UCAS signs contract with Student Loans Company

09 July 2008

UCAS and the Student Loans Company have signed a contract agreeing to share applicant data in order to align the process of applying for student finance with the UCAS system of applying for a university or college place.

For entry in 2009, once students have submitted their applications and have access to Track (the online application monitoring service), they will be invited to share their personal details and their course choices with the Student Loans Company.

The data-sharing initiative, which is part of the larger SLC Customer First Programme, is the first and one of the most important milestones to be delivered as a result of Government’s end-to-review of student finance, which reported its recommendations in November 2005.

The end-to-end review concluded that there should be a single national provider of HE student finance in England and the SLC has taken over responsibility from the 150 or so local authorities that previously managed student finance applications.

The immediate arrangements are for students domiciled in England only. Future phases of delivery will include Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland has different arrangements for student finance.

Commenting on the signing, UCAS Chief Executive Anthony McClaran said: We are indebted to many colleagues across both companies who have worked hard to achieve a seamless customer journey for applying for their university or college course and for their student finance package.

Ralph Seymour-Jackson, Chief Executive of the Student Loans Company said: We are delighted that the formal arrangement for sharing applicant data is now in place. It is the unique selling point for the new student finance service.

Media contact

Byron Price, Communications Executive
Telephone: 01242 544987
Email: communications@ucas.ac.uk
Out of hours: 07768 740 461