SAAS too slow in processing applications

Students have been forced to start the semester without adequate funding as loan and bursary applications are delayed, an investigation by The Journal has found.

The Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) has been branded “disorganised” and “disappointing” by disgruntled students, with some being forced to extend their overdrafts to pay rent.

A number have been given contradictory information by the body, whilst others have had to wait 2 months between applying and being asked for additional evidence to support their claim. This has left some with loans and grants hundreds of pounds under what they are entitled to.

Catherine Hazley, a third year Law and History student at the University of Edinburgh, has only received the minimum base rate available to undergraduate students, despite being eligible for more. She submitted her application in June, but was only asked for additional information to support her claim last month.

She told The Journal: “I’m disappointed. If they’d let me know as soon they received my forms that I was missing something then the problem could have been rectified straight away. Instead, we’re four weeks in and I’m still only receiving the minimum which is simply not enough.”

Ms Hazley is one of a number of students that have spoken to The Journal about their problems with the award agency, which processes applications for support from Scottish students.

Third year Geology student Marlies Nicholls was told over the phone that her details had been received and she would be receiving her money in due course.

Five minutes later, however, she received a further email: “It asked me for a document I was sure I’d sent,” she told The Journal.

“I emailed back but heard nothing. I was forced to ring them again and after 45 confusing minutes they confirmed that they had in fact received the document and it was their mistake.

“The whole saga meant the money wasn’t in my account in time for the start of term.”

Kirstin Allardice, a third year Sports Science student at Edinburgh Napier, was unhappy with the information she received on the phone and visited SAAS’s office in Edinburgh.

She said: “There was just so much confusion on the phone. All I wanted to know was if my application had been received. The woman told me there was a 3-day backlog of post to work through so I thought it best to go down myself.

“They said I should have my money in a couple of weeks but I’ve heard nothing since.”

The Journal understands that despite having thousands more applicants than 2009/10, SAAS are ahead of where they were at this stage last year.

SAAS has tried to improve the system after the problems that occurred last year yet the general feeling around campus is that this is “typical”.

SAAS are unable to comment on individual cases.

Liam Burns, President of NUS Scotland, told The Journal: “It would be unacceptable for students who have applied before the SAAS deadline to face delays in receiving their much-needed funding, although SAAS has assured us they are processing applications within deadline and are ahead of where they were at this time last year."

As a result of The Journal's investigation, NUS Scotland have requested that anyone who is having problems with their SAAS application get in touch with them at mail@nus-scotland.org.uk.