Oxford University rejects applicant based on his financial situation.

[Brennan]

A court is being asked to decide whether a student's human rights were breached when an Oxford college turned him down on financial grounds.

Damien Shannon, 26, from Salford alleges St Hugh's College is discriminating against poorer students.
He says the college withdrew the offer of a place because he could not prove he had £12,900 for living costs. He wants the restriction removed.
The college will ask Manchester County Court to dismiss the claim later.
Mr Shannon wants the court to order the Oxford University college to remove the financial rule, claiming it contravenes the Human Rights Act, and to allow him to take up his postgraduate place in the next academic year.

In his claim to the court he states: "It is my contention that the effect of the financial conditions of entry is to select students on the basis of wealth and to exclude those not in possession of it."
Mr Shannon alleges his place on the year-long economic and social history course was withdrawn due to the "arbitrary figure" the college had set.
He said the sum required by the college was "not obtainable" for most people.
He had calculated he could live off the £9,000 he had access to after taking out a loan to cover his tuition fees.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-21465879

Seems wrong to me, it's not the place of Universities to be deciding whether people can and cannot afford to do a course, or at least it shouldn't be.

 

[ijjysmith]

Seems wrong to me, it's not the place of Universities to be deciding whether people can and cannot afford to do a course, or at least it shouldn't be.

Agree.

If he ends up not being able to pay for his course then they can kick off.

 

[Kurt.]

Stinks of Establishment all over.

 

[Baines' left foot]

£13K for accomodation? You'd want breakfast in bed for that FFS!

But yeah, I agree. Snobs.

 

[Brennan]

Agree.

If he ends up not being able to pay for his course then they can kick off.

Worst thing is it's not even the course fees, they're saying because he hasn't got £12,900 that he can't live properly for the duration. Ridiculous.

 

[gheesom]

They don't want the wrong sort in the old boys club!!

 

[bluejock]

If he can't afford the accommodation and they have to kick him off the course, that's one place on the course that could've gone to someone else.

Draconian but I can see the logic behind it.

 

[Fensta]

Who cares, Oxford is full of snobby ponces anyway.

 

[Brennan]

If he can't afford the accommodation and they have to kick him off the course, that's one place on the course that could've gone to someone else.

Draconian but I can see the logic behind it.

He wouldn't be staying in Uni accommodation though. They've basically said 'you cant live of £9k per year, so [Poor language removed]'

 

[Bruce Wayne]

If he can't afford the accommodation and they have to kick him off the course, that's one place on the course that could've gone to someone else.

Draconian but I can see the logic behind it.

Whilst understandable to an extent, it does seem unusual to see universities looking at whether applicants can afford the living costs.

As far as I'm aware, student loans aren't available for postgrad courses so he'd have needed to prove he had the funds for the course fees, but his living arrangements are surely none of their business?

I mean you'd imagine that if someone had met the intellectual requirements for going that they had the smarts to figure out their living arrangements.

Having said all that of course, he clearly hasn't had his human rights violated. It seems a crappy call by Oxford, but they haven't breached his human rights. It'd be nice if we preserved that term for things that really mattered rather than tossing it about for any old thing.

 

[Woolly Blue]

Who cares, Oxford is full of snobby ponces anyway.

You sir are an inverted snob.

 

[Allezfan]

You sir are an inverted snob.

A Bons?

 

[Mrk]

£12,900 is just about minimum wage for somebody working 40 hours a week - so how they expect him to earn that and study is beyond me. They should ensure he can afford the course, but how he lives during that is none of their business.

I'm tempted to say he deserves it though for claiming it breaches his Human Rights.

 

[bluejock]

To be fair lads, I didn't read the full story. I saw Salford, Oxford, couldn't afford, and human rights. I jumped to conclusions, conclusions which I'm happy with. I'm not even going to go back and read the story again.

Sniff it poor people.

 

[Brennan]

To be fair lads, I didn't read the full story. I saw Salford, Oxford, couldn't afford, and human rights. I jumped to conclusions, conclusions which I'm happy with. I'm not even going to go back and read the story again.

Sniff it poor people.

Rather live on the streets in England than a mansion in Scotland lad.

FREEEEEDOM