Funding for 'second degree' students - can I afford it?

sarzzz_2

Hi everyone, I hope someone can give me some advice on this. I completed a degree in 2003, but I have since realised that I really want to study Psychology and start a career in this area. The problem is that I have been unable to get an answer from the Local Authority, or on the direct.gov.uk website with regard to whether I can get any funding/grants for going back to study. I did not have any financial help (loans/grants etc) for my first degree, as I was living at home and commuted daily.

From what I understand, I am not eligable for the fees loan, but should be for the loan for living costs and grant (being that my husband's income is £17,000), is this correct? The other thing that is wiorrying me is that apparently universities can put up fees for second degree students, which would make it impossible for me to go depending on how much higher they would set the fees. Does anyone work in student loans/government who could tell me before I get my hopes up and apply?

Many thanks

Sara

Lokolo

I doubt the government will let you have the loan because if this was the case, everyone would do a degrees their whole lives and keep changing, and never pay back the loan.

Do the online calculator :

http://www.studentfinancedirect.co.uk/portal/page?_pageid=53,1262820&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

it will tell you what you are entitled to.

sarzzz_2

Lokolo

Thanks - but I have done this and it says it cannot give me a definite figure and to contact my LPA which I have done but have just been sent an application for funding, with no advice.

And also, as I said, I have no loans from the government for anything - fees or living costs loan - so I thought this might make a difference?

Sara

vivatifosi

Have you considered the Open University? It has a named "psychology" degree, and this may give you the opportunity to study in a way that is more affordable, if other options don't work out.

retireby50

The fees issue is complex. The government withdrew funding from Universities for students studying for second degrees from this academic year (strictly for anybody studying for any qualification at the same or lower level than a qualification they already possess). Universities, not surprisingly, need to recover this funding and so may increase fees for this "type" of student. But not all will - you will need to contact the individual universities to find out their policy. As with all things there are exceptions, Psychology isn't one of those, but Foundation Degrees are. So you might look at FDs although unlikely to be many in psychology.

surfsister

retireby50 wrote: »

The fees issue is complex. The government withdrew funding from Universities for students studying for second degrees from this academic year (strictly for anybody studying for any qualification at the same or lower level than a qualification they already possess). Universities, not surprisingly, need to recover this funding and so may increase fees for this "type" of student. But not all will - you will need to contact the individual universities to find out their policy. As with all things there are exceptions, Psychology isn't one of those, but Foundation Degrees are. So you might look at FDs although unlikely to be many in psychology.

thanks so does this mean you can have done a degree and then later do a foundation degree and get funding? ta

Crispy_Ambulance

The bad news is that you won't be eligible for any help - fee loan or maintenance loan. The other bad news is that government funding for second degrees is being reduced and so universities may end up charging massively increased fees. It is the fact that you have an honours degree that stops you getting funding again, not how much you received previously.

You may be better off doing the Graduate Basis for Registration in Psychology (graduate conversion course) which you can do through the OU.

sarzzz_2

Thanks Crispy Ambulance, its something I will consider, although I had wanted to study full time so it doesn't take me so long. I believe the OU will be increasing fees as well though.

I'm so confused because on the direct.gov.uk site it states that people like me will not be eligable for a fees loan but may be eligable for the maintenance loan, but I can't get an answer from the LA, it seems I would have to apply without really knowing, and find out a lot later.

Crispy_Ambulance

There are only certain vocational courses that students can apply for the maintenance loan for - including medicine, vetinary science, architecture. Psychology isn't one of them.

If you want to study full time, it may be useful to find a uni that does the graduate conversion course. It is a postgrad course, so you have to fund it yourself, but you'd be doing that anyway.

Sneezy

http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/psychology/index.htm

This is the postgrad OU link - you might be able to find something interesting.

You may be eligible for a financial award through the OU....and there is nothing stopping you from giving up work etc to do OU full time.

sarzzz_2

Thanks Crispy Ambulance and Sneezy, thats helpful...not sure if I could afford to give up work though...

One of the reasons I want to retrain is because when at uni, I was suffering from mental illness, and as a result I now want to help others by eventually studying clinical psychology, but it seems a second chance is not supported by the government, although I understand why they are doing it as they don't want to be constantly funding people through different courses...I can see their point.

Thanks for the info.