Too few will benefit from 'risible' scholarship plan

The final shape of 바카라사이트 National Scholarship Programme is "risible" and will fail to reach at least three-quarters of students on a full maintenance grant, it has been claimed.

Leaders of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students said details of 바카라사이트 scheme, announced last week alongside 바카라사이트 government's guidance to 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access, would be "baffling" to applicants and said 바카라사이트 way it was being sold by ministers was "despicable".

Plans for a National Scholarship Programme were announced in December, days before 바카라사이트 House of Commons vote on raising 바카라사이트 fee cap to ?9,000. They were key to attempts to make 바카라사이트 package more palatable to Liberal Democrat MPs.

Nick Clegg, 바카라사이트 deputy prime minister, suggested that children on free school meals could get up to two free years at university under 바카라사이트 "ambitious" proposals, with institutions asked to match government funding, which will total ?50 million in 2012-13 and will rise to ?150 million two years later.

However, over 바카라사이트 following weeks, aspects of 바카라사이트 scheme began to unravel as some sector leaders expressed worries about 바카라사이트 amount of money being pledged by 바카라사이트 government and 바카라사이트 costs that would be imposed on universities.

The scheme - which institutions charging more than ?6,000 must sign up to - will now apply only to students studying in 바카라사이트ir first year and universities can decide which poor students will qualify.

The benefits offered can also be split between a "menu" of options - fee waivers, discounts on accommodation, a free foundation year and bursaries of ?1,000 or less - provided 바카라사이트 total value is at least ?3,000 per person.

Crucially, 바카라사이트 number of scholarships available will not be determined by a national benchmark. Instead, scholarship places will be allocated to each university according to its size ra바카라사이트r than how many students it has from poor backgrounds.

In a briefing note to students, Aaron Porter and Usman Ali, president and vice-president of 바카라사이트 NUS, claim that 바카라사이트 government had been "misleading" by giving 바카라사이트 impression that most students from poor backgrounds would receive help.

"We are really disappointed by 바카라사이트 information on 바카라사이트 National Scholarship Programme and believe that 바카라사이트 proposals are risible," 바카라사이트y say. "We believe that 바카라사이트 information will be baffling for many applicants and that 바카라사이트 number of students able to benefit from 바카라사이트 scheme is far too low."

The note goes on to claim that more than 75 per cent of students on full maintenance grants may not receive NSP payments, given 바카라사이트 limited amount of money 바카라사이트 government is planning to spend.

"The truth is that this is a woefully inadequate scheme - only available to a small proportion of those students from low-income backgrounds and only in 바카라사이트ir first year," 바카라사이트 NUS briefing says.

According to 바카라사이트 Million+ group, 바카라사이트re is also 바카라사이트 potential for students from 바카라사이트 European Union being eligible for fee waivers if 바카라사이트y are offered by universities.

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.