Higher Education (Student Support)

Lord Willetts Excerpts

Thursday 13th March 2014 Written Statements

[The Minister for Universities and Science (Mr David Willetts)]

I am today confirming the student support package for higher education students undertaking a course of study in the academic year beginning September 2015.

Tuition charges and loans

For all new full-time students and eligible continuing full-time students who started their courses on or after 1 September 2012, maximum tuition charges and maximum tuition loans will be maintained in 2015-16 at the £6,000 and £9,000 levels which apply in 2014-15.

For continuing full-time students who started their courses before September 2012, maximum tuition charges and maximum tuition loans will be maintained in 2015-16 at the £3,465 level which applies in 2014-15.

For all new part-time students in 2015-16, and eligible continuing part-time students who started their courses on or after 1 September 2012, maximum tuition charges and maximum tuition loans will also be maintained at the £4,500 and £6,750 levels which apply in 2014-15.

Maintenance Grant

The Government announced in the 2013 spending review in June 2013 that the maximum maintenance grant for students attending full-time courses in 2015-16 would be maintained at the same levels which apply in 2014-15. This means for new students and eligible continuing students who started their courses on or after 1 September 2012, the maximum grant in 2015-16 will remain at £3,387. For continuing students who started their courses before 1 September 2012, the maximum grant in 2015-16 will remain at £3,110.

Loans for living costs

Eligible students attending full-time courses will be entitled to more overall support for their living costs in 2015-16 than in 2014-15. Maximum loans for living costs for new and continuing full-time students will be increased by forecast inflation for 2015-16, 3.34%.

For new students and eligible continuing students who started attending their courses on or after 1 September 2012, who are living away from home and studying outside London, the maximum loan for living costs will be increased to £5,740. I can confirm that the equivalent loan rates for students living away from home and studying in London will be £8,009; for those living in the parental home during their studies, £4,565; and for those studying overseas as part of their UK course, £6,820.

For eligible full-time students who started attending their courses before 1 September 2012 and are living away from home while studying outside London, the maximum loan for living costs will be increased to £5,167. The equivalent loan rates for students living away from home and studying in London will be £7,230; for those living in the parental home during their studies, £4,005; and for those studying overseas as part of their UK course, £6,151.

Dependants’ grants

The Government are committed to supporting students with caring responsibilities. I am therefore announcing today that means-tested dependants’ grants for full-time students attending their courses will be increased by forecast inflation for 2015-16.

The maximum adult dependants’ grant will be increased by 3.34% to £2,757 in 2015-16.

The maximum childcare grant payable in 2015-16, which covers 85% of actual childcare costs, will be increased by 3.34% in 2015-16 to £155.24 per week for one child only and to £266.15 per week for two or more children.

The maximum parents’ learning allowance payable in 2015-16 will be increased by 3.34% to £1,573.

Part-time grants and loans

For those students who started part-time and full-time distance learning courses before 1 September 2012 and who are continuing their courses in 2015-16, maximum fee and course grants will be maintained at the levels that apply for 2014-15. Maximum fee grants will be maintained at £1,285, depending on the intensity of study of the course. Maximum course grants will be maintained at £280.

Income thresholds

Household income thresholds for grants for tuition and living costs, and loans for living costs, will be maintained at 2014-15 levels for 2015-16.

Disabled Students’ Allowances

Lastly today, I can confirm that maximum grants for full-time, part-time and postgraduate students with disabilities will be maintained at 2014-15 levels in 2015-16.

Regulations

I expect to lay regulations implementing changes to student support for 2015-16 later this year. More details of the 2015-16 student support package will be published by my Department in due course.