We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum... Read More » This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.

📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Student MoneySaving

Archives for August 2014

interest/RPI payments on Student Loan
I am 52, femail, about to start 3yr full time degree. Husband self employed, pays me £625 per month. If I have to pay RPI on loan of £30000, over 50 years at an average of 5% p.a., then between 55 and 85 I will have paid £45000. At this stage in life, with no pension, I am thinking doing a degree is too risky financially…
HSBC Student A/C:too good to be true?
MoneySavingExpert.Com Best student A/Cs guide includes HSBC which unlike the others says there are NO FEES if you exceed your agreed overdraft. Is that correct? Seems too good to be true since all the others have fees (eg £10 per item for each attempted payments) &/or %interest. Presumably HSBC just stop any DirectDebits &…
Post-grad council tax
Hi, My son is starting his Masters next month. He will not get any finance from anywhere and has used his savings to pay for the course. I own the house where we live and unfortunately am unemployed. I have been paying almost 50% of the total council tax bill for us whist he is waiting to start his course. From what I…
Is SAAS correctly calculating household income?
Are there any guidelines for government departments to follow on what counts and does not count towards calculating household income for student funding? I thought that student bursaries/loans were assessed on taxable household income. But SAAS not only requires details of gross incomes but also on non-taxable interest…
Leave of Absence from College
I have been studying for 2 years of a 3 year full time College degree. I want to take a leave of absence for a year and would like to know what I need to do this. Thanks
Split the Bills
Has anyone any experience of using this online firm 'splitthebills' to sort out their student house share bills? Would be interested to hear if you have.
Getting to Sheffield Uni via public transport
Hi, Hope someone can help me. My 14yo is on a programme at University of Sheffield via a scheme his school participates in. Until now we have been able to drive him there an back, but due to a variety of other commitments he needs to learn how to get there and back under his own steam. There is a train from the village we…
Paying full rent on a bursary..
I start back at college on sept 1st and will have to pay full rent. Now, I expected this anyway, but I'm only paid a fortnights bursary in my first month, so meaning I will be in debt from the start as have no idea how they expect me to pay full rent and all other bills for the month of September? I know I can apply for…
Best part-time jobs for students
Does anybody have any tips on part time jobs for students, especially really flexible ones? My hours at uni are LONG and I don't feel I can make a commitment to a job every night, but I need to earn money somehow! I've come across a site offering one-off commission-type jobs- does anybody have any experience with this? So…
Graduated from the 'Old' loan system, now studying PGCE with 'new' system.
Hiya. I have just graduated and seeing as I started in 2011, I am under the 'old' loan system. However, I am about to start a PGCE in September and thinking about taking a loan. I am wondering how does it work once I am entitled to pay. As these loans will be on different % of interests. Does the 'old' loan get paid off…
Bursery overpayment 10yrs ago
Hi Wondering if anyone can help. i attended college 10yr ago and when i left the course early i had a bursery overpayment which i wasnt aware of & I moved house round about same time i left course. However 10 years and 2 children later i have decided to return to college. I applied for a course & was rejected on basis of…
Student Loans - Overpaid Grant
Hey Guys, Just wondering if anyone would be able to help me? I have been nagged by the Student Finance Debt company for the past year for a repayment from the grant they gave me. I provided them with my parents P60's for the 3 years at university and each year they gave me a grant. Now they are telling me that after…
SFE Tuition Fee Funding
Hi, I'm new to Money Saving Expert and have a query regarding payment of tuition fees by SFE which I hope you can help me with. Firstly, I apologise for this rather lengthy post. I'm a mature student who started a four year full time course at university in 2013 receiving full funding from SFE for payment of tuition fees.…
Has anyone had any experience with PRIVATE student loans companies?
If anyone knows of any or has has any experience with any private UK student loans companies, please get in touch! any info would be appreciated!
Study abroad insurance- Endsleigh
Hello, I'm going to starting my masters degree in Stockholm next week and haven't got any insurance yet. I'm thinking of getting Endsleigh study abroad insurance as it seems to be the best fit and allows for trips home in the holidays. Has anybody got any experience of them or can recommend something else? Thanks
Student house contents insurance
DD sharing with 3 others. Do they need a joint policy or individual ones? It's fully furnished so I am assuming it will just be for their personal belongings?
College course fees payable - no notice given
I wonder if anybody has some advice/ information for me.... My 19 year old DD applied to a course at college and was due to enrol today. They have just dropped the clanger that she will have to pay the course fees which amount to over £1000. She hasn't got that money and neither have I :( Maybe if we'd known in advance we…
Student finance in year financial assessment
Grateful for some advice please. My DD is about to start her 4th year( medicine). Last year I completed a current year income form and she got substantially more grant. When I tried to complete the online household income form in June 14 for the 14/15 academic year it would not let me proceed until I had provided evidence…
Crowdfunding for LPC fees?
I'm a thirty-something legal assistant. I've been undertaking a law degree in my spare time for the last few years. This year coming is my last year. I've been working full time throughout so that I can pay for the degree which has cost me in excess of £12k. I know, I'm lucky that I started the degree before annual fees…
Second year health and social care level 3 BTEC question
Hello From September 2013 to June 2014, I managed to complete my BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care at D* D* grade, but was unfortunately unable to progress due to being unable to afford the travel money to and from college (also rent money) For over a year, I have been trying and failing to find work so I…

★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

MSE News

Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
If you're a Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holder, the interest rate you're charged for using your overdraft could change soon as part of a fees shake-up. The Lloyds Banking Group, which owns all three brands, says millions of its customers will pay less after the changes – but a "few" will pay more.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more low-income households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

View All

Student MoneySaving

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

🚀 Getting Started

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free

Student MoneySaving

Discussion List

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

🚀 Getting Started

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free