News Release issued by
the COI News Distribution Service on 26 September 2011
An army of recent
graduates are hitting the road to tell students about the changes
to the university finance system coming into effect next year.
Graduates will lead the Student Finance Tour giving presentations
to explain the new student finance system and the financial help
that is available. Students and their families will also be
offered one-to-one advice about going to university.
Universities and Science Minister David Willetts today joined
English Literature and Drama graduate Holly Hughes at Exeter
College for one of the first presentations.
Mr Willetts said:
“Recent graduates are ideally placed to give prospective students
the facts about going to university. Having just graduated they
can not only explain the student finance system, but they can also
give that all important insight into what university life is all about.
“We want to make sure no one is put off applying to university
because they do not have information about the new student finance
system. Students need to know that most new undergraduates will
not pay upfront costs, there will be more financial support for
those from low-income families and everyone will make lower loan
repayments than they do now once they are in well paid work.”
Holly Hughes said:
"Going to university has given me amazing life skills
and career prospects. I would recommend that anybody thinking
about going should go for it!
"Anybody considering applying to university in 2012
should bear in mind that although the loan taken out will be
larger than before, the repayment system is a lot easier to manage
resulting in more disposable income."
The Student Finance School and College Tour aims to visit over
2,300 schools, FE and sixth form colleges across England in run up
to the UCAS application deadline on 15 January 2012.
Notes to editors:
1. Further information about the Student Finance School and
College Tour is available at
http://studentfinance-yourfuture.direct.gov.uk/resources .
2. The Tour complements the print, social and broadcast media
campaign which launched in May, see
http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/detail.aspx?NewsAreaId=2&ReleaseID=419387&SubjectId=16&AdvancedSearch=true
. The second phase of this campaign begins in October.
3. Details about the new student finance system for students
studying in England from October 2012 are available at
www.direct.gov.uk/yourfuture .
4. For details of when the Student Finance School and College
Tour will be in your area please contact Event Marketing Solutions
Ltd (EMS), phone (0151) 350 1532, e-mail: student.finance@eventms.com.
5. BIS's online newsroom contains the latest press
notices, speeches, as well as video and images for download. It
also features an up to date list of BIS press office contacts. See
http://www.bis.gov.uk/newsroom for more information.
Contacts:
BIS Press Office
NDS.BIS@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Michael Gibbs
Phone: 020 7215 1635
michael.gibbs@bis.gsi.gov.uk