University/Student Questions

[sigma]

Ok so i've got my results for my course and have got the grades that I needed for my firm uni choice. According to UCAS there is no need to contact the Uni with my results as they will get them automatically.

Does anyone know when universities start informing students that they have places, is there some sort of date? It's getting close to August now, so surely we should hear soon?

I'm in two minds about contacting the uni because it's all done through UCAS is it not? The last e-mail/letter I had from them said that they'd contact me as soon as they heard from the uni.

Also, the infamous maintenence grant. Am I right in saying that they only take your income for the coming year, when assessing what you will receive?

 

[Indy500]

Also, the infamous maintenence grant. Am I right in saying that they only take your income for the coming year, when assessing what you will receive?

Only if you're classed as "independent". If someone like me gets refused that status, you're unlikely to meet it. The most likely incomes that will also be assessed are those of your parents. The SLC will usually reply acknowledging receipt of your application for finance, any grants offered by universities are also processed with the same information you give in the student finance form.

As for the UCAS question, you will be asked for proof of your achieved grades in all the stated qualifications upon enrolment at your chosen university. No harm in letting them know beforehand though, most usually have an admissions officer that handles these issues.

 

[sigma]

I am classed as independant, forgot to mention that. Infact I just checked with the SLC - Status : Approved - Awaiting Signature. Nice

Yeah I did think about calling admissions, I just wasn't sure as the admissions people that i've phoned in the past have always been quite ****y. Worth a go I guess!

Thanks!

 

[Indy500]

I am classed as independant, forgot to mention that. They can't refuse me that status as i've worked for 3+ years.

Hmm, yes, well they're very fussy about the evidence for that. Any gaps in P60\45s render it null and void. If you happened to have been on JSA for whatever reason then it can be problematic if that jobcentre is subsequently closed.

Yeah I did think about calling admissions, I just wasn't sure as the admissions people that i've phoned in the past have always been quite ****y. Worth a go I guess!

Thanks!

Did they give you an enrolment date?

 

[Indy500]

But... you don't know his cirumstances :|.

He just said he's worked for 3+ years. My comments were fairly generic though so I gave him a more specific reply when he told me that.

 

[sigma]

Hmm, yes, well they're very fussy about the evidence for that. Any gaps in P60\45s render it null and void. If you happened to have been on JSA for whatever reason then it can be problematic if that jobcentre is subsequently closed.



Did they give you an enrolment date?

The work was for 3+ years straight, no break, no JSA. I sent them my last 3 P60s. Infact I edited my post to say they have confirmed my application and have sent me some forms to sign.

I only spoke to admissions folks when I was calling to see which unis accepted non a-level applicants. Hardly ever got a straight answer and in the end e-mailing was the best way to get something out of them.

Hi there

Hi, how are you?

Do you have the certificate yet? I think you can scan that in and send it to the university, then they update your Track status to unconditional... but you don't need to, the exam board should tell them for you.

I do have my results, they're just the slips you get, no certificates yet.

I had something through from UCAS listing all the exam boards and qualifications that do not need you to send anything to the university, so I didn't really want to step on anyone's toes, so to speak.

With regards to the student finance question... how old are you? Where do you live? Have you opened a student finance application? Tried using the student finance calculator on the site?

Edited my original post, should have checked the status first. I guess i've got the full grant as I won't be working. If I do work, will they want some of the grant back, or give me less on the next payment?


Have any of you heard back about your applications then? I believe you're doing law, Moses?

 

[Starky]

Ok so i've got my results for my course and have got the grades that I needed for my firm uni choice. According to UCAS there is no need to contact the Uni with my results as they will get them automatically.

Does anyone know when universities start informing students that they have places, is there some sort of date? It's getting close to August now, so surely we should hear soon?

I'm in two minds about contacting the uni because it's all done through UCAS is it not? The last e-mail/letter I had from them said that they'd contact me as soon as they heard from the uni.

Also, the infamous maintenence grant. Am I right in saying that they only take your income for the coming year, when assessing what you will receive?

You've not heard yet??? Sorry dude... that means you're not in






..


sic

 

[Indy500]

The work was for 3+ years straight, no break, no JSA. I sent them my last 3 P60s. Infact I edited my post to say they have confirmed my application and have sent me some forms to sign.

All good then unfortunately I had no such luck, and have to live on 75% of the loan with no grant on my own in London

 

[sigma]

All good then unfortunately I had no such luck, and have to live on 75% of the loan with no grant on my own in London

I'm pretty sure you should have still qualified for full grant and loan as you still supported yourself for over 3 years. I'm 99.99% sure I read that JSA does still count as self support.

Hi there

Hello

Yeah, I just have a letter from my college saying I've passed, and so forth... buttttt I'm just waiting for the certificate from the exam board. I don't have to send that off (or a copy of it), but the university I've firmed assigns accommodation once an applicant has their results... so I'll manually do it to try and get my first choice ;O. I don't have to, the universities/exam boards/UCAS do this every year, so it's a pretty strong system, I suppose.

I'm not entirely sure how it'll affect your finance if your circumstances change through the year, it might be worth using the built in question asker thing on the student finance website (I think, when logged in, it's possible to "contact them" with a webform... I did that and got an answer reasonably quickly).

Urm, well I've firmed my choice (law, as you say)... I have my letter saying I've passed... and I have my (provisional) financial notification for 09/10 from Student Finance England (I just need to sign, and send off, the "student finance online declaration form - 2009/10")........... sooooooooooooooooooo everything's sorted, which is pretty sweet.

Sounds like we're in the same position then, I've applied for accommodation but they'll only get onto that once I have got my place for certain, there's no reason I shouldn't get my place, but I want to know sooner rather than later!

There must be some students on here that have had a grant and worked aswell? Please feel free to reveal all (i'm feeling lazy - preparation for student lifestyle is well underway ).

 

[Indy500]

I'm pretty sure you should have still qualified for full grant and loan as you still supported yourself for over 3 years. I'm 99.99% sure I read that JSA does still count as self support.

Yes, but without the evidence they don't give two hoots. I'm missing a P45 somewhere I think..

 

[Vixen]

I don't know how it works for first year independent students, but beyond that your loan/grant amount is based on the amount earned in the previous tax year. The maximum loan in Scotland is based on an income of around £20k and I'd assume it would be similar in the rest of the UK, so it's very unlikely you'd manage to earn enough to affect your grant while working full time!

 

[Hunders]

I get £15k a year and live with my Mom at the moment. I managed to get a £2906 grant so go me

EDIT: The thought of getting non-assessed finance crossed my mind because I was sure I wouldn't qualify for the grant and I was getting annoyed at all the hoops I had to jump through. Thankfully I carried on jumping tbh..

 

[Indy500]

I don't know how it works for first year independent students, but beyond that your loan/grant amount is based on the amount earned in the previous tax year. The maximum loan in Scotland is based on an income of around £20k and I'd assume it would be similar in the rest of the UK, so it's very unlikely you'd manage to earn enough to affect your grant while working full time!

Well, the SLC has the final say here in England, and they refused to assess just my own income (which was a grand total of zero for most of the year), so I'm stuck with what I have. All I can do now is go plead hardship to the university when I enrol..

I get £15k a year and live with my Mom at the moment. I managed to get a £2906 grant so go me

EDIT: The thought of getting non-assessed finance crossed my mind because I was sure I wouldn't qualify for the grant and I was getting annoyed at all the hoops I had to jump through. Thankfully I carried on jumping tbh..

I won't begrudge you for what you're entitled to, and I wish you good luck with your course, but this system is ****ing retarded.

 

["andy"]

i had same problems in my first year sr4470. few months into the course when the SLC people wherent as busy it all got sorted out and a niiiiice payment was sent from them into my account

 

[Vixen]

Well, the SLC has the final say here in England, and they refused to assess just my own income (which was a grand total of zero for most of the year), so I'm stuck with what I have. All I can do now is go plead hardship to the university when I enrol..

My post was aimed at the OP, who asked what happened about grants and loans if a student works while at university.

 

[Indy500]

My post was aimed at the OP, who asked what happened about grants and loans if a student works while at university.

Ok, I apologise if you already knew what I stated

i had same problems in my first year sr4470. few months into the course when the SLC people wherent as busy it all got sorted out and a niiiiice payment was sent from them into my account

Now why would they change their minds a few months later? Bank statements for example, are not considered good enough as proof of income. Are you saying you had a missing P45 and were still able to convince them you worked\supported yourself for that period?

 

["andy"]

i didnt have anything and i convinced them. id only been supporting myself for the 10months before uni. may of told a white lie that im estranged from my father though... all they asked on the phone was ''are you'' ''err well i havent spoken to him in a while''

if your not getting any grant at all then they or you are doing something wrong. i find when you phone them at this time of year they just palm you off

change of circumstances form i think is the one you want once you started.

 

[sigma]

I don't know how it works for first year independent students, but beyond that your loan/grant amount is based on the amount earned in the previous tax year.

So the first year grant takes my first year of uni earnings (if any) into consideration. Then the second year grant takes into consideration any money I earned whilst working during the first year?

Think i've got my wires crossed?

Now why would they change their minds a few months later? Bank statements for example, are not considered good enough as proof of income. Are you saying you had a missing P45 and were still able to convince them you worked\supported yourself for that period?

Why are they asking for P45s not P60s?

I get £15k a year and live with my Mom at the moment. I managed to get a £2906 grant so go me

You won't be earning 15k a year whilst at uni though, surely?

The way I understand it is that if your mother earns under 25k you will still get full grant, even though you have been working this current year.

 

[Indy500]

i didnt have anything and i convinced them. may of told a white lie that im estranged from my father though... all they asked on the phone was ''are you'' ''err well i havent spoken to him in a while''

Yeah, that was the first thing I tried to explain. They weren't having any of it until a third party (such as a teacher) had produced a letter to confirm they'd spoken to both sides in the estrangement. Since its certain that they aren't going to produce their financial details for the SLC (I didn't expect them to anyway) I doubt it be any different for this either.

Why are they asking for P45s not P60s?

The P60 concerned does not show all of my income for that particular year.

You won't be earning 15k a year whilst at uni though, surely?

For dependant students their parents income is usually assessed.

 

[Hunders]

You won't be earning 15k a year whilst at uni though, surely?

The way I understand it is that if your mother earns under 25k you will still get full grant, even though you have been working this current year.

No, I get £15k at the moment. They asked me for P60s for the last three years. When I go to uni I will be working part time earning a little over half of what I currently do.

For dependant students their parents income is usually assessed.

That's the weird thing. I am not what I'd call 'dependent', I mean I pay my Mom rent and money for food etc etc but they asked for my Mom's income documents. Fair enough I thought so I got her to compile all of her income forms to send off but on the day when I was going to post them I got an email from SFE with my 'final decision for finance'. I don't know why they said I have to send my Mom's paperwork if they assessed me regardless...