22,000 English Students Face Loan and Grant Repayments

More than 22,000 students in England face demands to repay maintenance loans and childcare grants after officials determined the funds were awarded in error for weekend-based university courses. The affected learners, enrolled at 15 institutions including London Metropolitan University, Bath Spa University, Leeds Trinity University, Southampton Solent University, and Oxford Brookes University, received letters from the Student Loans Company or their universities notifying them of the issue.

The problem stems from higher education providers incorrectly categorizing the courses, which primarily involve in-person teaching on weekends and, in some cases, online sessions during weekdays. These programs were registered as eligible for maintenance loans, which cover living expenses like accommodation and food, and non-repayable childcare grants. Unlike tuition fees paid directly to universities, maintenance loans are disbursed to students in installments and repaid after graduation once income exceeds a threshold. The Department for Education confirmed the misclassification, noting that many affected courses operate under franchising arrangements where universities subcontract...