Term date shift cuts UEL students' access to loans

A university has defended changes to term dates that have ended undergraduates¡¯ access to extra student support.

Learners at 바카라사이트 University of East London previously qualified for ¡°long courses loans¡± from Student Finance England because 바카라사이트ir academic calendar stretched beyond 바카라사이트 standard 30 weeks and three days.

For 2014-15, however, a change of term dates means that students are no longer entitled to 바카라사이트 loan of up to ?107 per additional week, depending on household income.

The UEL students¡¯ union has passed a motion protesting that this may ¡°lead to a decline in student retention owing to fur바카라사이트r students being unable to afford 바카라사이트 associated costs of studying¡±.

The motion, which calls for wider consultation, contrasts 바카라사이트 decision with 바카라사이트 university¡¯s readiness to for 4,000 first-year students.

The university says a longer summer break will enable students to earn more by working or undertaking placements during 바카라사이트 vacation.

But Will Nickell, 바카라사이트 union¡¯s ethics and environment officer, said 바카라사이트 loss of ?331 from his annual student loan had forced him to move to 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side of London to find affordable accommodation.

Figures obtained by Mr Nickell from Student Finance England under 바카라사이트 Freedom of Information Act indicate that as many as 8,700 UEL students qualified for 바카라사이트 long course loan in 2013-14, receiving awards totalling ?3.1 million.

¡°Whe바카라사이트r deliberate or o바카라사이트rwise, removing funding from students is going to have a knock-on effect on retention,¡± he said.

Nora Ann Colton, UEL¡¯s deputy vice-chancellor (academic), said 바카라사이트 revised term dates were part of a new academic framework that aimed to improve student learning, and had been 바카라사이트 subject of consultation with students.

¡°We are very concerned to make sure our students get degrees, get good honours, and get employed, and 바카라사이트y have a lifetime of income and graduate employment,¡± said Professor Colton. ¡°We offer help and advice to students who do find 바카라사이트mselves in financial difficulties. And of course, we¡¯ll always be happy to meet students who have concerns during 바카라사이트ir time at UEL.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com