A group of English universities has filed for judicial review against the Department for Education (DfE) and Student Loans Company (SLC) after the government removed access to maintenance loans for thousands of students on weekend courses.
Bath Spa, Buckinghamshire New, Leeds Trinity, London Metropolitan and Southampton Solent universities have moved ahead with legal action, asking the courts to review the government’s decision in February to remove access to maintenance loans and grants for about 30,000 students.
These students were enrolled on weekend-only courses, which the government claimed were not eligible for the loans, despite the SLC having already paid out thousands. Students were told they would have to switch to weekday learning in order to continue receiving loans.
The DfE classifies weekend-only courses as distance learning, regardless of where classes take place. The five universities have also requested a judicial review of this definition.
“These students are not distance learners,” said Georgina Andrews, vice-chancellor of Bath Spa University. “They spend significant time in the classroom, in person, with their tutors and peers. They are balancing serious academic commitment with work and family responsibilities so they can keep studying, to improve their lives.”
