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

PabloNeruda

Many thanks for this thread robhammond. Having read your original post some days ago, I went to Queen Mary, UoL today and, having talked at some length with an advisor, learned that as a single parent and final year undergraduate I should head the list for an ALF grant.

Edinburghlass_2

PabloNeruda wrote:

Many thanks for this thread robhammond. Having read your original post some days ago, I went to Queen Mary, UoL today and, having talked at some length with an advisor, learned that as a single parent and final year undergraduate I should head the list for an ALF grant.

As you have an OH and are sharing a mortgage and one assumes household bills presumably this part will kick in

It is your income, not your household income (unless you are married/co-dependant). I would very much doubt you would get anything if you are 'comfortable' as it is for students in hardship. Basically your expenditure has to be more than your income (for valid reasons not because you couldn't resist that CD, new coat etc) or becuase you know your expenditure will be more than your income.

melancholly

bumping this up

Barcode

I wonder how they will view me, since I am now going to have to (a) use my savings (b) max my overdraft and (c) borrow money from my partner to pay my tuition fees after being rejected from the AHRC and the award my tutor nominated me for. I always knew it was unlikely that I would receive any funding at MA level, but it is very difficult to save £3000 when you can just about pay the rent and bills.

The plan is to apply in the first week of term. I receive benefits (long-term incapacity benefit and housing benefit), but bills have gone up as we all know, and HB does not cover all of the rent.

It is either that, or try applying for the university bursary which says tuition fees will be reduced by a third. Points in my favour are that I am a disabled and mature student.

Kaz_Pike

Oh wow, I have just looked at this and I think I could benifit...I was worrying that I would desperately need a job, which believe me is hard to find where I live after putting my CV round everywhere and still no luck, so hopefully if I get this I will be able to pay all my bills...
I will still be looking for a job, but maybe there won't be such a panic to do so if I can get one.
Thanks a lot

lil'H

I recieved money from my universitys ALF fund, maximum amount each year which was due to me being a single parent and refused full loan etc (long story). Childcare in my area costs a futune so this was literally a lifeline for me, it meant we could eat, and i'm not joking. I still had to go into extra debt though to get through my course. Just a note, please don't all run off to apply these, people did that at our uni, and fixed the figures so that they'd be in their overdraft, all three years my university ran out of funds and it went on first come first served, in three installments. As a result, despite being awarded maximum, I and others in my situation didn't get our full amounts, whilst we overheard people bragging about how they got money from ALF, so they could afford to go clubbing some more.

Please use this if you need it, but please don't abuse it, people may loose out who geniunely need the money, and may have to give up university as a result. Let ALF help people feed their children, and stay at uni, not support your beer funds.

Lil'H

PS I am not directing this at anyone, in fact I have not yet read the responses to the OP, and will do so now.

Snow_Angel

r8frazer wrote:

Thanks in advance, and I hope you dont think im a robbing git.. Im just tryna get some free cash!!

It's people like you who stop people in genuine need getting any help from the access to learning fund - read the post from the lady above and consider that last month I too was just about managing to afford food. Go ask your dad for some help - just because he doesn't live with you anymore, doesn't mean he's going to shirk responsibility for his children. And let people who are genuinely desperate have access to the learning fund.

Zziggi

Do you just apply to the ALF once a year? or can you apply each semester.

The reason I ask is that I have been told i can apply to the ALF for help towards travel costs and childcare. i have selected the courses I wish to take this semester but have not made a firm choice of how many courses i wish to do in the 2nd semester. Can i apply for help with travel & childcare for just this semester and then reapply for help again next semester when i know many courses i shall be doing (and therefore know how high my travel costs& childcare costs will be).

Or should i just bite the bullet decide what i want to do next semester and register early for the 2nd semester to maximise the amount of help i can get from the ALF?

thanks

Crispy_Ambulance

You will usually be assessed for the whole academic year. If your circumstances change, you can be reassessed, so if you are eligible, you may as well apply now in the first instance and apply to be reassessed in the future.

Dreaming_2

I'm starting uni, already have a job lined up, dad passed away and mum doesn't work, but I'm getting a lot of cash in anyway:

Yearly Maintenence grant: £1800
""" loan: £3200
Yearly bursary: £1400
Yearly tuition fee loan: £3000
My own income (estimated £200 pcm)

So I should be able to get by, but I'm gonna have to work really hard to do so, whereas if I decided to spend all my cash on nice stuff and then didn't work I could apply for a hardship grant.

And I know what it's like to struggle to have enough money to eat, which is why my own income has gone to support me even though I've been living at home. My mum survives of my siblings and my income, and so going to uni is going to be a big blow. Guy came round today to remortgage our home.

But surely if people can get it cos they have an overdraft then people who have to work their !!!!!! off should get something too, even if they can get by because they work hard then a reward for working.