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What support is available for students?

How are student loans repaid?

What is the cost of higher education?

How to support an application online

What part do I play in providing financial support?

Important – what you should know about your role

Although you will be required to submit information relating to your income in order to support your child or partner’s application for student support, this does not make you liable for any resulting debt. The obligation to repay lies entirely with the student. This remains the case if the student withdraws from higher education, their earnings do not reach the required level to initiate repayment, or if they die while still owing money to the Student Loans Company.

When a student’s eligibility for support is being assessed, the Local Authority (LA) will take into account the household income, that is, the income of the student and their parents or partner. If you do not provide details of your income, the student may not receive help with their fees, a grant to which they are entitled, or the maximum amount of student loan available to them. When you provide details of your income you will also be invited to submit original documentation as proof of income. This will be explained to you when you are providing your household income details.

The LA will look at your income for the previous financial year, but if there has been a significant drop in income (15% or more), it is possible that they will review your likely income for the current year.

If the LA decide that you should make a contribution towards the student’s tuition fees and living costs, they will decide what that contribution should be and tell you.

Overview of the application and payment process.

Household income

If you are the parent of a student who normally lives with you, and are separated or divorced, your income counts towards the ‘household income’ but the student’s other parent’s income will not. If you are the parent of a student and have remarried or live with a partner (of the opposite or same sex), their income will count towards the ‘household income’

If you are the parent of a student and you have other dependent children, the ‘household income’ will be reduced by £1100 for each child before the LA calculates your contribution.

Once your LA has calculated your residual household income, they assess a household contribution as follows, up to a maximum amount of £6,055. If you are a continuing student in 08/09 your contribution is calculated as follows:

  • Income less than £39,780: no contribution
  • Income over £39,780: £1 for each additional £9.50 of household income

If you are a new student in 08/09, your contribution will be calculated as follows:

  • Income less than £39,780: no contribution
  • Income over £39780: £1 for each additional £9.50 of household income towards supplementary income-assessed support
  • Income over £61,061: £1 for each additional £9.50 of household income towards income-assessed maintenance loan

Information available to you

Your role as the parent or partner of a student is to provide information to support an application for a loan, grant, or assistance with tuition fees. This does not entitle you to information about the student’s application for support. The Data Protection Act requires us to keep all your information, and that of the student, private. If however you would like to make enquiries on behalf of a student, they can give Student Finance Direct permission to talk to you about their account. Details on granting this permission are available through the Student Finance Direct Home Page.

Identifying yourself online or by telephone to access your application

Your ART ID

The term ‘ART’ stands for Automated Response Technology. Your ART ID is a unique eleven-digit number used to identify you when you login to our website or call us. If you apply on line, your ART ID is provided to you immediately. You will need your ART ID every time you log into your account via our website. If you submit a paper application, your ART ID will be issued to you when your application form is received by Student Finance Direct. You will find your ART ID on all correspondence relating to your student finance application, in the top right hand corner.

How the ART ID is used

When you log in to your account via the Student Finance Direct website you will be prompted to provide your ART ID. Additionally, you will be asked to enter your internet password and secret answer before you can gain access to your information. Your ART ID can also be used in conjunction with your personalised pin number to obtain information on your account, through our Automated Telephony system, when contacting Student Finance Direct by telephone. You ART ID is printed on all correspondence you will have received from Student Finance Direct.

What is my “secret answer”?

Your secret answer is a word used to identify you when you log in to the Student Finance Direct Website or when you contact us by telephone. If you registered online you will have chosen your secret question and answer at that time. If you applied for student finance on paper, you will have been sent an initial secret answer in the post which will be a combination of random characters.

How is my “secret answer” used?

You will be prompted to provide your secret answer every time you log into your account on the Student Finance Direct Website. Together with your internet password, this will provide you with access to your account online.

What happens if I forget my secret answer?

If you forget your secret answer you will need to contact Student Finance Direct. When you login to the website you are able to change your secret answer to something more meaningful and easy to remember.

What is an Alias ID?

When you support an application for means tested student finance, the student will have been asked to provide details of those upon whom they depend for financial support. The Alias ID is a unique reference which is posted out to each person supporting the application.

How is the Alias ID used?

The Alias ID uniquely identifies a student’s application for financial support. It is sent to those a student identifies when they apply as supporting them financially during their studies, such as parents, a spouse or partner. To provide financial information in support of an application on-line, you must be registered and in possession of valid login details. If you have previously supported an application you must use the ART ID, secret answer and password previously provided to login to the system. If you are supporting an application for the first time you must follow the on-line registration process where you will be provided with an ART ID, secret answer and password. Once logged in, select the “Support an Application” link and you will be asked for the Alias ID which will link you to the applicant you wish to support. You will receive a separate Alias ID for each applicant you are supporting.