Student finance in Jersey will be undergoing some changes from the start of the next academic year in September. This includes a rise in maintenance grants of 3.8%, which will provide approximately £1000 extra to help students get by, compared to 2021. This applies to all residents, including those studying on the island as well as those studying elsewhere. It also applies to both independent and dependent students.
This increase follows from a 2.9% increase that went into effect last September. This was followed by a one-off 7.2% increase, which has since been made permanent. All told, there have been three increases made in the space of a year.
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These changes come in the wake of the ongoing cost of living crisis in the UK. While the national inflation rate stands at 9.2%, the island community of Jersey has seen particularly difficult circumstances. Last year alone, the cost of living in Jersey rose by 12.7%, according to the Jersey Evening Post. This has caused students and their parents to have to make some difficult decisions in regards to their education.
Deputy Inna Gardiner, Jersey’s Education Minister, stated: “Student Finance is – for many students – the additional support that enables them to study for a degree, especially those who are studying off-Island.
“I want to make sure that the maintenance grant rises in line with the cost of living, especially for students who are studying independently. That is why this is the second time I’ve announced an increase to maintenance grants since taking office.”
“I will also continue to work with officers to look at the system as a whole, and consider how we can provide the most fair, targeted support going forwards. Any changes will be designed to offer the same level – or more – financial support. Changes will also be automatically applied to the grant calculation, so I would urge Islanders to apply for Student Finance as soon as they can,” she added.
In addition to increasing the funds available, the changes also aim to streamline the application process so that the funds are easier to access. The income statement form is now available to be completed online, without the need for paper documents. In addition, students and parents can now upload all necessary information to a documents portal, where they can also view the results of their application.
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