his uni. When we rang student finance they said this was because they wanted to ensure all students had some money coming in at the start of the year and that the other notification would follow when our financial information has been processed. Yet according to the status on his account his finance has been approved and completed. Is anyone else in the same boat or have been told something similar? My funding was all really straight forward so this has me totally confused. Im worried now that he is not going to get his grant etc. because he was told to sign and accept the notification for the loan side of things which was presented as his final notification

Anybody??

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 8:10 am

Hey Michaella

Cant really help, but this is the first i have heard of this. As far as i know when they do the assessment and he qualifies 4 everything. It should be written on the notification, including maintenance loan, tuition fee loan and any other grants he is entitled to.

Even if that is the case that the money should follow later, there should still be something in writing to confirm this.

Cass x

VIP **Offline** Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Posts: 138

Hi Cassie,
I spoke to student finance again this morning and they confirmed that he would receive updated notification once all financial details have been processed and that this award was just to ensure that he has some money at the start of the academic year. Bit strange though, and stressful for him as he has to pay his rent a term in advance and so his first loan payment will be taken up for that with nothing left over to live on. Glad my finance has always been straight forward.

How is the job going?

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 8:48 pm

So did they say when this will be, becuase as you said he has to pay rent a term in advance which would leave him without anything? Or would it be possible for him to pay a months in advance and explain the situation about student finance, because it isnt fair for him to be left without anything.

In saying that if he does find himself in hardship whist waiting not sure if all university's do it but he can apply for a temp loan (through the uni hardship fund) , and when his payment comes through he pays it back to the uni.

The job isnt going, im still enjoying my holidays lol Im still waiting on registration from the gscc. Although i checked the website and it says im registered still waiting for the official documentation to come through the post. As they dnt seem to wanna know untill i have the registration. Then im sure im gonna have to hang around for the crb to come through aswell...my goodness all this waiting!

How's things going with you hun? xx

VIP **Offline** Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Posts: 138

Hey Cassie,
All going well here although I am starting to wish that I hadn't agreed to work right up to going back to college. It can be pretty intense but on the whole I am enjoying the experience and will hopefully get something a bit more long term out of it. Im surprised your new employer hasn't started the ball rolling on your CRB yet as they can take two to three months to come through, it sounds like you have been doing a heck of a lot of waiting around.

Back to college on the 21st, bit apprehensive but looking forward to getting it over and done with now Smile

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 10:29 am

Yea i know what you mean working right up untill uni starts, because now you wont get another break untill xmas time. But you havn't got long to go now. I tell ya, this yr is really going to fly past!! Im quite suprised about the crb thing aswell, at this rate i wont be working till xmas! lol As much as i am loving not having to go to work, bills still need to be paid so need to go get a job for the mean time....pref one that isnt in social work/care because im gonna have to get a crb to do something like that (and more waiting). So will prob go back to my admin.

1 more yr to go hun!!! and you will be qualified!!! woooo hoooo!