I got a £10,000 loan for my nursing degree. Now they say it’s an error and I have to pay it back
I got a £10,000 loan for my nursing degree. Now they say it’s an error and I have to pay it back
David Robinson, a nurse, recently learned his postgraduate diploma in adult nursing might not qualify for the financial support he received. The university he attended, Edge Hill in Liverpool, informed him that the £10,538 maintenance loan he had been granted would need to be repaid at an expedited pace. This development has left him unsettled, as he had relied on both NHS bursaries and personal savings to cover tuition and living expenses during his studies.
Thousands of students face similar financial surprises
According to BBC News, over 22,000 students enrolled in weekend-based courses have been notified by the Student Loans Company (SLC) or their institutions that their courses were ineligible for funding. While Robinson’s program was full-time and included clinical placements, it still fell under the new criteria. The SLC clarified that certain institutions had mistakenly categorized their courses as distance learning, prompting a reassessment of eligibility.
“I was concerned, I can only repay what I can afford,” said Robinson, now working in the NHS. “It just doesn’t make any sense to me whatsoever, and it may not instil any confidence in people wanting to undertake the course that I have done, and be a nurse.”
Universities affected by the policy shift expressed “extreme concern” and are exploring legal options to challenge the decision. In a statement, they emphasized their commitment to supporting impacted students during the review. The SLC added it would work with individuals to create “affordable repayment plans” where possible, though some students faced immediate repayment demands.
Struggling to balance work and study
Teaching assistant Lou Osborne faced a similar dilemma. She resat her GCSE exams to pursue an education degree at the University of Sunderland, which required an accelerated two-year course. The program involved weekend lectures and Saturday assessments, which she described as “amazing.” However, a recent email revealed the course was ineligible for the £3,500 maintenance loan she had received, leaving her in financial turmoil.
“We all went into a bit of a panic,” Osborne shared. “We’re all working full-time and can’t afford not to work full-time. We’re paying into the economy by working and are now told, ‘You don’t deserve help because you’re part-time.'”
Osborne’s loan, intended for books and travel, must now be repaid immediately with interest. The SLC’s decision has sparked frustration among students who feel they were misled. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson acknowledged the issue, stating many institutions had “let students down through either incompetence or abuse of the system.” She urged universities to act swiftly to ease the burden on affected learners.
Both Robinson and Osborne highlight a growing concern about the accessibility of financial aid for part-time and blended learning programs. Their universities remain defensive, insisting the qualifications remain valid while they advocate for the SLC’s policy changes.
