CONTENTS. Student Finance ni / Student Loans Company Course costs Types of support Exceptions How is support determined?

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1 STUDENT FINANCE 2014/15 A GUIDE FOR PARENTS

2 CONTENTS Student Finance ni / Student Loans Company Course costs Types of support Exceptions How is support determined? Repayments Application process Additional information Help available

3 STUDENT FINANCE NI / STUDENT LOANS COMPANY Student Finance ni 5 Education and Library Boards determine eligibility to support and amounts payable Deals with detailed enquiries Your local office Charlemont Place, Armagh Student Loans Company Pays support to students and administers repayments Distributes notifications of entitlement Call centre deals with general enquiries Located in Glasgow

4 COURSE COSTS Two main areas of expenditure: 1. Tuition fees Payable each year to the institution (chargeable each term) Study in NI Study in England, Scotland and Wales - max 9000 No tuition fees for students at ROI institutions. Student Contribution ti charge of 2750 (loan available) Students with ROI passport will be charged fees for study in Scotland 2. Living expenses Accommodation (QUB Elms per year) Food, clothes, books, travel Social life

5 TYPES OF SUPPORT Tuition Fee Loan Not means-tested on household income Fee loan available to cover approved amounts charged Reduced loan available for private institutions If fee loan is requested, fees are paid to student s institution by SLC Repayment at completion of studies Payment of fees is responsibility of student if they are not eligible / do not request a fee loan

6 TYPES OF SUPPORT Maintenance Loan Means-tested t on household h income Maximum amounts: Lodgings 4840 Home 3750 London 6780 Non means-tested amounts: Lodgings 3630 Home 2812 London 5085 Parental contribution commences at 42,000 Loans are reduced if student receives a Maintenance grant

7 TYPES OF SUPPORT Maintenance grant / Special Support grant Means-tested on household income Non-repayable grant where household income < 41,065 Maximum grant 3475 available where income < 19,203 Special Support Grant payable where student has underlying eligibility to Social Security Agency or Housing Executive benefits e.g. student with child Students at ROI institutions are eligible for the same levels of grant as students at UK institutions

8 TYPES OF SUPPORT Extra help with living expenses Students with Dependants Parents Learning Allowance maximum 1538 per year Childcare Grant maximum a week for one child and 255 a week for two or more children Adult Dependants Grant maximum 2695

9 TYPES OF SUPPORT Extra help with living expenses Disabled Students Allowance non means-tested help for students with disabilities Equipment allowance maximum 5266 for the whole course Non-medical helpers allowance maximum 20,938 per year General allowance maximum 1759 per year Extra travel costs as a result of a disability Transition evening November 2013 g Disabled Students Officer Janet McNally

10 TYPES OF SUPPORT Extra help with living expenses Institutional bursaries Institutions which charge the maximum fee must provide a bursary to students who are eligible for the full maintenance grant (currently 500 at QUB) Non-repayable Household income details on application form are shared with institution (not HMRC!) Check with institution for full details

11 EXCEPTIONS Health Professional degrees at NI institutions Tuition fees paid in full Income assessed bursary of 2355 plus reduced loan of 2370 (2013/14 rate) Nursing degrees / diplomas at NI institutions Not eligible for any Student Finance Social Work degrees at NI institutions Eligible for additional funding from DHSSPS of nonmeans tested bursary and contribution towards work based learning expenses

12 EXCEPTIONS Part-time study Students t on part-time ti HE courses can apply for the following: Means-tested Tuition Fee Grant, maximum 1230 Means-tested Course Grant, maximum 265 Disabled Students Allowance

13 EXCEPTIONS Further Education Awards Courses with an entry requirement of fewer than 5 GCSE passes e.g. GNVQ Must be vocational courses listed on the National Database of Approved Qualifications (NDAQ) Separate application form required Students eligible for approved Tuition fees and means tested maintenance grant Possible closing dates: Full-time 29 August 2014 Part-time - 30 September 2014 Apply to Student Finance ni, 1 Hospital Road, Omagh

14 HOW IS SUPPORT DETERMINED? Student Finance ni uses household income which includes: Gross taxable income of the student, excluding any earnings; Plus gross taxable income of parent(s) / partners / step-parents; Less deductions for payments into pension funds and 1153 for each dependant child Household income assessment does not apply to single independent students

15 REPAYMENTS Student Loans incur interest charges Student Loans (Fees and Maintenance) are only repayable when students have completed their courses and are earning > 16,910 Debt belongs to student, not parents Repayments based on earnings (9% of gross salary above 16,910) Deducted from salary via tax system Balance is cancelled after 25 years Current interest rate = 1.5% Grants are not repayable unless a student withdraws or a re-assessment is carried out due to a change in circumstances

16 APPLICATION PROCESS February / March 2014 Presentation in school Student Finance assists students with non-financial sections of form April 2014 Return application to Armagh with proof of identity and income May / June 2014 SLC sends student details of payment dates / support due July 2014 SLC sends reminder to student/parents re: missing details August 2014 Student confirms any change of course and /or institution after results SLC confirms payment dates and support due for new course September 2014 Student takes notification to enrolment for confirmation of Tuition Fee payment Maintenance Loan and grant (if applicable) is paid directly into student s nominated bank/building society account at start of course.

17 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Students must reapply each year Support can be reassessed if there is a drop in household income (income for year ended 5/04/15 instead of 5/04/13) All income must be verified in first year. Spot checks in remaining years Students must inform us if they have suspended/withdrawn Repeat study/change of course may leave students ineligible for fee and grant support An additional year s support may be paid if a student needs to repeat due to illness or other extenuating circumstances If grant is paid and subsequently not due, repayment must be made immediately to SLC Students progressing from HND/Foundation degree to year 1 of a degree will be ineligible for fee and grant support for year 1 and grant support for part of new course Students on a year abroad/placement may only be entitled to a reduced loan and fees

18 HELP AVAILABLE Parents! School Student Finance Telephone: (Glasgow) Visit without appointment: 3 Charlemont Place, The Mall, Armagh Web-site: co uk Institution: Financial Adviser