Advice and Counselling Advice and Counselling Service Queen Mary, University of London

Advice and Counselling Advice and Counselling Service Confidential Free Personal, emotional, financial, legal or welfare issues Ground floor, Geography Building, Mile End campus

Advice and Counselling Counselling Emotional Personal Psychological

Advice and Counselling Counselling Relationship problems Transition into Higher Education Homesickness Difficult decisions Identity and sexuality Depression Anxiety Academic stress Family Problems Enduring mental health problems and crises

Advice and Counselling Counselling One to one counselling – usually 4-6 sessions Group Therapy ‘All about me’ series of workshops e.g. Managing Stress, Assertiveness, Self Esteem, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Exam and Academic Anxiety sessions

Advice and Counselling Welfare Advice Welfare Financial Legal

Advice and Counselling Welfare Advice Student Finance – loans, grants, bursaries Fee status and fee problems Planning a budget Income checks and income maximisation Applying for Hardship Funds Dealing with debt Immigration Law (authorised by UK government to provide immigration advice at QM) International Student issues Interruption of study / re-sits: implications for funding and/or immigration status

Advice and Counselling Welfare Advice Pre-entry advice e.g. funding, immigration One to one advice sessions Advocacy and representation service Formal appeals or tribunals e.g. student finance, council tax, welfare benefits, entry clearance, Tier 4 immigration

Advice and Counselling This talk is for… Students who live in England and who are UK nationals Students who have not done any previous university studies

Advice and Counselling If you… Live in Scotland, Wales or N Ireland Have limited permission to stay in the UK Have lived outside the UK Are an EU / EEA national Are a family member of an EU / EEA national Are an international student Have studied at university before We have more detailed information for you – some of you might be eligible but you need to check…

Advice and Counselling More detailed information… And our advice guide for undergraduate students available online…

Advice and Counselling Student Finance 2014 entry 4 elements: Tuition Fee Loan Maintenance loan Maintenance Grant/Special Support Grant Additional grants for special circumstances

Advice and Counselling Tuition Fee Loan £9,000 a year in 2014/15 Tuition Fee Loan to pay tuition fees Not income assessed Fees paid direct to University for you by Student Loans Company (SLC) Fully repayable

Advice and Counselling Maintenance Loan Maximum Maintenance Loan in London 2014/15: Living away from home in London: £7,751 Living at parent’s home: £4,418

Advice and Counselling Maintenance Loan 35% of the Maintenance L oan is income assessed where household income is above £42,875 Maintenance Loan amount will be further reduced if you also have the maintenance grant Paid in three equal instalments: September, January and April Fully repayable

Advice and Counselling Maintenance Grant Not repayable Fully Income assessed: * full grant where household income is £25,000 or less * no grant where income is above £42,620 Maximum £3,387 in each year of course

Advice and Counselling Maintenance Grant Paid in three instalments with maintenance loan Reduces your maximum Maintenance Loan by 50p for every £1 of Maintenance Grant Some students with children or with disabilities receive Special Support Grant instead: no reduction of Maintenance Loan

Advice and Counselling Living Costs Support Household Income M GrantM LoanTotal >£25,000£3,387£6,058£9,445 £30,000£2,441£6,531£8,972 £40,000£547£7,478£8,025 £50,000£0£7,032 £60,000£0£6,022 Over £69,744 £0£5,038

Advice and Counselling Supplementary Grants Disabled Students Allowances Adult Dependants Grant Childcare Grant Parents Learning Allowance

Advice and Counselling QM Bursaries National Scholarship Programme (NSP) HEI only bursaries Eligible students will be entitled to one of these, not both

Advice and Counselling QM Bursaries Non-repayable Household income up to £25,000:  £1,500 each year Household income between £25,001 and £42,600:  £1,200 each year

Advice and Counselling QM/National Scholarship Programme (NSP) Jointly funded 50:50 between government and HEIs Payable in Year 1 only 700 NSP awards at QM in Household income less than £25,000 Academic assessment criteria (at QM – other HEIs will have set their own criteria) QM Package : £2,000 cash bursary

Advice and Counselling Excellence Scholarships Science and Engineering - £3,000 for each year of study Modern Foreign Languages - £3,000 for 1 st 2 years of study Economics and Finance - £3000 a year based on academic performance not household income no need to apply separately additional to QM National Scholarship Programme/QM Bursary Scheme

Advice and Counselling Applying for Student Finance package Must apply, even if only taking the Fee Loan Apply to Student Finance England for-student-finance for-student-finance Applications are now open for 2014 entry Apply by 30 May if possible Student Finance:

Advice and Counselling Independent Status Independent status means that you will not be assessed on your parental income Spouse, civil partner or partner income will be assessed

Advice and Counselling Independent Status No contact with parents, or no living parents or local authority care, or Aged 25 or over on first day of the relevant academic year or married / civil partnership or carer of under 18 yr old, or Financially self supporting for a total of any three years before the first academic year of the course

Advice and Counselling Loan Repayments Fee loans/maintenance loans combined into a single loan account with the SLC Repay 9% of income above £21,000 If salary falls below £21,000, repayments stop Deducted from salary usually through PAYE No charge for early repayment finance/repayments

Advice and Counselling Repayment Guide EarningsAnnual Repayment Monthly Deduction from salary £21,00000 £22,000£90£7 £30,000£810£67 £40,000£1,710£142 £50,000£2,610£217 £55,000£3,510£292

Advice and Counselling Interest Rates Interest payable – During RPI + 3% – Once completed RPI – 9 months from graduation £21,000 - £41,000 income gradual rise RPI RPI + 3% – Over RPI + 3%

Advice and Counselling Where will the money come from? Tuition Fee Loan Maintenance Loan Maintenance Grant/Special Support Grant Additional grants: disability, dependants National Scholarship Programme/QM Bursaries Part-time and vacation work University Financial Assistance Fund Student overdraft Welfare Benefits Tax Credits Charities and Trusts

Advice and Counselling Managing your money Apply in good time for Student Finance / NHS funding Plan a realistic budget and stick to it Use discount schemes e.g. NUS, NHS, travel discounts Contact a Welfare Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service before you start your course

Advice and Counselling Further information on Student Finance SLC downloadable guides: QM Advice and Counselling Service:

Advice and Counselling Service Information Bookable appointments Telephone appointments (welfare advice) – useful if difficult to come in person enquiries via website Ground floor, Geography building, Mile End campus

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