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INTRODUCTION TO FULL-TIME STUDENT FINANCE. INFORMATION FOR PRACTITIONERS. i. SESSION CONTENTS. Section 1 – SFE, Eligibility & Student Finance 2015/16 Section 2 – Applications & Information Section 3 – Student Loan Repayments Section 4 – SFE Resources. SFE & GENERAL ELIGIBILITY.
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INTRODUCTION TO FULL-TIME STUDENT FINANCE INFORMATION FOR PRACTITIONERS
i SESSION CONTENTS • Section 1 – SFE, Eligibility & Student Finance 2015/16 • Section 2 – Applications & Information • Section 3 – Student Loan Repayments • Section 4 – SFE Resources
SFE & GENERAL ELIGIBILITY SECTION 1
The Student Finance Package SFE – An Introduction SECTION TITLE IN HERE SUBHEADER IN HERE SECTION 3 Student Finance England General Eligibility
STUDENT FINANCE ENGLAND AN INTRODUCTION • Student Finance England provide financial support on behalf of the UK • Government to students from England entering higher education in the UK • The two main costs full-time students will have while studying are • tuition fees and living costs • SFE make finance available to help students with both • Depending on their circumstances, course and where they study, • students may be able to get a range of financial help and support • This includes grants and bursaries (which don’t have to be paid back) • and loans (which do)
The Student Finance Package SFE - An Introduction SECTION TITLE IN HERE SUBHEADER IN HERE SECTION 3 Student Finance England General ELIGIBILITY
GENERAL ELIGIBILITY RESIDENCY • Students need to meet certain residency criteria in order to be eligible for • financial support from SFE • Settled status – can live in the UK without any Home Office restriction • Ordinarily resident in England on the first day of the first academic • year of their course • Been living in the UK for the three years immediately prior to this • date • Tuition fee support only, without meeting residency requirementsfor European Union students* i *EU students must have lived within the EEA for 3 years prior to the first day of the first academic year of the course *Exceptions exist for certain groups of students
GENERAL ELIGIBILITY EXCEPTIONS • If the student, their spouse, civil partner, parent/step-parent are • recognised by the government as a refugee and lived in England • since this status was awarded • If the student, their spouse, civil partner, parent/step-parent, have • been granted Humanitarian Protection to stay in the UK by the • Home Office, resulting from a failed asylum application and meet the standard residency requirements • EEA /Swiss migrant workers and the children of Swiss nationals and Turkish workers may also qualify for tuition fee loans and additional support if they meet the set employment or residency requirements i If there is any doubt surrounding residency status/eligibility for funding, students should call the SFE helpline - 0300 100 0607
GENERAL ELIGIBILITY COURSE AND UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE ELIGIBILITY • Courses must be of a certain type and be leading to a recognised higher • education qualification including: • First Degree (BSc, BA, BEd) • Foundation Degree (FdA, FdSc, FdEng) • Higher National Diploma or Higher National Certificate (HND/C) • Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE) • Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) • The HE provider must be publicly funded (by UK Government) or • privately funded but running individual courses receiving public • funding as designated by HEFCE/BIS i Further information on course designation and applications can be found at - www.hefce.ac.uk/whatwedo/reg/desig
GENERAL ELIGIBILITY PREVIOUS STUDY • General rule – Tuition Fee Loan available for full length of the student’s • first undergraduate course, plus one additional year if needed • Individual circumstances of the student (including any extenuating circumstances) can affect eligibility • Students may still be eligible for Maintenance Loan support only if they • already have an equivalent or higher level qualification and study an ‘exception course’ leading to a professional qualification* = + 4 years support Extra Year 15/16 17/18 16/17 Example based on standard 3 year F/T course i *Doctor, Dentist, Veterinary Surgeon, Architect, Social Worker, ITT, Course attracting means tested Healthcare Bursary (NHS)
THE STUDENT FINANCE PACKAGE* SECTION 1 *All figures used in this section are subject to final approval of the 2015/16 student finance policy
TUITION FEE Loan Extra Support SECTION TITLE IN HERE SUBHEADER IN HERE SECTION 3 Student Finance Package Maintenance Support
TUITION FEES AND LOANS AN OVERVIEW • Universities and colleges* can charge new full-time students up to • £9,000 per year in tuition fees • Eligible students won’t have to pay any tuition fees up front* • A Tuition Fee Loan is available to cover the fee charged by a university • or college** • A Tuition Fee Loan doesn’t depend on household income • SFE pay any Tuition Fee Loan directly to a university or college • The loan is repayable, but only when a student’s income is over £21,000 *Publicly funded institutions **Up to £6,000 for approved courses at private providers
TUITION FEES AND LOANS LIABILITY DATES Tuition Fees will be paid to a HEI at three points in the academic year *Two weeks after Term 1 start date for part-time courses i Interest on the loan will be charged from the day payment is made to the university/college, not from the liability date
TUITION FEES AND LOANS SANDWICH AND PLACEMENT YEARS • Policy for students starting their courses on or after 1st September 2012: • Students on sandwich placements will be charged 20% of the • maximum full-time tuition charge – Maximum charge of £1,800 • Students on Erasmus placements will be charged 15% of the • maximum full-time tuition charge – Maximum charge of £1,350 • Students on overseas placements will be charged 15% of the • maximum full time tuition charge – Maximum charge of £1,350
Tuition Fee Loans Extra Support SECTION TITLE IN HERE SUBHEADER IN HERE SECTION 3 Student Finance Package MAINTENANCE Support
MAINTENANCE SUPPORT AN OVERVIEW • Maintenance support is available to help students with their living costs while in higher education • There are two main types of support, Maintenance Loan (repayable) • and Maintenance Grant (non-repayable) • All eligible students are entitled to receive some Maintenance support • The amount of Maintenance Loan a student gets depends on where • they live and study • Maintenance support is paid directly into a student’s bank account • each term i The maximum Maintenance Loan levels have been increased by 3.34% for 2015/16
Up to £8,009 Up to £5,740 Up to £4,565 MAINTENANCE LOAN MAXIMUM LEVELS 2015/16 £ £ £ Parental Home Live at home while they study Elsewhere Live away from home & study outside London London Live away from home & study in London i If studying overseas as part of a UK course, Maintenance Loan support is still available. Up to £6,820 for 2015/16
MAINTENANCE LOAN MAXIMUM LEVELS 2015/16 *Lower rates are available to final year students i Additional loan may be available for any extra weeks of study if a course goes beyond 30 weeks in an academic year
MAINTENANCE GRANT SUPPORT AND MEANS TESTING • The Maintenance Grant doesn’t have to be repaid • How much grant a student gets depends on their household income (100% means tested) Household Income: Up to £25,000 Full Grant: £3,387 Household Income: Up to £42,620 Partial Grant: (Min £50) i Household income is the taxable earned and unearned income of the parents/partner a student lives with most of the time
MAINTENANCE SUPPORT INDEPENDENT STUDENT STATUS • If over 25, have care of a young person, are married* or have supported • themselves financially for 3 years before starting their HE course, parental • income won’t be taken into account when assessing students entitlement • Students are considered independent if they: (Amongst other criteria) • • Have care of a person under the age of 18 • • Are 25 or over on the first day of the academic year • Are permanently estranged from their parents • Are leaving the care of the local authority i *If married or in a civil partnership, SFE will take into account the income of the student’s husband, wife or civil partner
SUPPORTING AN APPLICATION HOUSEHOLD INCOME • If supporting an application for means tested student finance, SFE will • need details of a student’s parents, partner or other sponsors household • (taxable) income and National Insurance numbers • Taxable earned income includes*: • Wages, salaries, tips, and other taxable employee pay • Long-term disability benefits received prior to minimum retirement age • Net earnings from self-employment • Taxable unearned income includes*: • Interest from savings (only the annual summary is required) • Benefits and Pensions • Rent from property or a room i *More details/information can be found on the HMRC website: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/incometax/taxable-income.htm
COMBINED MAINTENANCE SUPPORT LIVING AWAY FROM HOME OUTSIDE LONDON i The calculator found on gov.uk/studentfinancecanprovide students with an estimate of their student finance entitlement
Tuition Fee Loans EXTRA Support SECTION TITLE IN HERE SUBHEADER IN HERE SECTION 3 Student Finance Package Maintenance Support
EXTRA SUPPORT BURSARIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS • Many universities and colleges offer financial support to their students • through bursaries and scholarships: • Bursaries: • Linked to personal circumstances and often, household income • Awards can include discounted tuition fees, accommodation or cash • Scholarships: • Linked to academic results or ability in an area such as sport or music • Can be subject specific and are usually limited in numbers i Students should check university/college websites and ask at open days to see what they offer and how/when apply
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT EXTRA SUPPORT EXTRA HELP MAY ALSO BE AVAILABLE IF STUDENTS…. • Have children or adult dependent on them • Have a disability, long-term health condition, mental-health condition • or specific learning difficulty • Study overseas as part of their UK based course • Study an NHS or Social Work course • NHS courses include: • nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, • dietetics, radiography , the later stages of medicine and dentistry i For more information on eligibility and applications for NHS support go to: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students
EXTRA SUPPORT DISABLED STUDENTS’ ALLOWANCES • Disabled Students’ Allowances provide help towards the additional costs • that a student may face as result of their disability, long-term health • condition, mental-health condition or specific learning difficulty: • DSAs Support: • Is available in addition to the standard student finance package, • Does not have to be repaid, • Is not affected by household income, • Looks at the specific needs of the individual in relation to their circumstances and studies i Students should apply for their DSAs’ as soon as possible, the process can be triggered from the main online application form
EXTRA SUPPORT DISABLED STUDENTS’ ALLOWANCES i For both full-time and part-time postgraduate students there is a single allowance of up to £10,362 a year
EXTRA SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH DEPENDANTS’ • Childcare Grant: • Based on 85% of actual registered/approved childcare costs up to • maximum of: £155.24 per week for one child £266.15 per week for two or more children • Parents’ Learning Allowance: • Help with course-related costs for students with dependent children • Amount received will be between £50 and £1,573 • Adult Dependants’ Grant: • Normally for the student’s partner. Can be for another adult who is • financially dependent on the student where the adult’s net income is not • more than £3,796 p.a.Maximum grant available: £2,757 i The maximum Dependants Grant levels have been increased by 3.34% for 2015/16
APPLICATIONS & INFORMATION SECTION 2
Students APPLY on time They get PAID! Apply Online We ASSESS their application
STUDENT FINANCE APPLICATIONS KEY MESSAGE – APPLY EARLY • Each year thousands of students apply late for their finance and have no • way to pay for their course or accommodation, some even have to drop out! • Please encourage the students you work with to apply on time! • It will take at least six weeks to process an application so apply early • The easiest way to apply is online at gov.uk/studentfinance* • Students don’t need a confirmed place at university or college to apply • Apply with their first choice, they can change details later if necessary i *Students wishing to study at alternative providers may need to wait until HEFCE approve the course designation before applying
GOV.UK NEW LOOK 2015/16 CAMPAIGN PAGE www.gov.uk/studentfinancesteps
STUDENT FINANCE APPLICATIONS GET IT RIGHT FIRST TIME – STUDENTS SHOULD… • Make a note of their account log-in details and keep them safe • Agree to share information from their application, this helps apply • for many bursaries and some scholarships • Make sure any evidence and information needed to support their • application is supplied first time (students and parent/partners) • Submit an application even if there’s a delay in getting sponsor income details so some funding* will be available when they start their course • Sign and return their online declaration form as soon as possible so as not to delay payments i *Tuition Fee Loan and 65% of the maximum Maintenance Loan which are non means tested
STUDENT FINANCE APPLICATIONS COMPLETING AN APPLICATION • Before starting an application students should have the following to hand: • • Passport - SFE can check identity using valid UK passport details • • University and course details • Bank account details and National Insurance number • The easiest way for parents, partners or other sponsor to support an • application is online through GOV.UK, providing information including: • • National Insurance number(s) • Household income information (based on prior tax year*) • Details of other child dependants *If the household income drops by 15% or more in the current tax year, SFE can reassess an application i
SFE ONLINE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES www.youtube.com/SFEFILM www.twitter.com/sf_england www.facebook.com/SFEngland www.thestudentroom.co.uk/studentfinance
STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENTS SECTION 3
The FACTS The INTEREST SECTION TITLE IN HERE SUBHEADER IN HERE SECTION 3 Student Loan Repayments The FIGURES
STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENTS AN OVERVIEW • Students won’t make repayments until their income is over • £21,000 a year gross (before tax) • If they study a full-time course, they will be due to start repaying in • the April after graduating from/leaving higher education • They’ll repay 9% of their income over £21,000 and if employed, deductions will be made from their pay through the HMRC tax system* • If their income falls to £21,000 or below their repayments will stop • Any outstanding loan balance will be written off 30 years after entering repayment i *If they move/work overseas, repayments will be 9% of any earnings over the threshold for the country they are living in
STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENTS THE FIGURES £4,000 9% Deducted from? Income £25,000 £30 Monthly Repayment? i Early repayments can be made at any time (with no penalty) if a student wants to reduce their loan balance early
STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENTS THE INTEREST Interest levels will depend on a students income and circumstances: i • Interest rate is: • Set at RPI Only Interest Rate: Retail Price Index +3% Income: Under £21,000 Income: £21,000 to £41,000 Income: Over £41,000 Interest Rate: RPI Only Interest Rate: RPI + up to 3% Interest Rate: RPI +3% During study until entering repayment The interest rate is updated once a year using the RPI figure from March which is carried forward and applied in September
STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENTS DEDICATED WEBSITE www.studentloanrepayment.co.uk
SFE RESOURCES SECTION 4
Student Finance ADVISERS Practitioners WEBSITE SECTION 3 SFE Resources IAG MATERIALS
www.practitioners.slc.co.uk PRACTITIONER RESOURCES DEDICATED WEBSITE
PRACTITIONER RESOURCES IAG MATERIALS • Access and download our wide range • of IAG resources including: • Suite of Factsheets • Series of Quick Guides • PowerPoint Presentations • Videos and Marketing Materials • All sorted by audience type to • make it easy to find what you need i New resources will be added during the year, as the information students need changes. Register/check back for updates
PRACTITIONER RESOURCES QUICK GUIDES • Our quick guides highlight key information • students and parents need to know • Currently available: • Student Finance Explained • Dependants’ Grants • Student Finance Explained for Parents • The quick guides are available to download • or order from the practitioner website
PRACTITIONER RESOURCES FACTSHEETS • Our factsheets are designed to help you • explain student finance, covering key • subjects including: • Student finance and eligibility • Students with dependants • Repayments • Myths, facts and FAQ’s for parents
PRACTITIONER RESOURCES APPLICATION DEMO Training tool for practitioners, allowing you to view all the screens students and sponsors see in an online application : • Applications for new and returning • students • Parent/partner applications • Change of circumstances • Regular updates and explanation • of ‘Hot Topics’
PRACTITIONER RESOURCES DEDICATED REGIONAL SUPPORT • Student Finance Advisers: • Our team of dedicated regional advisers work closely with key partners • across England to deliver a range of Matrix accredited services including: • Staff development through bespoke training, • Advice and support with SFE resources, policy and processes • If we can support you and your colleagues with any area of student finance • IAG delivery, please do get in touch: • Contact details for your regional adviser can be found at: • www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/regional-support i Practitioner Helpline: For detailed/complex regulatory advice and particularly complex assessment enquiries – 0300 100 0618