Funding a second undergrad degree

xFlake · 21 April 2008 at 12:43AM

Hi guys.

I'm currently in the second year of an undergrad degree and am considering a second undergrad degree when I finish, so I guess now is the time to start gathering information. With me opting for student support for this degree I am ineligible for student support for a second degree so this is all about funding it.

Now rough calculations suggest I will need approx £9k per academic year to fund myself. That's £3k for fees, £3 for accommodation and £3k for food and other necessities.

Bank loans are a no no and my parents just cannot afford to support me. Basically I'm looking for advice from anyone who has done this themselves, knows someone who has done this or who can simply offer advice.

I'm looking at taking Law with University of Manchester being my preferred location, however depending on bursaries/scholarships I would be willing to consider other universities (of course they have to accept me).

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

:money:

melancholly · 21 April 2008 at 12:49AM

i guess the question to ask is why you want to do this and what your ultimate aim is after the second degree? is there another way of getting to where you want to be that isn't going to cost the earth?

e.g. if you want to do law, don't bother doing a full undergrad degree, just do a conversion course and see if you can get sponsored by a company to do that.
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/career_advice/Postgraduate_Law_Jobs_and_Courses/p!ecdfeej

melancholly · 21 April 2008 at 12:51AM

also - put this date in your diary now:
http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/careers/aboutus/events/careersfairs/lawfair/

Oldernotwiser · 21 April 2008 at 7:40AM

I agree with Melancholly; there's rarely any reason for taking a second undergraduate degree and certainly not for law. Have a chat with your careers department and they'll help you look at your options.

Rosie75 · 21 April 2008 at 11:46PM

I'd certainly look into the conversion, as others have suggested. The government is planning to remove funding for second undergraduate degrees, which means that the fees you would have to pay for a law degree would be significantly higher than £3k (the £3k is a subsidised rate for home students - you'd be looking at the overseas rate).

kr15snw · 22 April 2008 at 8:44AM

I would definately look at other options. A friend on my course is doing a second undergrad degree (completely changed subjects from when she did it first time) and she has found it extremely hard. She works full time (8 hour days, 5 days a week) around her lectures so that she can afford to attend the course. She struggles a lot and wouldnt reccomend it to anyone else.

Another friend from my previous course wanted to continue to the degree, but as he did a degree years ago he couldnt get any help either. So he didnt do it, as there was no way he could afford to support himself.

hoppityhop87 · 23 April 2008 at 2:35PM

dear smh, i am in the EXACT position as u! althought i am thinkng of aplpying for optometry after studying biomedical engineering. i have chosen this as i can't see any prospects for biomedical engineering. they are expecting me to pay 8k per academic year...i can't afford it..my paretns can't afford to fund me either! any1 have ideas?

mark1024 · 25 April 2008 at 3:06PM

I have recently heard that Birkbeck and South Bank University in London have decided to hold off increasing fees this year for those with previous degrees.

Unfortunately not relevant for my proposed further study, but might be a last chance for many to escape the huge increases in fees. They should remain relatively low for the duration of the course.

Mark

moneybelle · 25 April 2008 at 11:09PM

Shame on the government for stopping so many intelligent people reach their full potential.

We need Richard Branson to invent a discount university now.

melancholly · 26 April 2008 at 12:09PM

moneybelle wrote: »

Shame on the government for stopping so many intelligent people reach their full potential.

We need Richard Branson to invent a discount university now.

well the change in funding does only apply to second undergrad degrees. whilst it isn't ideal, i do think it's fairer to push all the money they have into more access to first degrees (and maybe some more into postgrad funding too - however unlikely that is to happen!).

i don't think there should be any fees at all, but while there are, i can understand this decision.

Oldernotwiser · 26 April 2008 at 1:31PM

In the past you could only normally guarantee funding for 3 years. If you dropped out in the first year or wanted to change courses the funding became totally discretionary for any other course you might want to do. I did 2 terms of a course and then left; when I came to apply a couple of years later I was told that if I supported myself for the first year the LEA would then consider (no guarantee) offering me funding for the final 2 years. Although in some ways the current system's tough, in other ways it's easier than it used to be.

Funding a second undergrad degree

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