Students fight travel expenses discrimination

A GROUP of university students from Shetland have set up an e-petition and a Facebook site in protest to recent changes to the way they can claim travel expenses from the Students Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).

Gemma Mann, Victoria Laurenson and Astryd Jamieson hope their public campaign will force the SAAS to “change their unfair system regarding travel expenses”.

Under the new system, the SAAS will pay travel cost of £350 per year for those on the highest loan package. Students on lower loan packages will receive a reduced travel cost element.

This arrangement, Ms Mann said, penalises students from the islands and the more rural parts of Scotland because their annual travel costs are much higher, usually between £400 and £600 per year.

Up until recently, students were able to reclaim their full travel expenses by handing in all receipts.

Ms Mann said: “The new system means that travel expenses will not be geographically means tested – hence the larger the loan you receive the larger amount of travel expenses you will be given by the SAAS, the maximum being £350. 

“Shetland students will be losing out with most of us being quoted just £50 per year for four return trips home.

Ms Jamieson added: “My travel expenses to and from university, 3 times during the year for the holidays and using the cheapest methods, will cost in excess of £450.

“SAAS won’t even give me their maximum of £350, as I don’t receive the maximum loan. How can this be fair?”

Their case is being supported by Shetland MSP Tavish Scott who has called on the SNP government to think again, and described the SAAS changes as “discrimination against Shetland students”.

The e-petition ‘Help islanders and rural students claim back travel expenses’ had just below 100 signatures on Monday morning, and  can be found at: www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/saasdiscrimination

Their Facebook site with 271 ‘Likes’ is at: www.facebook.com/pages/S-A-A-S-Discriminating-Against-Islanders/246972708680944