The great 'what I wish I'd known before I was a student' hunt

Wiggynut

quirky85 wrote: »

Access to learning fund- extra money for you

Go to student services, ask for a Access to learning fund form, fill it out and you will get non repyable funds to your account. Its extra funding your uni has and are willing to give out to students. Can get from £250. Will just need to present a few photocopy's of proof of being a student etc. but you will be used to that by start of uni.

but if you get grants/loans etc then you're not entitled to this right?
or is this something that all students can apply for - what are the exclusions?

quirky85

No exclusions, it is extra support that you may be eligible for depending on your household income. And you dont pay it back. It is a seperate scheme from student loans, as student loan you pay back along with the interest. Max you can get is £1000 for income £15000 or less and then decreases as the household income is greater. Dont be confused by this. Not many people know about this and dont realise how helpful it is, by assuming they will not be elligible. I filled it out and got a letter with a breakdown of how much i will get each semester confirming it is non repayable. Whilst some of my student friends got around £1000 i got £250, at least i got some. Hope this helps and give it a try you are allowed it.

quirky85

Wiggynut wrote: »

but if you get grants/loans etc then you're not entitled to this right?
or is this something that all students can apply for - what are the exclusions?

No exclusions, it is extra support that you may be eligible for depending on your household income. And you dont pay it back. It is a seperate scheme from student loans, as student loan you pay back along with the interest. Max you can get is £1000 for income £15000 or less and then decreases as the household income is greater. Dont be confused by this. Not many people know about this and dont realise how helpful it is, by assuming they will not be elligible. I filled it out and got a letter with a breakdown of how much i will get each semester confirming it is non repayable. Whilst some of my student friends got around £1000 i got £250, at least i got some. Hope this helps and give it a try you are allowed it.

Wiggynut

quirky85 wrote: »

No exclusions, it is extra support that you may be eligible for depending on your household income. And you dont pay it back. It is a seperate scheme from student loans, as student loan you pay back along with the interest. Max you can get is £1000 for income £15000 or less and then decreases as the household income is greater. Dont be confused by this. Not many people know about this and dont realise how helpful it is, by assuming they will not be elligible. I filled it out and got a letter with a breakdown of how much i will get each semester confirming it is non repayable. Whilst some of my student friends got around £1000 i got £250, at least i got some. Hope this helps and give it a try you are allowed it.

I know the Uni gives out a busary of £310.
they did send me a letter saying people who are the first to go to uni can get a bursary of £1,000 (my brother went.. so poo!)
might have to ask when i go... do you know if when in enrolling you can apply or do you have to wait until the course actually starts? (I enrole the week before)

Anna2042

There are two vital things I learned whilst at uni. First thing is that the student loans company are a bunch of useless....people! Half way through Uni I decided to stop my student loan and get a job - this was the best decision I ever made. It didn't affect my studies (I got a first) or my Uni life (still went out and got sloshed!). I've now pretty much paid off my student loan at 25. I also got valuable work experience and went straight into full time work after Uni. Keep on top of student loan repayments too - if you pay it off mid-year, the student loan company will continue to take money until the end of the year unless you tell them not too!

Second thing is to start your dissertation as early as possible - then you can sit back and relax whilst your friends are running around trying to hit deadlines!

turts2008

Great thread. About to embark upon my third year, and I wish I knew about this website in year 1! My useful tips:
- Find the right bank account- what you want is an interest free overdraft.
- Use MSE and Hotukdeals for the vouchers/freebies as much as possible!
- When shopping at supermarkets buy things from the 'value' range- trying to limit to £20 a week shopping max!
- Alcholic drink deals- always find the best supermarket for deals- Iceland suprisingly is very good for these nowadays.
- Get a student card and national rail card asap!/ you never know when you might need them!
- The reoccuring mentioning of books is definetely correct. Buy the one or two core module books, but the smaller modules/assignment you can use the library and lecture handouts.
- Avoid going out on Fridays and Saturdays. Not only because in big towns the locals can be rather rowdy, but also because drink prices rise considerably!
- Use studentbeans.com...tells of all the good student offers around in the country!
- Turn off lights/ televisions before going out if living in a house! (Lived with 9 people in year 2...payed over £100 for electricity alone one month!!) Buy engergy saving lightbulbs/(or some very good candles )
- Getting a job even just on a Saturday is good. Extra 40-50 pays for the nights out the following week! Bar/ cafe work/ high street shops always want people to work weekends.
Hope it helps!

alex_shough

I'm starting my 1st year in three weeks, realy finding this page very helpful - thankyou all.

Two things I'm already glad about knowing...

a)Megabus or the NationalExpress funfares mean you will never need to catch a train. Though my friend pointed out I'm more suitable to coaches as I'm like a foot shorter then he is. If you book a week or two in advance you'll rarely be spending more then a tenner for a return trip- I just booked tickets to go to leeds from birmingham for £5.50 via megabus, and that's for monday!

That leads on to a point of not going with the bank offering the student rail card - there rates make up for the rather nifty freebie, which I wouldn't be using anyway.

Oh, and if you do need to travel via train: checkout local trainsites for much lower fares.

b)I'm lucky in that I know the closest supermarket to me is a Lidl not a waitrose, but even if your not so lucky.. sniff out the closest Aldi/Lidl and deal with 'tasty choco balls' rather then coco pops for a few years.

dom2345

most people on this thread have said get a job and i wouldn't have survived my first two years at uni without one (now going into my third year).

what i have found is the university pays significantly more than shops and bars in the local town. i work in the computer pool room supervising which means i sit there and do my uni work or watch films. but i get £7.40 an hour which is much more than most other places in town pay, and the job is term time only which means i do not have to arrange taking holiday and getting time off during the uni holidays.

i would also recommend getting involved in the student union i have been an officer for two years and although for most roles within the union you will not get paid it does have it's perks, like free entry on student union club nights which are sometimes the cheapest nights around. it also means any payed work that union does have, flyering, showing people round, helping in the office they ask you first.

finland_girl

i'm a student at the moment, and i'm on an erasmus exchange to finland. As well as the experience of living in another country, learning a new language and being taught a whole new approach to my studies it will also lessen my loan.
I have applied for, and am (hopefully) going to recieve a erasmus grant for my accomodation each month, i can apply for help with one set of return flights, and (depending on where you go and for how long) you can apply for a discount to your tuition fees.
this isnt why i applied, i only found out the full extent of the grant possibilities after being accepted but if i stay for one year i will need 6 grand less loan!!!!!!
erasmus is only for europe, but there are other places and schemes available, possibly with financial help available.
i'm learning lots, meeting lovely people and having a brilliant adventure, i'd have come anyway but the grant is a bonus

bob4jane

Or....

You could remember that the Student Loan is the best loan you'll ever get, (Martin's words), and that you only live once.

Live for the moment, carpe diem and all that junk.

Work your archie off throught the summer so you don't have to miss a moment of the wild times at uni!
Decrease your spending as the years go on- so to all freshers- spend like crazy and make up for it in the 2nd and 3rd years