Students Losses Sleep Trying to Get a Loan Approved

By Ifeyinwa Susan Francis

A university student said he “couldn’t sleep” while trying to get his student loan approved before his second year.

Sameer Ahmed Khan moved from Turkey to Spalding in 2019. He received settlement status in July. Khan then spent weeks going back and forth with the Student Loans Company (SLC).

He feared the delay could stop him from continuing his business and management degree at ARU Peterborough in September.

SLC said it would now process his application. The Home Office had updated his settlement status.

Mr Khan got his first-year loan using a biometric residence permit. At the time, he had a five-year route-to-settlement visa.

In July, he applied for indefinite leave to remain. He received it and gained settlement status. This lets him live, work, and study in the UK without time limits.

His mother, Sana Alvandi, said SLC asked for a share code to check his status. Mr Khan gave it to them, but their system rejected it three times.

Because of this, SLC denied his loan application multiple times.

Mr Khan said the situation left him devastated.

“I just want my voice to be heard,” he said.

“There were days I couldn’t cope. Sometimes I couldn’t sleep. If this kept happening, I could lose my academic career over stupid things.”

‘Lose his future’

Ms Alvandi said it felt like “knocking on a door and it not opening, even though I had a key.”

“My son felt like he was going to lose his future,” she added.

SLC said it gets regular updates from the Home Office. It cannot process applications until it receives those updates.

A spokesperson said, “Now that the Home Office has updated Mr Khan’s status, we will process his application as per our rules.”

Professor Ross Renton, Principal of ARU Peterborough, said, “We proudly welcome students from across the world, the UK, and our local area.”

“Each student brings something unique. Their energy enriches our university and the city of Peterborough. We’re proud to support them.”

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