No cuts to Jersey students funding, says minister

The student funding scheme is due to come into effect in September 2023

There will no cuts to financial support for university students during the next academic year, Jersey's Education Minister Inna Gardiner has said.

She also said a one-off increase to student maintenance grants, introduced in 2022, was to be made permanent.

The student funding scheme is due to come into effect in September 2023 and details will not be made public until at least the end of January, she said.

Campaigners said delays meant students and parents could not plan finances.

"We can't be sitting around for months not knowing what's going to happen," said Nicki Heath, from the Jersey Student Loan Support Group.

"We have no idea what this September's grant figure will be for students, so parents can't even financially plan for September and know what their student is likely to be able to receive and what gap they are going to need to fund.

"At the current rates that we've got, it isn't enough even to pay rent in student halls."

She continued: "If these figures don't appear until students have to sign contracts for accommodation, and then they discover that the grant they're going to get is not going to be enough to cover and the parents can't afford to cover any gaps, then they're in a predicament, aren't they?

"Where do they find the extra funds?"

Funding through the years

Jersey's government offers islanders hoping to attend university means-tested help with both tuition fees and living costs.

For the academic years beginning in September 2018, September 2019, September 2020 and September 2021, the maintenance grant - which is intended to cover living expenses, including accommodation, food and books - remained capped at a maximum of £7,500.

But, from September 2022, ministers agreed to increase the cap to £7,718 - a rise of 2.9%.

And the following month, amid growing concern over rising living costs, the government approved an additional one-off payment of 7.2%, resulting in an overall rise of 10.1% on the previous year's maintenance grant.

According to Jersey's government's website, prices in Jersey rose by 17.8% between September 2018 and September 2022.

Ms Gardiner said that her department was "currently working hard" to develop the funding arrangements for the next academic year.

"At this time, I can reassure students and families that I have no plans to make any reductions in grants, funding will at least stay the same.

"The one-off increase to maintenance grants which I implemented last year will be made permanent," she said.

"As I have already explained to the Jersey Student Loan Support Group, I will share details of the proposed changes as soon as I am in a position to do so.

"I advised them that the earliest this could happen is the end of this month.

"Students are entitled to know where they stand, and I will make sure they know of any changes in good time to plan ahead for the next academic year."

Jersey's government faced questions in October 2022 after it confirmed 642 university students from the island were still waiting for confirmation of the financial support they would receive, even though the term had already begun.

At the time, Ms Gardiner said that she was "fully committed" to improving the service ahead of the next academic year by increasing communication between applicants and the department, and by giving a "more specific timescale" for those applying.

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