Who does this new system apply to?
The info in the finance section applies to anyone who started their university course on or after 1st September 2006. Well, almost anyone. If any of the following apply, you’ll be counted as an ‘old system’ student:
- You had a gap year in 2005-6, whether it was spent feeding Romanian orphans or stacking shelves in your local Tesco, so long as you had confirmation by 1 August 2005 of a deferred place for 2006-7 at a publicly-funded university or college
- You couldn’t take up your place in 2005-6 because of dodgy A level results which you have successfully appealed against and are starting in 2006/07 instead
- You’ve transferred from a full-time course that started before September 2006
- You’re starting an ‘end on’ degree after completing a Foundation Degree, Higher National Certificate (HNC), Higher National Diploma (HND) or Diploma of Higher Education course in 2005/06.
If any of those four apply, or if you started university before 2006, much of the official funding system will be different. See www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport for all the details.
Last updated on: 07 October 2008