Mature student finance for Foundation Diploma

glassishalffull

Hello,

I hope someone can offer me some advice on help with financing my full time studies. As a single, dependent-free mature age student I seem to be excluded from every kind of financial assistance available.

I want to study for a degree, however not having been to high school (all those millions of year ago!) in the UK, I am told I will need to do a foundation diploma first to get my skills up to speed, which is fair enough. (The diploma is a one year full time course, not to be confused with the 2 year foundation degree).

However, the diploma is excluded from the student loan funding finance. In addition, there are no maintenance grants available for the diploma either. I am told I can apply for an Adult Learning grant for a reduction in fees & help with some materials, but this is not going to go far.

Now, I am also over the 25 and 30 year old age limit for most bursaries. As a 5-day-a-week-in-class full time student, I can't see how I can fit in working enough hours to pay the rent & bills on my meagre house-share flat in London? I am considered a low income earner, and don't have any family or a partner to help support me. Thanks to the credit crunch I used all my savings during a few months of unemployment last year. I am used to living on a shoestring budget, already live pretty much hand to mouth, and desperately want to study to improve my career prospects. Being a "mature" mature ager, I don't have years to spend studying part-time.

Please tell me if there any benefits I can legitimately claim even though I am studying? Any small amount makes a difference!

Appreciate your thoughts - thanks all ...