Students going through Clearing should not wait for their exam results before applying for student finance.
That’s the message from the Student Loans Company (SLC) ahead of A-Level results day on 10 August.
SLC, which expects to process a record number of applications this year, says that any student who thinks they might be going to university or college and who has not applied for funding should do so now to ensure they receive their funding as close to term start as possible.
Even if they are not certain what course they will be doing, it is best to apply now and update their online application later if they need to.
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To help students who are applying for student finance during Clearing, SLC has produced a new guide containing useful resources including steps they can take to ensure their application can be processed quickly.
Those students who have already applied for funding do not need to take any action unless they are asked to provide evidence, in which case they should supply it promptly, or unless their university, college or course details change, in which case they should update their details on their online accounts.
Student finance applications can take 6 to 8 weeks to process and eligible students who apply now may not receive their full funding entitlement at term start. However, they should still be awarded the minimum maintenance loan amount first; followed by a top-up payment if they are eligible for more funding. Students can keep track of their applications and view their application status via their online accounts.
Chris Larmer, SLC Executive Director of Operations, said: “SLC exists to enable people to invest in their futures through further and higher education.
“This year we anticipate supporting more students than ever before and we are urging any prospective student, who has not applied for student finance, to do so now to ensure they have some funding in place at the start of term.
“We appreciate that now more than ever, attending university for the first time can be daunting, and we hope students will take advantage of the new guide we have made available online to help them as they go through Clearing.”
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