Government reforms designed to modernise student funding have been dismissed as trivial "tinkering" by student unions.
Student leaders at Oxford University and Oxford Brookes University were unimpressed by changes to the Government's student support rules, which help ease the burden on married students under 25, and students aged over 54. Under the changes, announced by the Lifelong Learning and Higher Education Minister Margaret Hodge, students aged under 25 will be considered financially independent from their parents from the first academic year after marriage, rather than waiting the current two years, and students over 54 will be eligible for travel and dependents' grants.
Currently, students must be aged under 50, or aged 50 to 54 and intending to enter employment upon graduation, to be eligible for the grants.
The changes will come into force from the start of the next academic year. They will cost the Government £3.5m and will benefit around 4,500 students.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article