financing a 2nd degree

midnighthiccup

Hi
I am in my second year of a physics degree but have recently come to realise that my real dream is to be an optician! However this would mean doing another degree after this one. Would I be able to get a student loan? How would the financing work or would I just be on my own, as it would be my second degree?
If anyone has a clue that would be great
thanks

lcharm

I'm not sure what the rules are with regards to a 2nd degree but surely if that's definitely your dream you are better of just leaving your current course and transferring to another uni to study Optometry? Isn't it a four yr degree? You'd get it done quicker (6 years instead of 7) as you are currently only in your 2nd yr. At least this way the student loans company would see it as you not completing your studies so in effect still an undergraduate student.

Voyager2002

You would be on your own, and would have to pay 'full cost' tuition fees, which are a good deal more than the three grand each year of your first degree costs.

I strongly advise you to make an appointment with your university careers service and flesh out some plans. You may well need to give up your present course and start another one, but please get expert advice before making any decisions. And please don't put it off -- any delay could cost you a lot of money.

Oldernotwiser

When you say "optician", could you be more precise about what you actually mean. You don't need a degree to be an optician.

nedmundo

You need a degree to become an Ophthalmic Optician AKA Optometrist. If you want to become a dispensing Optician, you could either do a full-time degree or study part time whilst working in a practice. Good luck with whatever you choose.

Oldernotwiser

nedmundo wrote: »

You need a degree to become an Ophthalmic Optician AKA Optometrist. If you want to become a dispensing Optician, you could either do a full-time degree or study part time whilst working in a practice. Good luck with whatever you choose.

That's why I asked the OP what s/he actually wants to become; the two careers are totally different, although people refer to both of them as "opticians".

lcharm

I'm assuming that because he/she is a physics student that they'd want to get into the nitty gritty and become an Optometrist since there is a lot of bio-physics involved in it (structure of the eye etc...)

Just remember that it's a tough course and you also need to be a good people person.

Got a mate who's worked for D&A and Boots Opts and he's quite happy there.

DrFluffy

I'm doing med as a second degree. There is a small list of 2nd degrees that still attract a loan, and optometry may well be one of them (they are all health care related, apart from architecture). Your LEA might be able to tell you (although many seem clueless over this), or try a uni that offers the course for more info. You will need to pay fees though, and these are rarely full international fees, even if you do not get a student loan, but are usually capped at the current "home" level.

HOWEVER, in 2010 the fees cap comes off, so who knows what "home" fees will be...

Mike1989

Might be a dumb suggestion as I never checked, is it possible to take a post graduate study in optometry?

As if you finish your current degree it would have some relationship to the other degree you want to do. And if I'm not mistaken you can get financial help to do post graduate studies. So maybe check that avenue out, if its possible.

lcharm

Mike1989 wrote: »

Might be a dumb suggestion as I never checked, is it possible to take a post graduate study in optometry?

As if you finish your current degree it would have some relationship to the other degree you want to do. And if I'm not mistaken you can get financial help to do post graduate studies. So maybe check that avenue out, if its possible.

I doubt it as it's a clinical position so would require a certain element of vocational training in the field which I don't think you'd get from a PG degree. But I could be wrong so worth checking!

DrFluffy

You might be able, you can do SLT in 2 years as a graduate...