Jersey university grants change take effect

Changes to how university grants are calculated for students in Jersey have taken effect.

If parents are separated or divorced, the Education Department can now take the income of their new partner into account.

Previously the level of grant would have just been based on the income of the parent with which the student lived for most of the time.

The department expects the change to save the government £500,000 a year.

Figures previously released by the department said 38% of parents sending their children to university referred to themselves as single parents for the purposes of student finance.

All students have to pay at least £1,500 towards their studies, but can have the rest of their tuition fees paid and more than £5,000 contributed towards their living costs.