Our Residences section is already looking at setting up payment dates
for accommodation fees for 2002-03 and we have noted that Easter is
very late - Easter Monday is 21 April 2003. Our summer "term" begins
on 5 May 2003 so this will mean that our students receive their third
Student Loan instalment very late and for a disproportionately short
period.
I am particularly concerned for our final year students as they will
probably be forced to work over the Easter vacation (the period
immediately before their final examinations). Their second Student
Loan instalment will be supposed to have lasted them from 6 January
to 5 May! The final year rate is lower because the pre-final year
Student Loans cover the summer vacation (allegedly!) and final year
students will have completed their studies before the summer vac.
However, final year students have the same needs as continuing
students (if not greater) for the first two terms so it is
incongruous that the first two instalments also reflect the reduced
rate. Far better, for the final year, not to divide equally but just
make the third instalment less.
Maybe other HEIs will not be affected to the same extent - it will
depend on individual term dates. However, I have spoken to the DfES
and they are currently considering Student Loan payment dates for
2002-03.
So, if you share my concerns, please make your views known to Yvonne
Clarke at the DfES (tel. 020 7925 6953, E-mail:
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Sybil Green
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Sybil Green
Head of Student Advisory Service
Cardiff University
+44(0)29 2087 4179
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