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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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Original poster

Are student loans fit for purpose ?

93 replies

cumfy · 22/08/2013 14:31

I just wondered since there seems to be quite a few bursary/fee waiver offers dependent on proof of low income of the parents.

Surely this shouldn't be an issue any more ?

I would have hoped that if student loans were working properly, access would be equal and adequate for all.

OP posts:

twistyfeet · 26/08/2013 18:21

I agree, grants for all. These students are adults and its ridiculous that parental income should be relied upon. So far the loan has always arrived in time and when dd and ds1 were in Halls they waited for the deposit as no way could we stump up before hand. I have no idea what we will do if ds2's is late as the SF is dicking about. You'd think given as they have all our financial details stretching back 4 years this wouldnt be an issue but noooooooo......

mumblechum1 · 26/08/2013 20:03

I don't have any objection to loans for all, being the same for everyone except for a London weighting. So my DS, coming from a relatively comfortable background, should be able to borrow as much as someone whose parents don't work. Level playing field for all, that way.

I don't see, however, how the country could afford grants for all.

twistyfeet · 26/08/2013 20:16

it could if we went back to not needing degrees to shelf stack at Tesco's like it used to be.
There must be a balance between the ridiculous elitism where only the rich went (I was the only person off my estate to go and I refuse to believe I was the only person capable back then in the 80's) and now when it seems everyone and her dog goes and does 'Leisure studies'.
But then I also think education pays the country back and is worth investing in or we wouldnt bother educating to 18 would we? So perhaps we should invest £5 a year for our young people, if able, to do free degrees.
Mixed and rambling thoughts there.

twistyfeet · 26/08/2013 20:17

that would be £5k

Clearly I didnt do Maths...

OttilieKnackered · 26/08/2013 21:24

SFE are a sick joke. The three years I was at university, (2006-2009) not once did they pay the first instalment on time, leading to major rent problems.

To address a few other issues brought up:

I see the point of those saying that it should be equal loans for all, but that can end up just as unfair, because the majority of comfortably off parents DO help their kids out. I knew a lot of people who claimed the loan then stuck the whole lot in an ISA as mummy and daddy were paying their rent.

The maintenance loan is only slightly different for those living at home/away. It's ludicrous. Clearly rent is going to be the biggest outlay. How is that accounted for with a £1000 per year difference?

Why do all degrees cost the same? The only resources needed for my English degree were the books already in the library and the four hours contact time per week. How can that possibly cost the same as a science degree with full time hours and lots of equipment?

This is a subject that enrages me.

SilverApples · 26/08/2013 21:27

'I don't see, however, how the country could afford grants for all.'

By ensuring that the grade requirements were high, and by making anyone who dropped out revert to paying back the grant once their income hit £21,000 or whatever the threshold is now. In the same way they would have done a loan.

yellowballoons · 26/08/2013 21:49

But if the grade requirements are high, we are back to only 5 or 10% going to uni.
Though not such a bad thing imo.

SilverApples · 26/08/2013 22:00

I think that is what unis should be, academic centres of excellence. Combined with a massive apprenticeship programme for skills-based careers.
Equal but different.

twistyfeet · 26/08/2013 22:01

the grade requirements should be high. Degrees arent smarties. They should be HARD!

alreadytaken · 26/08/2013 22:16

the government is trying to up the grade requirements by allowing universities as many students above a certain level as they can take.

The rational behind loans for those at home is that they may still be paying rent, some families can't afford to go on housing an adult child.

Drop outs have to pay back their loans.

As interest rates are well above inflation only a fool takes the loan and puts in in an ISA now.

Science degrees are subsidised by the government, I dont think universites get anything from the government now for arts courses.

alreadytaken · 26/08/2013 22:18

the government is trying to up the grade requirements by allowing universities as many students above a certain level as they can take.

The rational behind loans for those at home is that they may still be paying rent, some families can't afford to go on housing an adult child.

Drop outs have to pay back their loans.

As interest rates are well above inflation only a fool takes the loan and puts in in an ISA now.

Science degrees are subsidised by the government, I dont think universites get anything from the government now for arts courses.

alreadytaken · 26/08/2013 22:20

sorry I think I'm ging to have to stop posting from this machine as it double posts and then freezes on me.

JustGettingOnWithIt · 26/08/2013 22:53

Totally agree that money management is part of growing up but ds?s uni has actively specified they don?t want him working during term because of the difficulties sn?s are going to cause anyway with study. I'm hoping he?ll be able to get work in the holidays, if not then we?ll get by somehow.

He?s done very well to get in (and to find a decent uni that can see past his difficulties and are prepared to support his ambitions) but experience says he'll probably have to work twice as long and hard as most to get himself through a degree, (with the potential of him buggering it up quite high) but it?s a great opportunity.

I already know some question if someone like him should go, but while he may not be as good an all-rounder as many others, as in able to study, live independently and work simultaneously, he is intelligent and potentially has a lot to offer back through receiving degree level education, and while we?d be massively better off financially, it would actually cost everyone else considerably more to keep him on the low expectations SN path expected of him as well as wasting his potential.

I don?t think anyone should be penalised well off or not and think if we don?t invest in educating people at whatever level they?re capable of and interested in, we?re storing up a lot of problems for later.

SilverApples · 26/08/2013 22:59

Money management is a life skill, but you need the money in the first place.

Katkins1 · 26/08/2013 23:54

Justgettingonwithit, I was in in the same sort of situation. I am also deaf; so it was quite hard for me and I don't work in term-time, I couldn't find a job this holiday either. But I'm still Ok (slightly, but not massively overdrawn, with three weeks until I get SF). Like II said, I have PTSD and I work so hard and so long for my grades, especially as I've not done GCSE or A-Level in my subject area (mature student).

Disabled Students can get housing benefit, I've heard, so he might qualify. He could also try access to learning funds. I agree with you- there is a lot to be gained from degree level. I want to teach in HE now, I've loved my degree.

It can be done, you just need to be careful. It can be very, very tempting when friends are going out, on holiday and everything, not to mention disheartening. But I always think of the long term gain. In the long run, graduates end up on better salaries. Not me though, I'm going on to an MA (I hope!).

Silverapples, I was on benefits before uni (long story, quite a horrible time). I started with nothing, I have nothing more. But I'm a lot more intelligent than when I began. So, you don't need all that much money. Just coffee, lots and lots of coffee, to study.

Fuzzymum1 · 27/08/2013 11:15

DS will get part grant and part loan with a total just below £7k - His (partially catered) halls accommodation is just below £4700. He could live on the rest but my parents have offered to top his income up by £200 a month - he's planning to save as much of that as he can to make next year a little easier as he will have to find a room to rent somewhere. He's also only 15 miles from home and plans to come home at weekends to continue with his part time job. He will be able to walk to uni this year as the halls are about 1/2 a mile away but who knows where he will be next year.

Two of his friends who are at the same uni haven't be able to afford to pay the deposit on halls so are having to live at home and commute - something only possible because they're going to a local uni. Student finance needs to make a small part of the finance available to low income students so they can at least book their accommodation - or the accommodation need to be a bit more flexible. Thankfully we could play his deposit and have set him up with a basic kit of stuff but I know one of his friends parents would struggle to to do either.

TheAlphaandtheOmega · 28/08/2013 19:47

The thing is its not just this years halls rent that has to be paid, when the student sorts out the shared house for next year there's stuff like deposits, agency fees and part of the rent to pay and all to come out of this years loan/grant/bank of parent.

Chunderella · 06/09/2013 08:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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