I got a £10,000 loan for my nursing degree. Now they say it’s an error and I have to pay it back

I got a £10,000 loan for my nursing degree. Now they say it’s an error and I have to pay it back

David Robinson, an NHS nurse, recently discovered that the £10,538 maintenance loan he received for his nursing degree would need to be repaid in full. The loan was approved for his one-year postgraduate diploma in adult nursing, which he completed in summer 2025 at Edge Hill University in Liverpool. However, a message from his university revealed that the course was not eligible for financial support, prompting an accelerated repayment process.

The Student Loans Company (SLC) has sent letters to 22,000 students enrolled in weekend courses, informing them their qualifications were not eligible for loans or grants. Although Robinson’s program was full-time, featuring clinical placements over several months, it fell under the same rule. The BBC reports that the SLC now claims such courses are not routinely funded, leaving students in financial limbo.

“I was concerned, I can only repay what I can afford,” said Robinson, who is now back working as an NHS nurse. “It just doesn’t make any sense to me whatsoever, and it may not instil any confidence in people wanting to undertake the course that I have done, and be a nurse.”

In a joint statement, affected universities expressed “extreme concern” over the SLC’s decision, hinting at potential legal action. They emphasized their commitment to supporting students during the review. The SLC, meanwhile, stated that some institutions had misclassified distance learning courses, adding that they would assist with “affordable repayment plans” where possible.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson acknowledged the issue, stating that the fault lies not with the students but with universities that “either incompetent or abused the system.” She urged immediate action to mitigate financial strain on those impacted.

Teaching assistant Lou Osborne, who retake her GCSE maths and science exams to qualify for her education degree at the University of Sunderland, faced a similar fate. She described her two-year accelerated program, including Saturday lectures, as “amazing.” However, the SLC’s decision to revoke her £3,500 maintenance loan has left her in a “panic,” as she now owes money for books and transport with no option for delayed payments.

“We’re paying into the economy by working and are now told, ‘You don’t deserve help because you’re part-time,’” Osborne said. “It’s not a handout, we know we have to pay.”