Anyone know of any charitable trusts for single parent students???

smkelb

Hi all,just been told that i will be paying my tuition fee's as well as only getting childcare grant and student loan.grr!
This is due to fact i started a degree previously but couldn't finish 2nd year due to post natal depression.Apparently this isn't a good enough reason and now they are only giving me the bare min support.
I am a mum of 2 and singlely raising them so am wondering if there are any trust funds or charitable orgs out there that any one knows of that might help.
I know about the hardship fund at uni but they don't help when it comes to fee's apparently.so thought id look elsewhere,have tried searching the net,but either i need to buy a book of groups names and addresses or pay a sign up fee to find out.
If anyone has any ideas would be much appreciated.

Karnam

maybe look under the library's grant's books for students? I'm taking a 'gap year' between my 2nd and 3rd year in order to have my baby and i was under the impression from my university that all the money stays the same (with the addition of child care grant and parent's allowance) for my final year as i'm just finishing my degree. effectively I'm the same as industry gap year students as I'm doing the same course at the same institution.

it might be that if you are doing a different degree at a different institution, you'll have been assessed in the same way as someone who drops out of uni and goes elsewhere to do a different degree. the system is designed to discourage students from moving degrees and institutions all the time for no good reason.

however if its tuition fees that concern you... did you pay for tuition fees before when you started the degree? has the situation changed... ie are you being supported by a better off partner/family? i know that the parent's allowance and the tuition fee assessment is based on your family/partner's income and ability to contribute to your university costs. also it depends on age, did you apply as an independent student (ie. saying that you've been supporting yourself for 5+ years) or as a dependent on your parents?

it's all very complex, and i suggest a little visit or phone call to the LEA to find what excatly is going on.

Karnam

By the way, as a single parent you should also be getting some Income Support whilst you study.

j-baby-scotland

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smkelb

hi yeah i am still in same circumstances as before except now i have an additional child.so no support from any family,partner etc.but this is a diff degree at a diff uni.
That is why i apparently have to pay my own fee's.It is worked out depending upon if you have studied before.Only thing dependant singularly on income is loan,that is why i got that.
I am still getting income support yes.The problem is the childcare grant doesn't cover childcare costs,so all of the loan and parents allowance grant is used up paying for that and fee's i'll have to find out of my i.s.
That's why i figure if there is anything out there that might help, to grab it with both hands.
Thankyou for the replies.

chugalug

May not be helpful with the initial problems of how to pay your fees, but are you claiming tax credits aswell? Are you able to work at all? I know you'll have to earn a certain amount to make up for the Income support but it works better for me - and tax credits don't take into account your student income in the way IS does. The uni can help with time to pay fees - perhaps you could use your overdraft?? If you can work a few hours a week that could help. Have you claimed any housing benefit (if in rented accommodation)? Do you have a spare room? Can you work in the holidays? If not don't forget your IS will increase during the long summer break. I can't think of anything else at the moment but hope you can get it sorted out.

eml_3

Have you visited your student advice centre? They can help you argue that you left your course for compelling personal reasons with the LEA - I have had success with that before. If you have some medical evidence, that should help. Please do try this as they will often be able to help and then you won't have the fees issue.

As for charities and trusts, try http://www.egas-online.org/fwa/index.html for educational grants and trusts. the careers service at your uni should also have the Funderfinder programme which you can use to find charities to apply for.

The Access to Learning Fund (the Hardship Fund) can help with childcare, but they can't help with fees.

Welshdan

Just to add a bit more to the previous posters info about the access to learning fund. (ALF)

Although the ALF fund doesn't pay fees directly for you, If you can prove that you are facing financial hardship or will be facing financial hardship once you have paid fees then you may be eligible for a grant, sometimes upto £500

At our studens union (staffordshire) you can just call in and pick up a form

Some of the info on our union's website may be helpful, click the link below

ALF info

anneANNE_3

smkelb wrote:

I know about the hardship fund at uni but they don't help when it comes to fee's apparently.

EGAS are the charitable organisation which can put you in touch with charities which might help you.

I speak from experience having just become postgrad. On the hardship fund
they will not help you with fees but they gave me £2000 a year for help with living expenses. I think as a single parent of one child living in rented accommodation( council) they said i needed at least £17,000 to live on and as my student loan, childcare grant and housing benefit only came to 15,000 they gave me the shortfall.
You can then use it for whatever you want to. Good luck

fabwitch_2

What about studying with the Open University. If you are on income suport you can apply to have your course fees paid for .

[Deleted User]

The ALF is specifically excluded from paying for fees, but if paying for fees leaves you short they can cover that shortfall.

As a parent you should apply for Income Support and Housing Benefit - you should get a reduced amount during term time and almost the full entitlement in the long summer vacation. Your University or Students' Union should have someone who can advise you on this. Failing that try your local CAB.

All the best