Pre 2006 Students, why should we pay back debts that on todays system would of been given in grants?

[danny martin]

Hi everyone,

 

I started Uni in England in 2000 and finished owing the SLC around £15K, I did a standard Bsc degree and I am English (important because Welsh students received grants..I think?)

 

After doing some research and using the 'student finance calculator' on the student finance website, if I went to Uni this year I would of qualified for the following:

 

Maintenance loan of £ 3,365

Fee loan of up to £ 3,145 - subject to the cost of your course

HE Maintenance Grant of £ 2,685

 

The part I am interested in is the HE maintenance grant, whilst I was at Uni I had two jobs to pay for my living expenses and used my student loan to pay my fees.

 

It annoys me paying this money back to the SLC when new students are helped out with Grants. I dont begrudge the new students the grants but what about back dating the grants to "old system" students?

 

If I received a grant of £2685 for 4 years I would have (potentially!) left uni owing around £3500 (I realise that this is the grant amount 8 years on and the grant would of been lower in 2000-2004).

 

The point I am labouring towards is;

 

Why should I pay back my student debt?

 

Or,

 

Why should all students who went to uni after they scrapped grants and before they reinstated them pay back debts?

 

Arent those who would of qualified for grants owed money that could be taken as payment of the student loan?

 

What is your opinion on this thought?

 

Has this point been raised before and I have missed it?

 

Do you feel as though you have been ripped off aswell?

 

It seems we are the only students who couldnt qualify for grants because they didnt exist- I dont want to pay, I want my money back!

 

Thanks,

 

Dan.

Edited December 3, 2008 by jonni2bad
Links removed

[RRedders]

unfortunately thems were the rules at the time, you made a choice to go to university at that time and agreed to the loan under those terms and conditions. Just imagine if you could claim against commercial loans in the same way.

 

I agree, it is very annoying, I went to university in 2004 and due to having parents that were still married and both having jobs that paid enough for them to be just and so comfortable running a car and 3 kids under the age of 18, SLC decided that they were also able to support me by paying AT LEAST £2000 towards my university education every year. They couldnt do this without reducing their and my younger siblings standard of living considerably.

 

As a result i used my student loan to pay my tuition fees and worked 2 - 3 jobs throughout my first and second year to afford accommodation and food (ha, if you can call only being able to afford to live off pasta and tinned tomatoes for 2 years food). My younger sister was due to go to university whilst i was in my second year, but changed her mind at the last minute. I got a larger payment in my first term as a result, and was able to pay half my tution and some of the rent for the first time ever then in the second term they realised they had 'overpaid' me and gave me £600 to pay the other half of the years tuition fees (£650) and my rent (£700). Even after numerous phonecalls etc pleading with them to give me some more and just add it onto my debt so that I could drop at least one of my 3 jobs and concentrate on my degree they refused. The whole system is a mess and completely discriminatory to peoples whose parents are still together and work hard for a living at jobs that are not brilliantly paid.

 

Grr

[FightThemAll]

Do you not remember the outrage of students who would be starting post-2006 and all the TOP UP FEE's rubbish...

 

The grass is always greener my friends...

 

If I received a grant of £2685 for 4 years I would have (potentially!) left uni owing around £3500 (I realise that this is the grant amount 8 years on and the grant would of been lower in 2000-2004).

 

This is not true...If you have used the calculator and it has given you a MAXIMUM figure for the GRANT, then you would probably have received a grant for your tuition fees while you were at uni.

 

The difference is that now, you HAVE to pay the tuition fee's YOURSELF - therefore taking out a SEPERATE tuition fee LOAN = £3145+

 

 

Example Pre-2006

 

Tuition Fees per year: Nil/£1000ish (this is actually given as a GRANT, but you just dont realize - real cost is £3000)

Loan: You tell me? £3000ish?

Grant: Nil

 

x3 taken in loans: £9000 - £12000

Given

 

Total debt: £9000 - £12000

 

Example Post-2006:

 

Tuition Fees per year: £3145 (covered by LOAN)

Maintenance Loan: £3656

Maintenance Grant: £2685

 

x3 taken in loans: £20403

x3 given in grants: £8055

 

Total debt: £12348

 

As you can see, pre-2006 is either the same as current students or even less! Tell me your student loan/tutiton fee prices that you paid, and you will see for yourself!

 

 

The difference is that now ANYONE can go to uni if they are willing to part with a LARGER debt than those that came before them because now you can take a loan for the TUITION FEEs...

 

I dont think i've been very clear :s

[jayney71]

Sorry for being a pedant but the title of your thread should read:

 

Pre 2006 Students, why should we pay back debts that on today's system would have been given in grants?

 

Pedantry is such a terrible affliction!