Around two thirds of
university student applicants from
England &Wales who have applied for maintenance grants for last year (2006) were unsuccessful.
The Student
Loans Company has said 27% of 273,000 applicants had received full grants of £1,000 and 7% a smaller amount. The total cost was £83m to the SLC.
English education ministers forecast about 30% would get the full amount.
Grants are available on a sliding scale for
students - whose household incomes are lower than £21,185 a year.
The maximum is only available for families making £15,200 or less.
The Higher Education Grant was introduced in 2004 to help with living costs - much needed for the majority of students.
The Higher Education Grant rose to a maximum of £2,700 when
tuition fees went up to £3,000 a year in the autumn of 2006.
student finance UK - for students, by students 
