Concerned about your student loan or maintenance grant?
You may be aware of some of the problems facing Student Finance England (SFE) which is operated by the Student Loans Company (SLC), as it administers a record number of student financial support applications for the forthcoming academic year.
There may however, be a number of students who have provided the correct information, but the SFE has not been able to assess the household income on which their maintenance (grant and/or loan) depends. In order that these students receive some level of support at the beginning of term, these students have been temporarily switched to non-means-tested support. This means that you might have received a financial support notification which says you are getting less support than you are expecting.
We have been advised that there are still students in this situation. We have been advised that the SFE will re-assess any students in this situation and pay any additional support as soon as possible.
For up-to-date information please see www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance.
If you are worried that you will not be able to pay your accommodation instalments because you are only in receipt of non-means-tested support (when you are expecting to receive more support through 100% means testing), please be assured that the University will be understanding and flexible regarding temporary delays to your payment. However, it is important that you keep the Income Office informed of any delays. The office’s contact number is 0117 954 6372, or email student-fees@bristol.ac.uk.
Tuition fee loans are non-means-tested, so if you have applied for a tuition fee loan, this is being processed as normal. The University of Bristol will not start chasing you for your tuition fees if you have applied for a tuition fee loan from the SLC.
The Student Funding Office can also assist with short-term loans if you are experiencing a delay with your financial support. Loans are available once you are registered on your programme of study. Please visit the office for more information. We are open from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm and can assist with any queries you may have in relation to your student finances. We will also be available at Registration and Freshers’ Fair to answer questions.