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 ...

Lokolo

ALG is the only one I know of.

My gf just finished hers and she was only in 3 days a week (in Art and Design) so had 4 days free (although still went in to do more work, weirdo) but also worked partime.

Its only for a year, and if you then go onto to do a degree or foundation degree you will get funding.

Save up and then go! Be exceptionally frugal with yourself and you could most probably go in a years time!

Sorry its not much help I know!

Oldernotwiser

Could you tell us more about this foundation diploma and what it leads to. Most people in your situation would be doing an Access course which would be far less than 5 full days a week.

There's normally alternatives if you look hard enough.

Edit: Just realised that this is probably the foundation Art course; if it is there's still a way round this.

WillowCat

If you've found the degree course you really want to get on then talk to the admissions tutor about other alternatives. For example the OU has courses in many subject areas which are suitable.

Alternatively, cast your net wider and look at other degree courses - some are available with the option to do a foundation year as the first year, but are fully integrated with the degree course and so attract the same grant/loan options as a normal degree.

I'm off to Plymouth in September and will take the "Extended Science" foundation year moving on to a BSc in Chemistry:j

glassishalffull

You're right Older, it is the Fine Art foundation. I desperately want to get into the degree in art therapy next year, so I can work in this field. I've been volunteering with disabled adults and just love seeing them light up and grow in confidence as they express themselves through art! Anyway, I digress...thanks for your time All, appreciate it

glassishalffull

PS what is the Access course? I grew up abroad so am unfortunately unaware of all the different pathways here...there seem to be so many and it's somewhat overwhelming!

Oldernotwiser

glassishalffull wrote: »

PS what is the Access course? I grew up abroad so am unfortunately unaware of all the different pathways here...there seem to be so many and it's somewhat overwhelming!

An Access course is an alternative qualification for adults who want to go to university; it replaces A levels. There are Art Access courses but the traditional route is through the Foundation year. These are always difficult to fund for mature students as the assumption is that a young person is doing them as an extension of their general education.

Oldernotwiser

glassishalffull wrote: »

You're right Older, it is the Fine Art foundation. I desperately want to get into the degree in art therapy next year, so I can work in this field. I've been volunteering with disabled adults and just love seeing them light up and grow in confidence as they express themselves through art! Anyway, I digress...thanks for your time All, appreciate it

Are you sure there's a degree in Art Therapy? I thought you had to do a post graduate diploma after you'd done a degree. Where have you seen this?