English and Welsh students across the UK are counting down to the end of April with bated breath. Whilst we may also be awaiting warmer weather, our collective anticipation stems from something far more predictable: the third student loan drop.
The timing of our final instalment feels puzzlingly late when set against the Scottish academic calendar. By this point, coursework-heavy students have already finished their assessments, whilst the final day of exams sits only a month later. To add to the confusion, this instalment is also the largest portion of the maintenance loan, with students eligible for the maximum loan receiving over £100 more than in previous payments.
By mid-April, most students have paid at least eight months of rent. English and Welsh students studying in Scotland are expected to fork out the large majority of their living costs with access to only two thirds of their overall allowance. Ultimately, it seems as though student finance gives us the most support when we need it the least. This pressure is heightened by the rapid rise in accommodation costs, with relatively affordable options such as South Clerk Street increasing in price compared to the previous academic year. At the same time, the maintenance loan continues to creep up at a snail’s pace. The uneven distribution of maintenance payments often places greater reliance on parents to cover increasingly extortionate rent, creating yet another barrier to the success of working class students.
The current structure of English and Welsh student finance simply does not align with the Scottish university term dates. Shifting towards a system more like SAAS, where students receive monthly installments, would be a step in the right direction in mitigating the unnecessary financial strain which this causes. It would allow students to use their loans as intended: to support themselves fully throughout their studies, rather than stretching limited funds over months of expense. Ultimately, this change is essential to making university accessible to as many students as possible.
Illustration by Mio Shinohara for The Student.
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The Long-Overdue Student Finance Drop: How Loan Systems are Failing English and Welsh Students
English and Welsh students across the UK are counting down to the end of April with bated breath. Whilst we may also be awaiting warmer weather, our collective anticipation stems from something far more predictable: the third student loan drop.
The timing of our final instalment feels puzzlingly late when set against the Scottish academic calendar. By this point, coursework-heavy students have already finished their assessments, whilst the final day of exams sits only a month later. To add to the confusion, this instalment is also the largest portion of the maintenance loan, with students eligible for the maximum loan receiving over £100 more than in previous payments.
By mid-April, most students have paid at least eight months of rent. English and Welsh students studying in Scotland are expected to fork out the large majority of their living costs with access to only two thirds of their overall allowance. Ultimately, it seems as though student finance gives us the most support when we need it the least. This pressure is heightened by the rapid rise in accommodation costs, with relatively affordable options such as South Clerk Street increasing in price compared to the previous academic year. At the same time, the maintenance loan continues to creep up at a snail’s pace. The uneven distribution of maintenance payments often places greater reliance on parents to cover increasingly extortionate rent, creating yet another barrier to the success of working class students.
The current structure of English and Welsh student finance simply does not align with the Scottish university term dates. Shifting towards a system more like SAAS, where students receive monthly installments, would be a step in the right direction in mitigating the unnecessary financial strain which this causes. It would allow students to use their loans as intended: to support themselves fully throughout their studies, rather than stretching limited funds over months of expense. Ultimately, this change is essential to making university accessible to as many students as possible.
Illustration by Mio Shinohara for The Student.
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