Record numbers of students across England and Wales have already applied for student finance this year and the Student Loans Company is reminding remaining students to apply ahead of this months’ deadlines.
27 May 2015
Over 636,000 students in England have already applied for their funding to date, up by almost 12 per cent compared to last year. New student applications in Wales have soared by around 45 per cent, with 14,169 applications received to date this year.
Derek Ross, Director of Operations and Customer Services at the Student Loans Company, said: “We expect to process over almost 1.5 million finance applications for students in England and Wales this year and have seen a surge in applications in the weeks leading up to the deadlines.
“We want to continue to ensure as many people are paid on time at the start of the academic year as possible.
"You do not need a confirmed university place to apply for funding – you can use your preferred choice of course and update it online later, if needed. Applications can take at least six weeks to process.”
Students should apply now with their passport numbers: www.gov.uk/studentfinance and www.studentfinancewales.co.uk.
New students in England should apply before the 31 May; new students in Wales should have applied for their funding but anyone still to apply should do so now . Continuing students should also apply now, with the deadline for returners the12 June for students in Wales and30 June for students in England.
Those who apply after the deadline period will have their application processed as quickly as possible but to help avoid any delays with payments at the start of term, students are reminded to apply before the deadline.
The Student Loans Company has produced resources for students, to help them understand what they are entitled to and how to apply for finance. You can view the Student Finance England main guides, quick guides and animated films: www.thestudentroom.co.uk/studentfinance.