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Britain cuts funding for EU students

student loanBritain intends to make it more difficult for students from Europe to claims grants and loans in order to study at universities in the UK.

Data on the money granted shows that funding has doubled in the last three years for students from a variety of European nations.

Figures show 11,600 students from mainland Europe claimed £75 million in 2009/10 for expenses such as rent and books. By 2012/13, some 22,800 awards were made totalling £162m.

Presently, European students studying in the UK are obliged to live in the UK for three years before being eligible for the full range of grants and loans to help with living expenses.

Ministers announced that the requirement will go up to five years before financial assistance can kick in.

In light of the dramatic increase in claims, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said: “This is posing an undue burden on the student support budget.”

Concern is rising that many of the loans are not being repaid.

While British students repay through the tax system, no similar structures are set up for students from Europe.

In 2011, 47% of British students had repaid, but only 24% of Europeans had done so.

European students can apply for up to £7,675 in loans for living costs, with an additional £3,354 available in non-repayable grants for those from the poorest families.

Of the £162m claimed by EU students for maintenance, the bulk (£101m) was in loans to be repaid while £61m was in free grants.

The new five-year requirement would bring the UK into line with a number of other countries, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden.

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Comments  

+1 #1 Edwina. C 2014-09-03 10:51
We have had this nonsense before ! Why has it taken us so long to get the bar up where the other developed EU countries - offering actual qualifications - are ?

As has often been said - a foreign EU student should be 'sponsored' as a backstop by their own government. If they renege on paying then their government pays.

As the foreigners government wants to be in the EU; and the student wants the benefit of a UK qualification (as proof that they actually studied and do not offer a 'Relvas / Socrates' qualification) so that country must meet the minimum standards of membership.

A British student reneging on payment to another EU country should be treated like a jihadist and have their UK passport seized.

They have behaved shabbily. Someone has to observe the EU standards ...

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