Student finance, is there any way past this for my DD? She's devastated (sensitive content)

[SliverOfSiIver]

I'll keep this as brief as I can and will not go into certain details.

DD started uni doing the course of her dreams in 2021. She did really well in her first year and was told she was on track for a first.

In her second year (22-23) she started seeing a student from the same course. I knew something wasn't right as she became withdrawn and unhappy and we saw/heard much less from her. Towards the end of her second year she broke up with him, had a huge MH crisis, and attempted suicide. There is medical evidence of this and her GP sent her uni a letter at the time. She failed her second year then agreed a plan with the uni to re-take the year and applied for a third year of student finance. She then moved into student housing, but failed to attend uni at all for the following year (23-24), and moved back home out of student housing without updating the uni or SFE. The uni kicked her out (or whatever the technical term is!) in February after she failed to attend a meeting with them, which she only found out about later due to the letters going to her student house. She'd been spending the student loan payments they'd sent her to pay the rent on the student house because she's locked into a contract but couldn't stay there due to her MH.

Just after Christmas, it emerged that another student who had been studying on the same course had made allegations of serious sexual assault and life threatening injuries against the same man who had been arrested as a result. DD heard about this, had another MH crisis, and then disclosed that the same happened to her whilst she was seeing him. She went to the police. We now know that at least 2 further victims, all from the same uni, have come forward. The man is currently on remand awaiting trial on multiple charges against multiple victims.

For obvious reasons DD has moved back home and won't be returning to the same uni. She is doing well and wants to try and go back to a different uni in September but it seems her chances are screwed as she has taken 3 years of student finance. She is also now in immediate debt due to dropping out mid-way through the year, which she can't repay as she is still pretty delicate MH wise and only working part time. She's heard about some sort of statement of compelling reasons to try and get an extra years finance but that won't be enough for her to actually do a degree.

Is there any way at all out of this financial mess? We have the emotional mess covered, she is getting support from multiple avenues now which is really helping. But the finances are her biggest worry as it seems she may never now be able to finish uni. I have zero money to help her, I'm a lone parent with a disabled younger child. I also never went to uni myself so don't know how any of this works 😔

Definitely fight for compensation which may allow her to pay fees from it.
Otherwise as others have said degree apprenticeships can be good, or the Open University is cheaper and offers payment plans. However some courses she might be given funding for with her course fees paid and even a bursary, I'm not sure if it's her field or not but nursing and the AHP's in Wales is an example.

OP, does she have another university in mind that she'd like to go to?

If so, it might be worth contacting their student advice team (might be within the uni or in the students union) to ask about finances. Many student advice teams will assist prospective students as well as current ones. They should be able to look at her specific circumstances and suggest what options are potentially on the table (if any).

My niece did this a few years ago. She left a Russell Gp uni mid way through the second year - massive MH crisis. The uni did not tell her mum - they could not have cared less - she came home and did some agency admin whilst she recovered. A few months later she applied for an apprenticeship which she found to be a much more suitable way of studying. She's doing very well now - just bought a house in London. Some people take the more scenic route .....

Thank you everyone, all the suggestions are much appreciated.

Unfortunately she can't really stay at home long term to work/study for a couple of specific practical reasons that can't really be changed.

She is absolutely determined to find a way to make this new course possible and I do think she will manage the course, I don't want to be too specific but it's something she finds easy and really really loves, something she has always wanted to do since childhood but she pushed herself down a "sensible" path at 16 when choosing A levels and is now following her heart instead.

We are going to collate all the evidence and make a timeline so she can contact SFE and discuss it with them, and also ask her police liaison officer about whether they can provide a supporting letter or something similar just confirming that 2 consecutive years of uni were affected by the same issue which is now going through court. She has medical evidence from last year too which we can get copies of.

Awful. I would suggest going back to her original uni to ask for support/hardship money. On the basis that he was a student there. Her personal tutor, head of her department , anyone responsible for welfare, bullying, harassment, diversity and inclusion. Good luck to you both.

Sorry if I’ve missed this OP but what have SFE advised? Generally students are awarded one ‘gift year’ to cover them if they interrupt their studies - which she really should have done but realise that she’s been through hell - I hope she is feeling better now.
SFE will only finance one UG degree; I would push again with them and the University to see if they will perhaps let her back or allow her to take her accrued credits elsewhere. I hope you get it sorted.

https://www.facebook.com/share/tVEAPU4vDDd7tUeY/
I hope this link works OP - this is for neurodiverse students, but I am member and my DD has a severe mental health issue, not ND, and the support has been amazing. There's some experts at sorting out SFE on this page!!

Also once the elections are done and you actually have an MP, I'd take this to them if you've got not further. Good luck.

Not sure that link is going to work -

Christ, this is a case to write to the university(s) to ask for a hardship fund/funding if ever I have seen one. I cannot imagine that there isn't a uni that will come through.

So sorry that happened.

Contact her old school and see if the ucas advisor can help

I'm so sorry for the awful situation your daughter is in. The best way to get advice specific to this situation is to speak to SFE but from what you have said so far there are some details I think I can help with, due to my own experience and that of people I know.

The money your daughter is being asked to pay back now is an overpayment, money which SFE have determined was paid to your daughter when she wasn't studying. If she had to leave her studies due to her health that overpayment could potentially reduce as (if she can supply evidence of this health problem) SFE can award an extra 60 days of funding. If you/your daughter speak to SFE they can set up a monthly payment that is manageable for your daughter to start paying this back.

In terms of her future study the calculation SFE will do is to take the length of the course add an additional year then take away her previous years of funding so I believe it would be 3+1-3=1 years of tuition fees (not sure if i've misunderstood what she's studyied so far but the formula is the same), she would be eligible for maintenance funding for all years in the future, until she gets her degree. This year of funding would go to the final year of the course so your daughter would need to fund the tuition fees for the other year/s of her course. She could apply for an additional year or years of funding with Compelling Personal Reasons where she would have to write a letter explaining why she couldn't continue studying and have evidence for this. If the letter and evidence covers multiple years she was studying she could possibly be given the tuition fee loan for all those years. The evidence could be letters from the GP or any other medical professionals she has been in contact with, anyone from the university who she spoke to previously (tutors etc), the police report (if she has made one), any other communication from the police or anything else that supports her leaving the course. She may need to speak to some different universities as they may be happy for her to transfer into a later year of a course, depending on what the subject she studied was and what she's wanting to do next.

Funding for studying part time (eg. at the OU) is worked out differently so that might give your daughter some other options.

This is unless she is wanting to study a course like nursing, social work or some others for which SFE get rid of any of the previous years of study so she would be able to get funding for the full course.

I would say speaking to SFE would be best, they can be really helpful and should be able to give you specific advice about both your daughter's overpayment and her future options for study.

I really hope your daughter gets to continue with what she wants to do and that awful man gets charged and convicted ❤

@SliverOfSiIver Hello, I’m marketing manager for a university so I know a lot about student finance- just attended a conference at the headquarters but anyway

Sadly, the option would be no, unless she was willing to pay for some herself. They usually offer a 4th year of funding for students who have extenuating circumstances but not another full 3 years.

There are a few courses where you can get a second lot of funding, these are primarily NHS courses though and I’m not sure what she would like to study?

Another option could be a degree apprenticeship where she wouldn’t have to pay for her fees as they’d be paid by an employer

Errrr you don't know that much... (You're marketing, why would you?!)

It is likely she has only actually claimed for two years of funding - given she attended nothing this year. That's why I said finding out the last date of engagement is vital.

Then she would have an automatic entitlement to two further years. Plus at least one more year due to compelling personal reasons. So three years in total - enough start again and to do the degree she wants and has been accepted on.

Another pp also pointed out that illness including MH will give her an extra 60'days of maintenance.

@titchy

😆Errrr you don't know that much... (You're marketing, why would you?!)
God I'm sick of responses like this. Do you speak to people like this in rl?

It is likely she has only actually claimed for two years of funding - given she attended nothing this year. That's why I said finding out the last date of engagement is vital
The OP has said she has claimed for three so surely it's likely she has claimed for three 😶

It's not how long she's attended. .its how much she has claimed. If she's claimed and received three years then it's three years

The OP has said she has claimed for three so surely it's likely she has claimed for three

Yes she's initially claimed for three, but OP said she had been terminated in Feb this year and that she had been asked to pay back the maintenance she had received. That strongly suggests that she actually only got two years funding which is what is counted.

Your poor DD and what a wonderful mum you are. I hope you find a way forward.

And no, I save my slightly (I did moderate it with an exclamation mark...) acerbic tone for posters who say they're an expert then give incorrect advice - which is most people on this thread as it goes!

It's not how long she's attended. .its how much she has claimed. If she's claimed and received three years then it's three years

To be absolutely clear - entitlement and engagement ARE inextricably linked. If a student does not attend, they cannot receive maintenance (bar the 60 days for health previously mentioned), and the uni cannot receive the fee income.

This is correct. They're saying the third year she wasn't eligible for and has to start repaying immediately (which she now understands she can do at a very low rate so is sorting out a plan ASAP). So that year isn't counted in the total, I get it now but didn't when I first posted - she's only had 2 full years.

I don’t often like to say a go fund me campaign but here I can’t see any other way and it might work.

I get it now but didn't when I first posted - she's only had 2 full years.

Sounds like she and you have made progress - that's great! So, now that the repayment plan for this years maintenance overpayment has been sorted, she will need to apply for CPR to get the final year of funding for her new course.

All the very best to her.

There doesn’t need to be a conviction to apply for criminal injuries compensation - you simply have to show that it is more likely than not that it happened. The fact that there are multiple victims and the matter is going to trial will show this, because so few cases even get to that stage.

I know the previous poster linked to a website with lawyers who do the application but you should think very hard before using solicitors to do something like this. In some cases a solicitor might be required (where there are complex factors like time limit issues or appeals are likely) but in 99% of cases the application and process is actually very straightforward and it’s better to do it yourself than use a solicitor because the firm will usually take a percentage of what she is awarded.

Given your daughter will need every penny towards her studies, you may want to do it yourself. Also, if your daughter has an ISVA (she really should have one, given the crime), they will be able to help with the application.

The official website for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (which is the body which deals with applications) is here: https://www.gov.uk/claim-compensation-criminal-injury

P.S. I am not anti lawyer, I am a solicitor myself. I am often frustrated on MN at the number of people trying to go through things where they really ought to pay for a solicitor - but CICA applications are one of the few matters where solicitor’s aren’t usually needed.

Good luck to your daughter and to you. x

So I had to leave uni after 2 years due to MH, and I obviously had an "overpayment" of a grant due to leaving. Yes they do want immediate repayment, however, get her to do an income and expenditure form. I paid £10 per month, all the letters stopped, they were happy with the nominal payment.
I also went back, and did 2 further years. It is possible, get her to ring them. They are very helpful, I know it's entirely overwhelming but there are ways around it. I needed medical evidence and GP report etc, but it is possible. It's not as disastrous as it sounds (I am now working FT and paying back loan through PAYE at normal rate, but the reduced gave me months of breathing space)

Is the perpetrator facing charges for what he did to her? Or just others? I think she could claim criminal injuries either way but I'm not 100% sure, it's worth looking into though.

She can claim compensation from the criminal injury fund. It can be a fairly decent amount. I was going to suggest using it to pay the immediate debt but then I thought no, she could use it to fund her last year instead.

I'm not sure there's anything she can do with regards to getting any further help from student finance but there could be some grants or charities that can help? I would enquire with a few charities as to what's available.

She does have an ISVA so I will suggest this to her, thank you. Would she not need to prove loss of income or anything like that?