The Year Abroad (US) Money matters
Student Loan Companies Most international universities/colleges commence their academic session in late August or early September, and accounts for accommodation, etc, are required to be paid at the time of registration. Thus, the co-operation of Student Finance England (SFE)/your Local Authority (LA) is essential if the first instalment of your student loan is to be paid before you leave for the United States. You should call SFE/your LA Office during the Easter vacation. SFE/most LA’s will co-operate, but require the early completion and return to them of their financial assessment forms. Remember to tell your LA/SFE that if you will have semesters rather than terms and ensure that they have the correct dates for your academic year at your host university. The Student Loans Company (SLC) will arrange to pay the first instalment of your loan via BACS about 25 days before the day on which the course starts. Note that the SLC will also pay subsequent instalments of your loan by BACS. You should contact them to ascertain when these instalments will become payable and to resolve any problems that the timing of those payments might cause for you. The Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills (BIS) have told us that the maximum loan available to students studying a year abroad in the academic year 2010/11 will be £5,895. If you have a student loan we will be happy to write to Student Finance England/your Local Authority (LA) to let them know that you will be studying abroad next year. To do this we will need your ART ID/Customer Reference Number and your Local Authority/SFE.
Access to Learning Fund
Guidance Notes and Information explaining the application procedures at Kent and the criteria used in considering applications can be obtained from the Finance Office's website http://www.kent.ac.uk/finance-student/index.html
The Government provides funds to universities to enable them to assist home undergraduate students who are in financial difficulty – these are known as the Access to Learning Funds.
Application Forms for each new academic year should be available from the beginning of September.
Undergraduate students who have taken out their full means-tested entitlement of their maintenance loan and have received the first instalment but find themselves in financial difficulty can apply to the Access to Learning Fund for a grant. Students can apply for a full year assessment (paid termly) and/or a non-standard award for exceptional costs and emergency situations.
Start the application process by speaking to one of our Student Advisers at: Kent Union Mandela Building advice@kent.ac.uk 01227 824824
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