Student Finance Direct

Caz · 19-09-2008, 16:52

Anyone else having problems with this, trying to get finance for uni sorted out? The website is absolute rubbish, constantly showing errors that don't exist, saying documents still required, causing uncessary phone calls and waiting in a queue for ages only to be told there is no problem. Been cut off when I've called numerous times

Daft thing is, most times when they ask for info it is for either one or the other son, not both. Are they simple or what? the same information applies for both, the same documents appy for both, obviously being twins and in exactly the same circumstances. This has been going on since June and it's still not sorted. they start uni next week

Lucky they are going to Manchester and can commute, or they wouldn't have any where to stay.
Grrrr!

SamF · 19-09-2008, 17:14

Yup, student finance are terrible.

sparkie · 19-09-2008, 20:55

I've found student finance direct a right pain in the posterior, to be frank.

This is the second time I've done a HE course, the first time everything was filled out on paper and my funding was ready to go, around 3 months before I started the course. I think it took 5 weeks in total. This time i started filling the online form in (apparently paper is not an option anymore) at the end of may, every time I tried to log in using my ID number and password I found myself locked out. Every time I would ring up and spend about 45 minutes on the phone waiting for a person, for them to say hang on I'll reset your details, then having to leave it until the following day to be able to access my application. Trying again the following day and being able to do some work on it, being auto logged out whilst on thephone waitin for them to answer my questions and finding myself once again lock out of my application and having to go through the whole process again and again and again, etc.

All in all it took me until the first week in august to complete the form, thanks to the uselessness of the system. I finally recieved notification of funding yesterday, my course starts monday. However I am still waiting for notification of my childcare application as they only sent me the forms for this part of the application on tuesday.

Bunch of flipping muppets!!!!

blazey · 19-09-2008, 21:05

Mine was so straight forward this year I wanted to ring up and check they really had got it right.

Last year they got my course wrong and then the amount I should get wrong. I had to run them through the information several times before they got it right.

There is no chance really that their finance will be sorted out in time now. I sorted mine out in May when they first started accepting applications. Best way really.

Caz · 19-09-2008, 21:18

Well we did theirs at the beginning of June. This is their first year. So still don't think they have any excuse for the delay. Have been on the phone again tonight...once again got cut off and had to call back.
At least this time there seems to have been some admission that they have got it wrong, that there has been some confusion because they are twins, and at some stage they have been treated as one person, not two.

And that I don't have to send anymore documents in as they will now cross reference everything. How difficult can it be??? 2 birth certificates....means 2 people!!!

One of the lads rang tonight also, about something concerning his claim. only to be told that the person dealing with it was on holiday. WHAT! Can't anyone else deal with it? They should be taking extra staff on at this important time of year, to prevent the apparent backlog, not letting people take hols at this important time if no one else can deal with specific cases! This is kids' futures we are talking about.

blazey · 19-09-2008, 21:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by cazzer

Well we did theirs at the beginning of June. This is their first year. So still don't think they have any excuse for the delay. Have been on the phone again tonight...once again got cut off and had to call back.
At least this time there seems to have been some admission that they have got it wrong, that there has been some confusion because they are twins, and at some stage they have been treated as one person, not two.

And that I don't have to send anymore documents in as they will now cross reference everything. How difficult can it be??? 2 birth certificates....means 2 people!!!

One of the lads rang tonight also, about something concerning his claim. only to be told that the person dealing with it was on holiday. WHAT! Can't anyone else deal with it? They should be taking extra staff on at this important time of year, to prevent the apparent backlog, not letting people take hols at this important time if no one else can deal with specific cases! This is kids' futures we are talking about.

They have to get through a lot of applications and it's first come first serve as far as I know. Most continuing students will know how much of a pain it is and will have probably got their applications in straight away.

Caz · 19-09-2008, 21:59

That doesn't excuse their obvious ineptitude!

especially in this case. How would you like to be a twin and be none existent lol!

Continuing students obviously will, or should have, less of a problem due to their details already being on file from the previous year.

We had all our documents in well before time. What should be pretty straight forward if people did their jobs properly, has been made into a major problem for some people, including us.

blazey · 19-09-2008, 22:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by cazzer

That doesn't excuse their obvious ineptitude!

especially in this case. How would you like to be a twin and be none existent lol!

Continuing students obviously will, or should have, less of a problem due to their details already being on file from the previous year.

We had all our documents in well before time. What should be pretty straight forward if people did their jobs properly, has been made into a major problem for some people, including us.

They got enough things wrong for me the first time round, so it doesn't surprise me, but getting stressed about it doesn't get it done faster.

Caz · 19-09-2008, 22:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by blazey

They got enough things wrong for me the first time round, so it doesn't surprise me, but getting stressed about it doesn't get it done faster.

Maybe not! I do know that! But it does one good to let off steam! Or ain't that allowed? Some of us also have lots of other stresses in life to deal with as well, without this shower topping it all off.

Maybe one day Bazey you'll be in the position of me and certain others, and a good whinge on a forum will help you too.