Poorest students left penniless after university funding delay An

1 Comment | Sunday Herald, The, Oct 4, 2009 | by ALISON CAMPSIE

ALMOST 20,000 Scots students have not received bursary payments needed for rent, books, and food due to a delay in processing applications. Young Student Bursaries are available to those from less well-off homes, plus disabled students and those with young children, with payments of around L200 a month available in some cases.

However, a record number of applicants for this academic year, combined with the postal strike, has meant extra strain has been put on the Student Awards Agency of Scotland (SAAS) and left some of those most in need struggling to make ends meet.

One art-college student, who applied for his bursary in the last week of August, said he was told this week by SAAS not to expect his funds for another three weeks. Meanwhile, he has faced eviction by his landlord and is unable to buy materials for his course.

Latest available figures show that L66.9 million was paid in Young Student Bursaries by the Scottish government during the 2007- 08 academic year, with the total expected to rise this year given a 10% hike in the number of students having been accepted onto college and university courses.

The SAAS said the organisation had anticipated more applications, with 135,784 received this academic year to date and 117,500 processed so far.

The postal strike and a high number of students applying for support after they had started their course have been blamed for some of the delays.

A spokesman said: "Continued investment by SAAS in staff and systems means that SAAS is currently processing almost all applications, 117,500 to date, within target, where those applications are correct and complete.

"SAAS is aware of the ongoing disruptions to postal services and that it may be taking longer than normal for students to receive their award letters.

"If they still have not heard from SAAS 28 days after making their application, or if they are concerned, students should check the status of their application at www.saas.gov.uk before contacting the agency by e-mail.

"If students have applied very late to have their funding in place for the start of term - within 3 weeks of their course start date - SAAS will process these applications as soon as possible, but these students should approach their college or university for assistance from their discretionary funds in the meantime."

Scottish students have not been affected by the delays in student loan payments being experienced by those in higher education south of the border.

Two weeks ago, the Glasgow-based Student Loans Company said it was dealing with the largest volume of first-year student applications in the country's history. It made a public apology after it emerged that 170,000 students were waiting for news about their funding.

"As SAAS calculates the amount of loan they will receive, Scottish students are not currently affected by the delays in student loan payments being experienced by students in England," the SAAS spokesman added.

A snapshot survey earlier this year found that an increasing number of university students are having to rely on hardship funds to make ends meet.

A poll of 11 higher education institu-tions conducted by the Scottish Labour Party found eight had experienced an annual increase in the proportion of students seeking hardship funds. The biggest increase was at Glasgow University, where there was a 25% increase in the number of hardship awards.

Other large increases were seen at Dundee University, which said it had experienced a 19% annual rise in the number of awards, and Strathclyde University, with 6%. Only Edinburgh experienced a decline in awards, although the overall sums paid out so far are up 4% on last year.

The reasons given by the universities for the increase include the credit crunch, changes to the means test for student support, a lack of part-time jobs available for students and insuffi-cient student support levels.

'I HAD REAL TROUBLE ORGANISING MY RENT'

MARTIN McKenzie, 21, a second-year student at Edinburgh College of Art, is entitled to a bursary of L238 a month.

"It has just been causing a lot of stress, and I haven't been able to focus on my studies as much as I would have like to," he said. "I had some real trouble with organising my rent money and that has been a particular problem.

"I was told by the landlord that the situation wasn't acceptable and I would be evicted if I couldn't get the rent together. I have managed to get things sorted for the time being thanks to friends, but if this situation goes on for any longer I will be really struggling.

"I work part-time to get some extra money but the bursary is very much integral to things. Without it I wouldn't be able to do the course.

"I have been using my wages to buy food but there are materials I need ... So far I have managed to get a sketchbook. It is thanks to my friends that I am managing at the moment."