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

salesadmin

Well I'm rather annoyed after being turned down for this despite an income of £85 per week to pay mortgage and bills etc after boyfriend lost his job......

I received an email today telling me that they still have funds left and that I should apply for it (I assume it's gone to the whole uni!) Why not just give it to the people that need it rather than pass it on to people at the end of the year just to use thier quota?!?

I'm making an appointment to see the finance team to find out why I was turned down yet now the whole uni is being invited to apply for the spare funds!

Krasnoludek

Hi

Sorry to butt in on this thread. I have recently been made redundant and am married with 2 small children age 2 and 7. My Oh is a seconded student nurse on 16k salary.

I really want to do an access course and think I have a good chance of getting a place at my local uni. I can get the course fees together but I cant live on nothing (I have been earning about 7K part time) is it worth me applying for this grant ? I really want to train to be an OT and will hopefully get a bursary the year after but I cant exist for the next 12 months on nothing : ( Help

K x

Fyrephin

I'm just in the process of applying today. I ended up attaching a sheet to it to explain all my circumstances (disabled, homeless/living in temp accommodation, estranged from parents...!) as most of the boxes didn't seem to "fit".

Hopefully they'll use some common sense and see I need some help!

Kiyo

Dany!l_II wrote: »

I feel really sorry for you. Did you fill the form in correctly?

Just seems unbelievable that you have been awarded so little when your situation seems to dire. Do you get full loan? Grant?

Did you apply for the ALF really late in the term or something?

Chin up.

No, I only get a maintenence loan but I have to pay my tuition fees out of that.

I was at uni some years back and, ironically, had to pull out for financial reasons . This means that I've only been eligible for the maintenence loan for the past two years and any money I have managed to scrape together from working over the summer.

My bf was living with me up until recently (but things didn't work out and he is moving out in a few weeks). He has been supporting me over the past two years, otherwise I would have either had to pull out or not been able to try again for my degree in the first place.

I will be able to apply for my full loan entitlement next year, thank god. But in the mean time, if I can't find work I do not know how I am going to get by.

I've been told about a clinical trial I might be eligible for in the summer, so there could be light at the end of the tunnel if I get chosen to take part :j.....*fingers, toes and everything crossed*

Trent1

I think the ALF works in a way that basically favours certain people - not that I'm complaining about that but I think it is for people who are single parents and those who are ex-prisoners and those who have massive debts already - such as being pursued for amounts from landlords etc.

Now, on the other hand I am not sure that really favours the genuine poor. (I am currently living on £1 per day and have no idea how to pay my next month's rent). It seems to be a weird Labour thing that they focus on certain groups, but I may be wrong. The odd thing is is if you put anything like this into google you only come up with positive things about the fund. That kinda makes me suspicious. I suspect there are specific things they are bent to turn towards to help.

Anyone else got a clue what they are looking for?

Kiyo

salesadmin wrote: »

Well I got refused! Not happy as I know for a fact that people in a better position than myself have been accepted at my uni!

To be honest I was getting a little bit fed up of my course (but was willing to carry on as I've already spent so much on being there!), and now that it seems I can't afford it I don't see the point in carrying on

Sorry I'm just a little bit down about it and fancied a whinge

I have lots of sympathy for you salesadmin. The same things happens at my uni. The honest people who genuinely need help and tell the truth get little or nothing while the people who play the system and lie get given thousands. It's so unfair.

My bf's ex-girlfriend was in exactly the same position when she claimed this grant except while I got £500 she got £2000. The difference being she had parents who could and would support her but she didn't tell the uni that AND she lied and told the uni that she was paying her boyfriend rent and money for bills while actually he paid for everything for her whilst she spent all her money on herself.

As in most situations like this, the honest people who are in need suffer, whilst those who take the p*** manipulate the system

Trent1

Gish, that sounds reactionary, but I kinda want to know who it focuses on. I got the single parents thing from the questions and the debt thing also from there. I think I got the ex-prisoners thing from all the funds that seem available for that. Really don't mean to offend anyone there...

Trent1

Krasnoludek wrote: »

Hi

Sorry to butt in on this thread. I have recently been made redundant and am married with 2 small children age 2 and 7. My Oh is a seconded student nurse on 16k salary.

I really want to do an access course and think I have a good chance of getting a place at my local uni. I can get the course fees together but I cant live on nothing (I have been earning about 7K part time) is it worth me applying for this grant ? I really want to train to be an OT and will hopefully get a bursary the year after but I cant exist for the next 12 months on nothing : ( Help

K x

I htink if you have children it might make a lot of difference

claire6hy

Krasnoludek wrote: »

Hi

Sorry to butt in on this thread. I have recently been made redundant and am married with 2 small children age 2 and 7. My Oh is a seconded student nurse on 16k salary.

I really want to do an access course and think I have a good chance of getting a place at my local uni. I can get the course fees together but I cant live on nothing (I have been earning about 7K part time) is it worth me applying for this grant ? I really want to train to be an OT and will hopefully get a bursary the year after but I cant exist for the next 12 months on nothing : ( Help

K x

sorry if i have read this wrong, but your household will still be earning £16k a year??

Krasnoludek

Yes but we have mortgage etc

K x