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Student advice needed - retaking final year... fees cost and government allowences...

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I started university in September 2006, permenantly left home and began a 3 year university course. I am currently in my third year with around 3 months to go however due to various circumstances i have decided to retake my final year.

At the moment i pay £1250 fees per year ( old system luckily ... ) by retaking the year do i move on to the new system of £3000 per year or does this depend on university to university?

Due to my parents earnings i am not entitled to any real help or none repayable loans regardless of me never going home. By redoing my final year i will have been living away from home for 4 years.... will my entitlement change in any way ? Will i be judged on MY earnings as opposed to my parents? ( IE part time job of £500 a month ? )

What sort of help and options arw available to me, because i only ever budgeted for 3 years not 4... im going to have to sell a few things and eat into my savings more.... which is not good. Thank god i have a decent job.l.

Any other advice or help you can provide me with regardless of how small is much appreciated!

Cheers
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Comments

  • pinkshoes
    pinkshoes Posts: 20,558 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Are you wanting to re-sit the entire year, or just come back next year and do the exams?

    I doubt they'll re-assess your entitlement. I did a gap year (so left home), then 2 years of uni, but didn't sit my 2nd year exams, and did another gap year then sat my 2nd year exams a year later, but despite 4 years not living with parents, and re-joining a separate student year group for my 3rd and 4th years, they still judged everything on my parent's salaries!
    Should've = Should HAVE (not 'of')
    Would've = Would HAVE (not 'of')

    No, I am not perfect, but yes I do judge people on their use of basic English language. If you didn't know the above, then learn it! (If English is your second language, then you are forgiven!)
  • boxrick
    boxrick Posts: 165 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    I will be redoing the *whole* year, the whole lot not just exams etc.

    The thing is though i have odd circumstances if im moved from one system to another, thats where im hoping they will reassess me otherwise i will be effectively getting double nailed:

    1) More student fees.

    2) The old system was much less generous with entitlements and loans...

    So as it stands i get less loan and less options but my student fees are considerably less so it balances out.... If my tuition fees stay the same i should be fine. If they go up to 3000+ it will mess me up alot, because i simply did not budget for or anticipate that!
  • Oldernotwiser
    Oldernotwiser Posts: 37,425 Forumite
    The years that you were in education don't count towards independent student status so you'll still be assessed on your parents' income.

    I don't know whether or not you'll switch to the new system but I'm pretty sure that if you do the new funding will come with it ie, if you have to pay £3,000 fees then you'll be eligible for the Fee Loan.
  • Fire_Fox
    Fire_Fox Posts: 26,026 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I did my first year of a foundation degree with relatively low fees, but had to take a year out. On returning this year there was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing whilst the powers-that-be decided how much my fees would be. The upshot was that the Student Loans Company classed me as a continuing student (as should you be) so would only pay the lower amount. My local authority then advised me that college would only be allowed to charge me the lower amount! I agreed this with them, but had to get the paperwork changed on the day of enrollment. Get as much as you can sorted this summer, as much as you can in writing - if not get the full names of who you spoke to and when.
    Declutterbug-in-progress.⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
  • boxrick
    boxrick Posts: 165 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    Cheers for the replys guys... much appreciated! Gonna go have a chat with the student finance services today and see what they say...
  • bestpud
    bestpud Posts: 11,048 Forumite
    You will remain on the old system so long as you do not leave the uni completely, and then come back as a new student iyswim. You sound as though you will a continuing student as I preseume they realise you will not be finishing this summer?

    But, if for some reason they do move you to the current system (and I'd argue against it if it were me) then you will receive new system loans/grants to accompany it. They cannot pick and choose which bit they change over so don't worry about that.
  • boxrick
    boxrick Posts: 165 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    Ive had a chat to some people and they confirmed that i will remain on the old system with all perks.

    However i was informed of something interesting... to end this course and to start again next year i need to "drop out". Then restart the process of starting up again next year, however from the moment i drop out i will officially not be a student.

    So i will no longer get my student loan ( due summer one in 2 weeks )
    I will be denied access to university labs i use on a daily basis ( even now! )

    Possibility of being charged council tax also...

    So i have a few options:

    drop out now and suffer all the above...

    wait a few weeks for my loan to come through and then drop out ...

    OR

    continue on till the year is over and fail everything then redo my final year.... ( this way i would still be a student till i reenrol )

    I like options 2 and 3 however if i failed everything won't this have an impact on my employment status in the future?

    So what do you guys reckon i should do ?
  • Oldernotwiser
    Oldernotwiser Posts: 37,425 Forumite
    Who are the "some people" you've been talking to?
  • bestpud
    bestpud Posts: 11,048 Forumite
    As long as you graduate, I would have thought failing a year would not go against you.

    After all, how would a prospective employer know this?

    Be careful about dropping out once your loan is through as they may catch up with you.

    Have you checked it is ok to repeat if you fail this semester? The university do not have to allow you to repeat if they feel you are not up to it, as far as I am aware.

    If that will not be a problem, you could always stay on and use the time to better prepare yourself for next year?

    If you drop out and reapply, you will need to check you can stay on the old system.
  • boxrick
    boxrick Posts: 165 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    Who are the "some people" you've been talking to?

    Head of admissions and processing and the student services finance department...
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