There are probably hundreds, if not thousands of students who have more worries already added to the stressful time that is university before Christmas. Most students either have a load of assignments to hand in or are preparing for dreaded exams. On top of that, they also have to think about buying presents for friends and family. This year, I am most definitely one of these stressed students. However, the main reason is not exams, assignments or buying presents; it is the fact that I have still not received my student loan.
I applied for my loan in the middle of October and I have not had a single payment. I was unable to contact the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS), by telephone and they didn’t respond to my emails. I finally managed to speak to an advisor and she informed me that they required some forms. I sent the correct forms away immediately and once again waited. A few weeks later I had heard nothing so I tried to contact them and it took as long as the first time to get through to somebody. They told me there had been a delay and my application was now being looked at. Fast forward two weeks and no news. I decided to drive to the SAAS headquarters in Edinburgh and ask what exactly was going on. They told me my 2009 application had been put on hold while they finalised details for the 2008 year. I then had to send in more forms from 2008. This seemed completely irrelevant as last year my loan application went through with no problems whatsoever. Today I phoned SAAS as it has now been two weeks since I sent in the latest forms. I have been promised that my application is being processed today and I shall hear when my first payment is due within the next 48 hours.
To say that I have been frustrated by the services of SAAS this year is an understatement. The first semester of my 4th year finishes in a few days and I have had no support with my finances from SAAS. I am very fortunate that my parents were able to give me a loan or I would have been forced to move back home to Dumfries and wouldn’t have been able to attend university as I simply wouldn’t have been able to afford the living costs. I am now struggling once again to make ends meet and I can’t ask my parents for any more money. I feel that the run up to Christmas is stressful enough with university work and is particularly stressful this year as I am in my 4th year and I want to achieve the best grades possible. Hopefully Christmas will come early for myself and students in a similar situation and we will finally see some money in our banks.
