Posted by: mediaofficer, Department
for Education
The new university term started for most students this month.
Whether you are a fresher or a returning student, we have pulled
together answers to some of the important topics that you might
have wondered about as you head into the autumn term.
What support is there for students who are worried about
the cost of living?
To support students with living costs, we have increased
maintenance loans every year, meaning disadvantaged students now
have access to the highest ever amounts in cash terms. Students
who are worried about making ends meet should speak to their
university about the support they can access – this year we have
made £261 million available for universities to boost their own
hardship funds.
In addition, student renters who pay their energy bills directly
to a domestic supplier will benefit from the scheme that
discounts £400 from their bill over six months from October.
As part of a package of support, the Government is providing a
rebate scheme that will provide a one-off payment of £150 to
households living in a property in council tax bands A to D as
their main home on 1 April 2022.
This includes properties that are occupied by full-time students,
aside from those living in student halls or in property that is
not considered a House in Multiple Occupation for council tax
purposes.
When it comes to tuition fees – maximum tuition fees will be
frozen until 2025, by which point fees have will have been
frozen for seven years.
What support is available for students struggling with
their mental health?
Student mental health is very important to us and we have made
big investments to make sure students are getting the support
they need.
The Office for Students (OfS) has set aside £15 million for
student mental health in this coming academic year to help
students make that transition and target support for those most
in need, which includes funding to close some of the gaps that
exist between university and NHS mental health services.
During the pandemic we launched Student Space, a mental
health platform where students can access 1-2-1 web and text chat
facilities. The platform has already been used by 275,000
students and we recently announced funding so it could continue
for a further three years.
Will most teaching be in-person?
Students spend a lot of time and money on a university education
and face-to-face learning should be the norm.
Universities should give students the information they need to
make informed decisions about a course, including about the
balance between in-person and online teaching, and the Office for
Students – which regulates universities – can investigate
institutions which aren’t delivering high-quality education.
If a student has concerns about their course, they should first
get in touch with their university in the first instance, and if
they are still not satisfied they can ultimately take their
complaint to the Office for the Independent Adjudicator for
Higher Education.
How are universities dealing with drink and needle
spiking attacks reported last year?
Reports of attacks involving drinks being spiked – and even
spiking with needles – caused concern last year. That’s why we
launched a working group to help the higher education sector grip
the issue and come up with practical advice for universities to
support students.
As a result, Universities UK has set
out guidance which will help universities respond
effectively to incidents of spiking and to work with police,
night-time venues and other partners to stamp out spiking attacks
against students.
It supports universities with an ‘immediate actions’ checklist to
respond to an incident, includes best-practice examples of
successful initiatives at institutions, along with wider
principles and considerations.
