-
Student placement
Hi daughter is 3rd year university but is in a placement year. Her placement is with a charity linked to a hospital so is not a wage earning placement. She gets the very basic loan as not at uni for this year. She will be travelling daily and already had first 5 weeks of train tickets booked. Her train fare has now doubled…
-
Student Loan, should my son borrow the maximum loan?
My eldest son is going to start university to study math at one of the best universities this year. He is offered the maximum loan for tuition fees and maintenance grants. I am able to help with his living cost. I wonder if he would be better off for him borrowing the maximum or just taking the tuition loan. If all goes…
-
Study abroad
My daughter is due to go to Austria to study abroad for a term. She would like to use a pre-paid debit card in order to avoid conversion fees. She will be making multiple transactions while she is there, some big (rent) and some small. Which card would be best as some of them have strict number of uses per month and then…
-
A-Level results warning: putting off uni until next year could cost £10,000s more
School leavers getting their A-Level results this week should be aware that deferring for a year means they'll be on the new student finance system coming in England in September 2023, and will repay their loan for a much longer period, potentially costing £10,000s more. Read the full story here. And if you haven’t…
-
Signed up for student studio apartment in Coventry - Now not going back next year
OK, Son signed a contract for a nice studio apartment in Coventry for his final year (this coming September). He now isn't going back in September - unfortunately he needs to take a year out . They are lovely studios, on campus. Can only be occupied by a student.…
-
Student loans - international or UK?
My son is a UK citizen, he has spent 2 years studying in Switzerland. Does Student loans now class him as an international student or UK student to be eligible for UK grants and loans? Universities in the UK can not advise on this as they do not know!
-
Parent of Student having issues with hire company of Graduation gown
Hi, I am looking for some advice regarding a graduation gown hire service my daughter has used. My daughter was due to graduate from the university after a two-year covid-related deferral and hired her gown and cap as expected. On the day of her graduation, she was very ill running a fever. She missed her graduation and…
-
Ineligible for Financial Assisstance from Student Finance Wales After Living Abroad (Belgium)
Hi, I've recently been accepted onto a Master's course at Sheffield Uni and went to apply for a postgraduate loan with Student Finance Wales and they've told me I am ineligible for assistance because I haven't been ordinarily resident in the UK for the last 3 years. I'm originally from Wales but have been living in Belgium…
-
Students - Year Abroad
My son is due to start his uni degree year abroad in September and I wondered which bank account would be best. He'll be studying for 4mths in Portugal & 3mths in France, then working for 4mths in Spain. He's currently with Santander. Does anyone know if you need a Spanish current account if you're working there??
-
Am I getting right amount of grant as it doesnt even cover my rent?
Hi hope some one can help last year i started a full time course in Chester the first 4 months i was going to to college from home but in the January I moved into student accommadation £120 a week all bills included i had 5k of my own money i only recieved 2 x £2250 poundish grants which barely covers rent . My parents are…
-
Help with childcare?
I'm a student nurse in Scotland on the open university pathway. I don't get a nursing bursary as my employer pays me for placements. I only deal with SAAS for DSA, my employer/the Scottish government pays my fees. My income is £21,777 pa when I'm on full pay (I've been on mat leave), husbands income is £40,057. I go back…
-
Recommendations for student loans for short term courses.
Any suggestions please? Thanks
-
Should I go to University as a mature student
Hi everyone. A while back I posted a thread asking the broad question of whether I should go to University or not. Long story short, I now must decide whether I should do an Access to HE Diploma and then head to University, or simply look for a job. In this current climate (pun intended :D ) I'm having mixed feelings. On…
-
Plan 1 Loan pay off or not
Ill try to keep it simple, My estimation at current loan, 03-06 £15k (Write off at 65) 07-08 £4k (Write off after 25 years) I probably pay off £500 a year and I'm 37yo. I'm self employed so earnings change but don't really have desire to earn much more in future. I could pay it off from my savings if wanted to. Question 1…
-
Student Finance income change
I am applying for my daughters student maintenance grant and they have asked for my tax year ending 20-21. This amount is £38500. However I had been laid off in June 2021 and only just found employment in March 2022. Due to being between jobs I have not received a P60 for the current year? and only earned approx. £10-11…
-
***Change of contract for new student house in Aug 22 - changes to gas/elec allowance*** Advice!!
I'm a parent of a student about to move in to a student house in August. Contract was signed in Dec 21. 9 students moving in together. They took out an unlimited gas/elec agreement with lettings agent. However in that time obviously gas/elec has risen. I'd like to know their rights. Can a letting agent change the policy…
-
Student rent that includes utilities going up because of Increasing energy prices
My son and his 2 friends (who will be starting their 2nd year study at University in Sept) signed a tenancy
agreement for a 2nd year student property back in December. The tenancy is for a 12 month rental starting in August. Utilities are included in their monthly rental payment, and these utilities are limited by a fair…
-
Student Maintenance Loans and Household Residual Income
Our twins are off to university next year, and we are keen to maximise our maintenance loans. At the end of this year, my wife intends taking a career break and supplementing her loss of income by lump sum Draw Downs (or UFPLS -Unchristallised Funds Pension Lump Sums) from her pension. The only other "income" then, will be…
-
Write-off date of multiple plan 1 loans
Hi - I have quite a specific question about write-off of my plan 1 loans. I have 2 separate loans both plan 1 I attended university in 2006, left in 2008 with that loan going into repayment April 2009. Under normal circumstances, this loan would be written off April 2034. I then went back to university on a different…
-
With the changes to student loans coming in 2023, is it worth my child deferring applying for loan?
Hi all, my young adult will be starting uni this year (2022) on a six year course (medicine so likely to have good job security/earning progression)... obviously thinking now about applying for a tuition and maintenance loan. We'd only get the minimum maintenance. I'm uncertain whether long term it's be better for her if…
