Collect Tesco clubcard points for uni fees

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Wei Yan

: Tesco clubcard points for uni fees

Tesco will allow customers to save clubcard points towards the cost of distance learning courses at ten universities.

The supermarket has signed a deal with Resource Development International (RDI) which means that, from April, those who use the supermarket’s loyalty card will be able to use points earned on the weekly shop, towards the cost of a degree. Sheffield Hallam University is one of the ten universities which has signed up to the scheme.

The government will increase tuition fees from the current cost of £3,290 per year to £6,000 from 2012, with universities allowed to charge £9,000 in exceptional circumstances.

The announcement has caught shoppers’ attention.

“It’s only marketing, and everyone will think it’s amazing,” said Niall McLoughlin, a student learning Automotive Design, from PistonHeads forum.

“But if you sit down and think what’s actually useful, the tuition fee is a loan anyway, so it doesn’t have any effect until you start paying it back so it genuinely makes no difference to any student.”

A person named blueg33 at PistonHeads forum also stated: “I think it’s a good idea. Previously, Tesco points from family shopping just got me £1200 of stay (2 room 2 nights) at Park Lane Hilton. I would happily forego that long weekend to contribute to Junior’s tuition fees.”

Sheffield Hallam Official Statement

Posted on December 9, 2010 by Jenny Greenwell

A Sheffield Hallam University spokesperson said gave JUS News their reaction to the proposed tuition fee rise.

“There are many positive elements in the Government’s proposals for University funding and student finance. However, we would have preferred to see public funding reduced but not abolished, with increases in fees restricted to around £5k. This would have minimised risk and turbulence in the sector.

“The Coalition is right to argue that roughly the same amount of public funding will be going into support higher education, but that it will be channelled through the student. However, there are real differences in the effect of channelling the funding in this way.

“Universities that are not able to attract students will not capture enough student ‘fee’ income and will therefore be vulnerable to financial fluctuations. There could also be potentially huge differences in income, depending on the level of fee that they can charge. This could lead to considerable turbulence in the sector and heighten risk for institutions and their students.

“In terms of student funding, whilst the news emphasis has been on the level of “upfront fee”, the real emphasis should be on the generous payment options.

“As with the current scheme, there is no upfront fee. Admission to a University is free.

“With the new proposals, at every earnings level graduates will pay less than under the current scheme, and graduates won’t start paying until they are earning £21k. So a graduate earning £25k p.a. will pay £7.50 per week, which is the equivalent of two or three pints of beer.

“Any ‘debt’ is written off after 30 years. If a graduate continues to earn a low salary throughout that period, they will pay only £10.7k towards the £39k cost of their higher education.

“There is no material difference between this framework and a graduate tax, except that this has the advantage of being time-limited. At thirty years, the graduate stops paying. In a graduate tax, they would continue paying.

“It should more accurately be called a graduate contribution scheme.”

Sheffield Student Protesters Might be Forced to Leave

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Jop10aph

Sheffield student protesters claim that the University is threatening them with an injunction to leave the lecture theatre they have occupied since Tuesday evening.

Around 35 core demonstrators occupied the Richard Roberts lecture theatre in the latest in a long chain of protests against the rise in tution fees.

The protesters are also demanding that the University should activley email students and staff details on how government cuts will affect individual departments.

They say they are keen not to disrupt any lectures or seminars and the university has yet to officially confirm their position on the occupation.

This follows announcements that MPs will vote on raising tuition fees on the 9th of December.