Leaving Full time job for university

Kataratarina

ok, im 23- went to uni and dropped out so after 3 years of working full-time ive realised i want to improve my qualifications and the specific course i want to do is not offered part-time (social work)

ive moved out with my bf plus have my car loan etc to pay so really couldnt afford to go back to full-time study!

I applied for an open university course last night, but my question is- how many people who have had a full-time job, bills to pay etc afford to study full-time? My bf couldnt support us both....

Kavanne

Have you seen if you would be entitled to any grants and loans now? How many years did you have funding for before you dropped out?

You'd certainly not have nothing from the govt unless you have already had your allocation of funding and you can always work part time..

Kataratarina

On the OU site if ur income is less than 30,000 u can receive help with fees. i studied for 2.5 years so got a student loan but atm i am not earning enough to begin paying back!

suppose i could work part-time but this would only pay my rent, maybe the OU is the way to do,although it takes longer i can do it over a few more years!

My head has been fried all weekend trying to sort my life out- i have a few options but the OU seems to be the only best option-study PT and work FT!

Kavanne

Why don't you ask student finance what funding they will give you, bearing in mind you've have 2.5 yrs of funding already. That way you will have a definite answer on whether OU or full time is best.

Have you thought about what time you would set aside for studying if you were working full time as well? It's important to make sure you have a set time to study or you'll find yourself forgetting to do it, missing bits, etc.

Kataratarina

Well i was wary of askin them because i dropped out of uni twice(EEEK) why would they give me it again (i have defo thought about this and wont be dropping out again) but once if i become qualified i will pay it ALL back!

Well i dont do much in the evenings apart from every 2nd Thurs i volunteer in my local childrens hospice(3 hours) and O/T in work is not every weekend so i would just have apply myself, put my head down and organise my time constructively!

Oldernotwiser

Kataratarina wrote: »

I applied for an open university course last night, but my question is- how many people who have had a full-time job, bills to pay etc afford to study full-time? My bf couldnt support us both....

You can only do a Social Work degree with the OU if you're sponsored by an employer, not independently.

If you were at university for a year or less you'll get full funding unless your boyfriend earns a substantial salary. You can also work part time.

Is your future career not worth getting rid of an expensive car and managing with a banger?

Edit:Just read the later posts - seems you've had a lot of finance already which makes things difficult.

Oldernotwiser

Kataratarina wrote: »

On the OU site if ur income is less than 30,000 u can receive help with fees.!

Unfortunately that's household income, not just yours.

Kataratarina

You can only do a Social Work degree with the OU if you're sponsored by an employer, not independently.

I intend to do Health and Social Care in the OU then either branch out to a relevant job OR apply to be accepted into Social Work full-time at my local uni.

Is your future career not worth getting rid of an expensive car and managing with a banger?

I have until Nov 2011 to pay the car loan and it wouldnt be worth that much yo pay off the loan(i got a loan bigger than the car price for insurance etc) and i dont have the money now on top of everything to buy even a banger.

Oldernotwiser

Kataratarina wrote: »

I intend to do Health and Social Care in the OU then either branch out to a relevant job OR apply to be accepted into Social Work full-time at my local uni.




I have until Nov 2011 to pay the car loan and it wouldnt be worth that much yo pay off the loan(i got a loan bigger than the car price for insurance etc) and i dont have the money now on top of everything to buy even a banger.

If you've already made arrangements to study part time with the OU then I can't understand your first query regarding working and studying, both full time. Perhaps I've misunderstood something.

Kataratarina

I applied for an open university course last night, but my question is- how many people who have had a full-time job, bills to pay etc afford to study full-time?

I was just enquiring for when i finish the OU course THEN apply for the Social work degree which is full-time after the OU is completed.

Unfortunately that's household income, not just yours.

Yes, sorry about that i should have wrote "if your joint income..." which with me and my OH it is below 30,000

Oldernotwiser

If you already have a degree then you'll need to do the Social Work as a postgraduate degree where the funding is completely different. You wouldn't be able to work full time whils doing it as there are (two?) lengthy placements.