Earn upto £3,500 for 30 minutes work!!! 'Access to Learning Fund'

andyuk2005

I applied for this and gave everything I could, but didn't get any support even though I am in real hardship and have already maxed out my overdraft! Can I reapply this year but be more specific (my new house has been broken into apparently maybe I could say I need a new security system)

Andy

elisebutt65

Snow_Angel wrote:

I applied for this last year and was told their access fund pot had run out - I actually do have the need for financial help.

I just think the unis should be more careful in checking applications and actually look into applicants' spending habits through, for example, previous bank statements.
:mad:

They do!!! I had to take in the last 3 months worth of statements in to my college!!

Snow_Angel

elisebutt65 - It must be that all unis do it differently then. Ours didn't ask for anything like that - just asked us to fill in a form and sign it to say it was all true! I wish all universities were as thorough as yours!

Lady_K

No wonder the pot was empty then. I would put in an official complaint about it as obviously the most needy can miss out on this. In the mean time be ready as soon as the year starts to get your access to learning form in

5lider

Hi, im in the process of applying. Ive been to see an advisor yesterday.
She basically told me that as my composite living costs are capped, and that I am expected to earn £1000 during christmas and easter- my income exceeds my outcome! Im also expected to live off £47 a week excluding rent which is rediculous!

My situation is that I am estranged from both parents so im basically independant. My uncle invited me up for xmas/new year, and I was living with mates before this so it wasnt feasible to work. during easter I was so bogged down with academic work, also with depression I couldnt bring myself to find a job. Will these excuses hold? I am £1800 in debt with credit cards etc and my 3rd year is going to be hell without any financial support.

Can anyone advise on what I can say on the form? The advisor told me that they wanted to give the money away (paying 100% of deficit) and I just needed an excuse.

Thanks

pinky_123

went to my uni today and she said that because its summer i should be able to get a job. i explained that its not as easy as this as i have applied in a lot of places and because i have limited experience they wont take me on. she suggested that i apply in mcdonolds and she was being serious! i asked about the summer fund and she said thats only for people who are disabled or who have broken an arm/leg and cant work. even though my circumstances are bad and i would fit into the criteria, my uni wont help me because its summer and i should be able to work.

Lady_K

Is it quicker to get a reply to the summer fund application? I know its around 4 weeks for the ATL fund but wondered as its summer and prob less people apply it might not take so long

elisebutt65

Woah - I just got another £250!!!

Received a letter today saying they had re-assessed my application and to give them a ring so they could send the cheque out.

Lovely lady on the phone had rememebered I was going in for an operation and neede extra money for childcare!!

I love my college!!!!

Lady_K

Daughter ot another £300 towards travel expenses to her nurse placement. Nothing though for help with the extra accomodation she has had to take in order to get to the placement over the summer right up to the day before her new academic year. Thats 8 weeks extra accom shes had to pay for and living expenses rather than coming home for the summer not having to pay rent and getting a job.

Glad she got this but compared to what its cost her in extra expenses its nowhere near

katgirlie

What about things like MOT or servicing of an essential car? Technically they could expect you to budget for that but we will only just be able afford to live without hefty bills like that coming in. Also, how soon into the first year do you think it would be ok to apply? I'm due to start a midwifery course in October and we are basically going to survive by hitting the credit cards pretty hard. Will they expect us to have budgetted properly before I started the course and not to have embarked upon it if we couldn't afford it?

Haven't read this back as I'm at work so I hope it makes sense!!