Frequently Asked Questions

• Terminology explained
• Applying online
• Information for parents and partners
• Updating your details
• Repayments and interest
• Part time study
• Non-UK students
• Postgraduate finance

Terminology explained

• What does ‘income assessed’ mean?
• What does ‘non-income assessed’ mean?
• What is a ‘dependent student’?
• What is an ‘independent student’?

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Applying Online

• How do I apply online?
• When will I apply?
• When will i get my loan payments?
• What is a Customer Reference Number?
• What happens if I misplace my Customer Reference Number?
• Why do I need a Password and Secret Answer?
• Can I change my Password and Secret Answer?
• What happens if I forget my Password and Secret Answer?
• I’m having trouble resetting my Password and Secret Answer online.
• What is a provisional assessment?

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Student Finance Calculator

• The Calculator asks if I have lived in the UK for the last 3 years. If I haven't, will I be ineligible for Student Support?
• Why did the Calculator give me a larger amount than the actual assessment has?
• Why can't the Calculator provide an estimate for EU students?
• The Calculator does not give an estimate for part-time students. Does this mean I am not entitled to funding?

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Information for parents and partners

• I want to provide financial details online in support of a student’s application, when can I do this?
• How do I inform SLC that a student or former student has passed away?

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Updating your details

• How do I update my contact details?
• What is the difference between my ‘preferred contact address’ and ‘permanent home address’?
• How do I update my bank details?
• I didn't know my term-time address when I applied, what should I do when I find out?

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My circumstances have changed what should I do?

• I am unable to attend my course due to illness, what happens to my loan?
• I have withdrawn from my course, what do I do now?
• What if my personal details change after I have applied, e.g. what if I get married?
• I have decided not to continue with my course, will I be eligible for financial support in the future?

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Repayments and Interest

Visit studentloanrepayment.co.uk for full information about repaying your loan

Part time study

Information on the support for part-time students

Non-UK students

• I am an EU national, how can I find out about financial support to study in Wales?

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Postgraduate finance

• I will be entering postgraduate study, am I entitled to support?

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Terminology explained

What does ‘income assessed’ mean?

Some of the support available to students is dependant on their income or their household’s income. Entitlement to the Assembly Learning Grant, Special Support Grant, Higher Education Grant, and the extra portion of the Maintenance Loan depends on the student’s household income. The higher the income, the less grant or Maintenance Loan they will be entitled to. Students who wish to apply for income assessed support are required to supply information about their personal income, and the income of relevant members of their household in their application.

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What does ‘non-income assessed’ mean?

Some of the support available to students is available to everyone, and is not dependant on the level of their income or their household’s income. Entitlement to the student loan for Tuition Fees and the basic level of Maintenance Loan does not depend on the student’s household income. Students who wish to apply for non-income assessed support will not need to supply information about income in their application.

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What is a ‘dependent student’?

You are considered a ‘dependent student’ for the purposes of student finance if you are:

• under 25;
• are not married or in a civil partnership;
• have no dependant children; and
• have not supported yourself financially for at least three years before the start of the academic year.

If you are a dependent student the income of your parents will be considered, unless you choose to only apply for support that is not based on your household income.

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What is an ‘independent student’?

You are an independent student if, at the start of the academic year for which you are applying for support, you are:

• aged 25 or over;
• have care of a child or children;
• are married or in a civil partnership;
• have supported yourself for at least three years prior to the start of your course;
• or, if you have no living parents.

A period of supporting yourself includes any time when you were:

• in paid full-time employment;
• received Income Support or Jobseeker’s Allowance;
• or were registered for unemployment;
• received incapacity benefits, invalidity pension or maternity allowance;
• or received training under any scheme for the unemployed or other funding by any state authority or agency.

If you are an independent student, your parents' income will not be taken into account.

If you are an independent student who is 25 or over, or married or in a civil partnership, your partner’s income will be included when working out how much finance you can get.

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Applying online

How do I apply online?

Full details are available on the how to apply online page.

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When will I apply?

If you are applying for student finance which does not require any financial information to be provided, you must return your form to us by 23 April 2010 in order to ensure you receive your first payment at the start of term.

If you are applying for student finance based on your household income you must return your form to us by 28 May 2010. This will ensure you receive your first payment at the start of term.

If you miss these deadlines, your application will be processed as soon as possible. But your first payment may not be available at the start of term.

You must complete your application within 9 months of the start of your academic year. Otherwise you may not get any student finance.

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When will I get my loan payments?

Student Finance Wales will send you a letter informing you of the dates, amounts and payment method to be used for each of the instalments.

You can expect payment to your account within 3-5 working days of your Higher Education Institution (HEI) confirming your attendance at the start of each term.

This will only apply if your application has been submitted on time.

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What is a Customer Reference Number?

Your Customer Reference Number is an eleven-digit number that is used to uniquely identify your personal student finance account.

When applying for support for the first time, if you apply online you will receive your Customer Reference Number when you first register your details. If you apply on paper you will be sent your Customer Reference Number in a letter.

You will find your Customer Reference Number on all correspondence relating to your student finance application.

Keep your Customer Reference Number in a safe place you will need it every time you login to your online account or contact us by phone. You can use your Customer Reference Number to have your Password and Secret Answer reset and sent to you by e-mail. Your Customer Reference Number can also be used in conjunction with your personalised pin number to obtain information on your account through our automated telephone system.

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What happens if I misplace my Customer Reference Number?

You can view your Customer Reference Number online by clicking on ‘Forgotten your details?’ from the login page on the Student Finance Wales website. You will need to know your Secret Answer and Password.

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Why do I need a Password and Secret Answer?

You will need these details each time you login to your account or contact us by phone. We use the Password and Secret Answer to ensure the security of your personal information. We want to make sure we never give out information to the wrong person.

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Can I change my Password and Secret Answer?

You can change your Password and Secret Answer anytime from your online account under ‘Update My Profile’.

If you have forgotten these details, but have your Customer Reference Number, you can have new details sent to your e-mail address from ‘Find out your login details?’

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What happens if I forget my Password and Secret Answer?

If you have forgotten these details, but have your Customer Reference Number, you can have new details sent to your e-mail address from ‘Find out your login details?’

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I’'m having trouble resetting my Password and Secret Answer online

I am getting an error message after I enter my details

The details you have entered may be incorrect, or not recognised by our system:

• You can only use this function if you have given us a valid e-mail address. You may have provided this when you first applied for support.
• If you are resetting your Password and Secret Answer, make sure you are correctly entering your Customer Reference Number. This can be found on any correspondence you have received from us.
• If you are attempting to view your Customer Reference Number, make sure you are entering you Password and Secret Answer correctly.

I reset my Password and Secret Answer online, but I didn’t receive an e-mail with my new details

Certain types of e-mail accounts, such as Hotmail, Yahoo, and AOL, may detect some e-mails as spam. Check any junk mail or spam mail folder for an e-mail from ‘sfd_webmaster’.

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What is a provisional assessment

A provisional assessment happens when a new student has not been able to provide their Local Authority with all the financial information needed.

If you have not been able to provide your Local Authority with all the information needed, your Local Authority can make a provisional assessment using the information they have. Your Local Authority will confirm the assessment when you are able to provide the missing information.

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Student Finance Calculator

The Calculator asks if I have lived in the UK for the last 3 years. If I haven't, will I be ineligible for Student Support?

On the first day of the first academic year of your course you must have been ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for the three years immediately before this date. You must have been resident for reasons other than for the purpose of receiving full-time education.

If you were away from this country because you or your family were temporarily employed abroad, you may be treated as if your residence in the UK had not been interrupted.

If you have been granted humanitarian protection, discretionary leave or exceptional leave to enter or stay in the UK by the Home Office, you must meet the three-year ordinary residence requirement.

If you are an asylum seeker in the UK, you will not normally be eligible for support towards your fees unless you have been granted ‘settled status’ by the Home Office. You must also meet the three-year ordinary residence requirement.

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Why did the Calculator give me a larger amount than the actual assessment has?

The Calculator provides an estimate of your entitlement and is for guidance only. The amount you are entitled to, is assessed by your Local Authority based on the information you provide in your application.

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Why can't the Calculator provide an estimate for EU students?

In the case of EU students, more information is required for an assessment of financial support. If you are an EU national (that is, a national of a member state of the European Union) or the child of an EU national, and you would like further information about financial support arrangements while you are studying at college in England, contact the European team.

The European Team Room
38 Mowden Hall
Staindrop Road
Darlington
County Durham
DL3 9BG

Phone: 01325 391199 (10am to 4pm)
Website: www.direct.gov.uk/eufinance
E-mail: EUTeam@dfes.gsi.gov.uk

Please note that these details will change as from 3rd April 2006. The new contact details will be:

Phone: 0141 243 3570 (10am to 4pm)
Website: www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/EU
E-mail: EU_Team@slc.co.uk

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The Calculator does not give an estimate for part-time students. Does this mean I am not entitled to funding?

The calculator is for full-time students and those studying part-time initial teacher training courses only. Part-time students can apply for funding, depending on the course they are studying. To discuss whether you would be eligible for this contact your Local Authority.

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Information for parents and partners

I want to provide my financial details in support of a student’s application online, when and/or how can I do this?

1. The student must have completed and submitted their application before you can  provide the financial details required online.
2. When the student completes their application for student support, they are asked to indicate if their sponsor(s) (parents and partners) will provide their financial details online or by paper. The student must indicate that the sponsor will provide details online.
3. The student will then be given an Alias ID to pass onto their sponsors. Sponsors cannot support a student’s application online without this Alias ID.
4. Sponsors need to register on the Student Finance Wales website (if you do not have an existing student finance account).
5. Sponsors login to their account using the unique Customer Reference Number provided.
6. Once logged in they select 'Support an Application', and use the Alias ID to link the information with that of the student being supported.

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What is an Alias ID, and where can i find this?

The Alias ID is a unique identification that is used to link the student's online application with the information provided by their sponsors. Sponsors cannot enter their information online without this Alias ID. The Alias ID is needed each time a sponsor wishes to provide or update their details online. Sponsors should keep their Alias ID in a safe place.

When a student applies online for financial support while they study, they will be asked to provide contact details of those people they depend on for financial support. This is usually their parents or partner their ‘sponsors’. They will also be asked to indicate if their sponsors will provide details of their income online or by paper form.

If the student indicates that the sponsor will provide their information online, the student is given an Alias ID to pass onto their sponsors

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How do I inform SLC that a student or former student has passed away?

If you need to let us know that a student or former student has passed away, you can do so by calling our Customer Support Office or alternatively in writing to our offices in Glasgow.

You will need to provide us with the original death certificate or coroners’ report which you can send for the attention of the following:

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Updating your details

How do I update my contact details?

You can update your personal details, including your preferred contact address, permanent home address, email address, and contact phone numbers by logging into your online account and selecting ‘Update My Profile’.

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What is the difference between my ‘preferred contact address’ and ‘permanent home address’?

Your preferred contact address (or correspondence address) is where you will normally live during your studies, such as a hall of residence. We will send most letters to you at this address.

Your permanent home address is where you normally live outside of term time, such as your parents’ home. This is the address which is used to assign your case to the appropriate Local Authority.

You can update your contact and home address from the ‘Update My Profile’ section of your online account.

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How do I update my bank details?

You can update your bank details from the ‘Update My Bank Details’ link in your online account or by completing a Change of Circumstances form.

Note: there may be a limit on how close to the payment of your loan instalments you are able to change your bank details. Any time restrictions will be announced on the Student Finance Wales website.

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I didn't know my term-time address when I applied, what should I do when I find out?

You can login to your account and update your profile details on-line.

You can also contact either Student Finance Wales or your Local Authority and advise them of your change of details.

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My circumstances have changed what should I do?

I am unable to attend my course due to illness, what happens to my loan?

If you are unable to attend your course for more than 60 days, you should contact the Student Loan Administrator at your college or university. It may be possible for you to continue receiving the loan instalments.

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I have withdrawn from my course, what do I do now?

If you are thinking about leaving your course before it ends, or transferring to a new course, this could affect your entitlement to support for other courses in the future. If you want to transfer courses or withdraw from your course, talk to your college and your Local Authority (LA) as soon as possible. You will need to complete a Change of Circumstances Form (available to download from the Student Finance Wales website) and return it to your LA.

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What if my personal details change after I have applied, e.g. what if I get married?

If your personal details have changed since you started your course you should complete a Change of Circumstances Form and return it to your Local Authority.

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I have decided not to continue with my course, will I be eligible for financial support in the future?

Leaving you course early could affect your eligibility for financial support if you decide to take another course in the future. How your eligibility is affected will depend on your personal circumstances. Contact your Local Authority for further details.

You will also be asked to pay back any overpayment you have received.

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Non-UK students

I am an EU national, how can I find out about financial support to study in Wales?

If you are an EU national (or a child of an EU national) and wish to study in Wales, you may get a Tuition Fee Loan on a similar basis to UK students.

If you are an EU student, and applying through UCAS, they will send you an application form when you are offered a place on a course. If you do not apply through UCAS, you will be able to get an application form and further details about the support available from the EU Team:

European Team
PO box 89
Darlington
Staindrop Road
DL1 9AZ
United Kingdom

Phone: 0141 243 3570 (Monday to Friday - 9am to 5:30pm)
Email: EU_Team@slc.co.uk

Information for EU students can be found here.

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Postgraduate Finance

I will be entering postgraduate study, am I entitled to support?

In general, there is no mandatory support for postgraduate study for students in Wales. An exception to this is PGCE studies for those wishing to become teachers. Information on funding for Teacher Training courses can be found on the Training and Development Agency for Schools website

Postgraduate students who have a disability may be able to receive an allowance. See What additional support is available for 2010/11 for further information

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