can't afford place at oxford

clairestelle

Hi,

I suffered really badly from anorexia for ten years after going to university and managed to fight my way back to health after realising that I want to be an English teacher. Because my first degree is in History I have to do an English degree and I applied to Oxford and got a place not realising that I wasn't eligible for student loans and government help etc as I had already received that the first time round. I can't bear the thought of not being able to take up my place at Oxford - it is the one thing that me excited about life again but I haven't a clue how I am going to be able to fund it. I have no savings or credit rating as I haven't worked for such a long time. Has anyone got any advice? Thank you.

annie-c

Might be stating the obvious, but have you spoken to the admissions people at your college - they will prob be best to advise you.

http://www.admissions.ox.ac.uk/mature/support.shtml

clairestelle

Thanks, yes I have spoken to the college and they say I will have to find private funding.

beverleyhills

Congratulations on winning your battle with anorexia.

Go to your biggest local lending library. Ask for information on local charitable trusts particularly educational trusts. This information is probably online now. I used this route at what seems to be the dawn of time. There were some quite obcure ones.

Don't give up on your dream.

Best wishes

boufje

Can I ask which college?

I studied at oxford as an undergraduate, some of the colleges are extremely wealthy and are very willing to assist in genuine cases of student hardship, there are lots of bursaries available. You should also contact the English faculty and the ousu (oxford university student union - not the poncy debaters at "the union" who should be able to advise..

However you should also be eligible for a further study/ professional studies loan - these are low interest loans, I borrowed £20,000 at 1% above base rate to fund my postgraduate studies, and am very proud to say I am paying that I only have £7,000 left to pay back.

As an investment in your future, it will be worth it, there is no where quite like it intellectually, in my experience, my study loans have been worth getting into debt for, and you will be able to pay them back, as a qualified teacher, you will never want for a job..

clairestelle

Thanks for the advice. I'm going (hopefully!) to Harris Manchester College which is forr mature students. Is the further study loan you refer to a carer development loan? I was under the impression that your course had to be vocational to apply for them? English Literature doesn't, I think, come within that category.

annie-c

I don't normally like to be controversial on these boards, but want to post an alternative view and suggest that, just as you would shop around for any big purchase or investment, that you might like to 'shop around' other universities and compare the different costs to you of getting your English degree.

I was fortunate to graduate long enough ago to have qualified for a grant etc, so can't identify entirely with your experience but I do know a few people who have studied more recently who have been to both 'old' and 'new' universities and their job prospects haven't solely depended on how prestigious the University was.

With respect to the earlier poster, to say that there is 'nowhere quite like [Oxford]intellectually' is IMO a bit of an exaggeration; though I will grant you that the history, reputation etc, are obviously quite different to many other institutions.

I can completely understand you having set your heart on an Oxford degree but, as with many things in life, you have to ask yourself if you can afford the cost of the education you desire and whether you will get a sufficient return on your investment to make it worth your while. You need to weigh up whether the financial, social, intellectual benefits are 'worth it' in the long term and whether you can afford them right now.

I really hope it works out for you and that you find the satisfaction you are looking for, but just wanted to say that, even if Oxford is out of your financial reach at the moment, it doesn't neccesarily mean that intellectual achievement and career satisfaction are also out of your reach. There is always more than one way to skin a rabbit, as my (non-graduate) mother always says!

Take care

Annie

Savvy_Sue

And here's another controversial view. I may be wrong, but I believe when you do your PGCE you will have to 'specialise' in two subjects, and that most teachers then have a main and a subsidiary subject they can teach. Although over time they may end up just teaching one.

Now, you may have your heart set on teaching English, but is it possible to get your PGCE without first getting another degree, and even if English is your subsidiary subject might you not then be able to apply for English teaching jobs with History on the side?

I could be quite out of touch about this, but I know many of the staff at my sons' school have two subjects they can teach, and that that was the norm in my student days.

sockospice

I know it sounds harsh, but unless you want to teach at one of the top public schools, no one will care where your undergraduate degree came from.

Think about whether there are easier/cheaper ways of doing a degree, eg OU

melbury

Don't understand this, why should doing a degree at Oxford be more expensive than any other university? Surely the costs are all pretty similar aren't they?

surfcat

melbury wrote:

Don't understand this, why should doing a degree at Oxford be more expensive than any other university? Surely the costs are all pretty similar aren't they?

Costs are the same, although living costs in Oxford (if you can't live in college) are above average for the south-east. For a room in a 5 bed house you're looking at about 290pcm, and that was 4 years ago.

It is an amazing place though, and I would thoroughly recommend going if you can.