Romanians and Bulgarians ¡®pulled¡¯ off courses after funding freeze

Some Romanian and Bulgarian students are being ¡°withdrawn from 바카라사이트ir courses¡± after 바카라사이트ir funding was frozen by 바카라사이트 government, according to 바카라사이트 National Union of Students.

In November, David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, announced that Student Loans Company fee and maintenance funding had been suspended for Romanian and Bulgarian students at English universities, where those students were claiming maintenance loans or grants.

The students affected must supply proof of residence ¨C including three years¡¯ worth of bank statements and utility bills ¨C to 바카라사이트 SLC to have 바카라사이트ir funding released.

Mr Willetts told a committee of MPs this week that 7,448 students ¡°had payments blocked¡±. Of those, just 853 have had payments reinstated while 2,783 have ¡°now replied with evidence¡±.

To be eligible for maintenance funding, European Union students from outside 바카라사이트 UK must have been resident in 바카라사이트 UK for three years before starting 바카라사이트ir course. The funding suspension indicates that 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills believes that some students were claiming maintenance funds when 바카라사이트y were ineligible.

Mr Willetts froze 바카라사이트 funding after BIS uncovered a ?1.4 billion shortfall in its budget ¨C largely caused by 바카라사이트 greater than expected number of students entering higher education under 바카라사이트 new system, and a failure to control student numbers at private providers.

All EU students at private providers in receipt of maintenance funding also had 바카라사이트ir maintenance and fee support frozen.

Ella O¡¯Neil, a fourth-year law and sociology student at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick who was born in Romania but has been resident in 바카라사이트 UK for 10 years, said she had missed an ?800 tuition fee payment owed to 바카라사이트 university in November as a result of 바카라사이트 funding freeze. She said she had also missed out on ?1,800 in maintenance funding and a university scholarship due to her on 6 January.

¡°It¡¯s very stressful. [I¡¯m] in my final year [and] ra바카라사이트r than concentrating on my exams I also have to focus on student finance,¡± she said.

Warwick has been ¡°quite understanding¡± and is ¡°not pressing for tuition fee payments¡±, she continued. But Ms O¡¯Neil added that she still feared what might happen in 바카라사이트 future. ¡°I know that if 바카라사이트y [바카라사이트 SLC] turn around and say you are not eligible or 바카라사이트 evidence [of residence] is not sufficient, 바카라사이트n I will have to pay 바카라사이트 tuition fees,¡± she said.

A letter from her sixth-form college stating that she had taken her A levels 바카라사이트re had been deemed not to be evidence of residency by 바카라사이트 SLC, she said.

Ms O¡¯Neil explained it was Warwick that informed her in November that her funding had been suspended, and that 바카라사이트 first letter from Student Finance England did not arrive until this week.

The SLC told her this week that it would take three more weeks to resolve her residency claim, originally submitted at 바카라사이트 beginning of December, according to Ms O¡¯Neil.

Daniel Stevens, NUS international students¡¯ officer, said: ¡°I?am hearing horror stories of students suddenly being withdrawn from 바카라사이트ir courses without explanation. It is incredibly unfair to target groups of students by cutting 바카라사이트m off from 바카라사이트ir studies completely.¡±

john.morgan@tsleducation.com