University offering financial incentives to defer...

[Allthegoodusernamesareused]

....is this a thing?

Well, obviously it is because DD has has an email today. She's due to go in just over a week so the timing is terrible.

I've never heard of this and DD is beside herself with worry that if they don't get volunteers she'll be forced to defer.

Which uni is it?

It has been a thing over the last couple of years. Durham was offering students quite a lot of money to defer last year. Has your dd been offered accommodation already?

Greenwich

They were doing that for medical student applications last year. Quite a few unis did it.

Exeter offered quite a lot a few years ago but I don't think they can be forced to defer.

Yes, accommodation already booked and deposit paid.

Has she got accom sorted? That seems to be the main issue. If she has don’t worry and no need to defer?

Don't you get screwed on student loans in some way if you start next year rather than this year?

I've reassured her but she's still worried. Thank you.

But surely if this years cohort defer then they will have a surplus of students again next year. They never seem to offer less places to make up for the previous year.
It annoys me that they are still messing the kids around at this late stage.
Heard awful story's of Manchester too

And yes to PP , the student loans have to be paid back over a longer period after this years starters.

They have to pay it off over a longer time period but at a lower interest rate so more will actually pay it off I think. Depends whether they are likely to be one of the ones who pays off their loan or not.

Because of the lower threshold and the longer term over 50% of those starting next year will pay it back rather than under 20%. However if she is likely to be a very Hugh earner she will pay less because of the lower interest rate meaning she pays it back quicker.

Thank you for article!

I've never heard of this and DD is beside herself with worry that if they don't get volunteers she'll be forced to defer.

That's very unlikely to happen.

But she may find that accommodation is crowded, and universities are sponsoring home stays (ie lodging with local families) rather than offering halls. She may also find that she needs to get to lectures on time, or she won't find a seat.

Exeter, Durham, Bristol, Manchester all have accommodation shortages. It’s not a problem that they can deal with quickly other than by reducing places which reduces income. Accommodation takes time and money to build.

They did it a lot this year, which made it a bit shit for this year's (examined) cohort as so many places were already taken by those with (TAG) grades who had been induced to defer.

I don't think it's been so much used this year. Or at least I hope not - because that's more years affected.

They are unlikely to force her to defer, because if they're offering cold hard cash there will be takers.

Friends son was paid to defer in 2021. Uni literally paid for him to do something else for year. If it hadn't been for Covid it would have been travelling the world.

Man Met are offering students £100 a week expenses to live in Huddersfield or Liverpool rather than deferring.

Some of these unis offered clearing places obviously keen to fill up all courses. There should have been a decision to match that to accom avail. They just have an idea of quantity of flats available in the rental market. But clearly not.