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FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 1981
STUDENT LOANS TO COVER TUITION FEE INCREASES IN UK
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INTEREST-FREE LOANS WILL BE OFFERED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO COVER THE FULL INCREASE IN TUITION FEES EXPERIENCED BY HONG KONG STUDENTS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AS A RESULT OF THE U.K. GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO INCREASE FEES FOR OVERSEAS STUDENTS.
STUDENTS WHO COMMENCED STUDIES IN UNIVERSITIES AND POLYTECHNICS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM IN SEPTEMBER 1980 ARE ALREADY ELIGIBLE FOR LOANS OF UP TO 2 000 POUNDS STERLING UNDER AN EMERGENCY SCHEME INSTITUTED RECENTLY BY THE GOVERNMENT TO OFFER
IMMEDIATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THOSE SUFFERING HARDSHIP IN THE CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR.
LOANS UNDER THE LONG-TERM SCHEME WILL ALSO BE MADE TO FULL-TIME STUDENTS ON FIRST-DEGREE OR EQUIVALENT POLYTECHNIC COURSES. THE LOAN SCHEME WILL BE EFFECTIVE FROM SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, ALLOWING TIME FOR APPLICATIONS TO BE EXAMINED PROPERLY.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE MAXIMUM ANNUAL LOAN WOULD BE LIMITED TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ACTUAL COURSE FEE CHARGED AND THE HOME STUDENT FEE. THE HOME STUDENT FEE FOR 1981/82 IS 900 POUNDS STERLING AND THIS COMPARES WITH THE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED MINIMUM FEES FOR OVERSEAS STUDENTS FOR THE FORTHCOMING ACADEMIC YEAR OF 1
UNIVERSITY COURSES (IN POUNDS STERLING)
ARTS
2 500
SCIENCE # 3 600
MEDICINE
6 000
POLYTECHNIC COURSES (IN POUNDS STERLING)
ARTS
SCIENCE
2 649
3 672
THIS MEANS THAT A UNIVERSITY ARTS STUDENT MAY BE GIVEN LOANS UP TO 1 600 POUNDS STERLING FOR 1981/82, WHEREAS A MEDICAL STUDENT MAY RECEIVE UP TO 5 100 POUNDS STERLING FOR THAT YEAR. LOAN ASSISTANCE FOR THE SUBSEQUENT YEARS OF HIS COURSE WILL BE RE-CALCULATED AT THAT TIME.
THE ACTUAL LOAN ISSUED WILL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT NEEDED IN EACH PARTICULAR CASE, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT AROUND $22 MILLION MAY BE ISSUED IN THIS MANNER FOR 1981/82.
/THE LOAN