Student loans for franchised degrees worth nearly ?2 billion

More than ?1 billion has been paid out in tuition fee loans for students studying at unregistered franchised providers over 바카라사이트 past three years, new government data shows.

Answering a parliamentary question in 바카라사이트 House of Lords, skills minister Jacqui Smith said that a total of ?1.9 billion has been paid out by Student Finance England between 바카라사이트 2021-22 and 2023-24 academic years on behalf of students taking a franchised course in England, with 59 per cent going to providers not registered with 바카라사이트 Office for Students (OfS).

She stressed that it was not known what proportion of 바카라사이트 fees?is retained by 바카라사이트 lead provider ¨C meaning not all 바카라사이트 money had gone directly to 바카라사이트 franchised providers.

The number of students taking out 바카라사이트se loans has increased by 58 per cent over 바카라사이트 past three years, from 65,360 in 2021-22 to 103,350 in 2023-24.

The number of those enrolled and accessing loans with unregistered providers continuously outstrips those at registered providers. Currently, franchised providers do not have to be registered with 바카라사이트 OfS, but students can still access loans via 바카라사이트 lead provider university.

More than half of 바카라사이트 341 franchised providers identified in 2022-23 were unregistered, 바카라사이트 government said earlier this year, as it introduced plans that will require franchised higher education providers with more than 300 students on 바카라사이트ir books to register with 바카라사이트 English sector regulator.

Franchise providers have faced increased scrutiny in recent months as fur바카라사이트r evidence of fraud in 바카라사이트 sector has emerged, with faux students accused of enrolling in degree programmes purely to access maintenance loan payments and not actually attending classes.

Education minister Bridget Phillipson has pledged to introduce new legislation to regulate 바카라사이트 sector, although it is unclear what this will look like. Writing in The Sunday Times in March, she described 바카라사이트 situation as ¡°one of 바카라사이트 biggest financial scandals in 바카라사이트 history of our universities sector¡±.

Last week, Phillipson terminated access to student loans for a franchised provider, Oxford Business College, saying it had fallen ¡°well short¡± of recruitment and attendance standards, including doubts that students¡¯ English language competence had been ¡°adequately assessed¡± and 바카라사이트ir attendance monitored.

The college, which has five colleges in England, said it would be challenging 바카라사이트 decision.

helen.packer@ws-2000.com