Going to uni - am i entitled to anything??

sweetlittlethoughts

I've been at college last year doing my HNC and am now getting into 2nd year of a full time degree course at university.
I am 19 and still live at home with my mum and dad - they earn more than the amount and i've never had any sort of help money wise - at school i didnt get EMA and last year at college i didn't get a penny. Apart from my fees paid as i'm in Scotland.
My Fees are getting paid again for me but other than that i don't think i'm entitled to anything... does anyone know? Mum and Dad can only give me so much and i have my car to pay for and run (which i definatly need - uni is half an hour away and i live in the country). It just doesn't really seem right that i'm not entitled to a penny - anyone any ideas?

Thanks in advance

Lokolo

You get a student loan. Not sure how it works up in Scotland though

http://www.student-support-saas.gov.uk/

There ya go.

eklynne

Whereabouts in Scotland are you? Most unis are pretty well serviced for public transport, and you say you're only half an hour away?
Do you really need your car? You could save a fortune if you could work out a way to use the bus or train.

sweetlittlethoughts

no, as i said i can't give my car up. I think i'de rather struggle than get a loan! I couldn't live with myself if i got in debt!
Do you know if it's possible to even claim travel expenses?

MrsManda

sweetlittlethoughts wrote: »

no, as i said i can't give my car up. I think i'de rather struggle than get a loan! I couldn't live with myself if i got in debt!
Do you know if it's possible to even claim travel expenses?

Why would you be able to claim travel expenses if you aren't willing to take student loans out? Most students needs to take out student loans to survive so there's no reason you should be able to claim grants for travel expenses so you don't have to.

Student loan debt is not the same as any other debt as its repayment is dependent on income and it doesn't affect your credit rating.

foodiestudent

sweetlittlethoughts wrote: »

no, as i said i can't give my car up. I think i'de rather struggle than get a loan! I couldn't live with myself if i got in debt!
Do you know if it's possible to even claim travel expenses?

No, it isn't possible to claim travel expenses - it wouldn't be fair on students who have had to move elsewhere (like me- I had to move half way over the country to the only uni that does my course!).

You should be entitled to a grant (non-repayable), but you'd need to speak to your LEA (or head to the student union - they're excellent at helping with paperwork and showing you what you're entitled to).

I think you need to think seriously about whether you want to think of a student loan as a "loan" or not. Read Martin's pages on Student Loans. I honestly don't see how else you'll be able to manage financially (especially as you may have left it too late to get a Grant for this academic year - some places have deadlines for applications), unless you are prepared to get a part-time job on weekends or evenings etc.

I also think that you need to think carefully about whether "needing" a car is the same as "wanting a car" for convenience. I grew up in the country too, so I know how difficult getting about can be, but I used to get a bus pass for £20 a month as a student which was considerably cheaper than a car - remember you'll also have to pay parking fees. If you are organised, and get the morning bus at, say, 9 am, and the evening one at 5.30, you'll have lots of time to study, and will probably end up saving time and being more productive. In turn, this should help you find time to get a job.

I don't mean to sound negative - just want to give you a fair and honest opinion (from someone who has been a student for 4 years...). Being a student is difficult at times, and if you can reduce the financial worry then it might make studying less stressful.

Volcano

sweetlittlethoughts wrote: »

I think i'de rather struggle than get a loan! I couldn't live with myself if i got in debt!

This is a common fallacy and doubtless prevents lots of people from going to uni, especially the ridiculous stories you hear about students being 10s of thousands of £ in 'debt'.

You don't pay it back unless you get a job earning over something like £15K a year. If you never earn that amount, you'll never have to pay your loan off. Ever.

Interest isn't comparable to the extortionate rates set by banks and credit cards, it's actually reasonable, so no chance of the debt spiralling out of control. A student loan has to be one of the least important things to consider about going to uni.

sweetlittlethoughts

No, as i have said twice already, the car is a NEED!
As for paying the loan back ... i'm 19 and have already had a full time job that paid more than 15k, before i've even done my degree! lol
Had my first lecture this morning and already have a book that i 'must' get! Can't find it anywhere online for less than £25! So that's more money!

broughy

SAAS don't pay travel expenses unless you take out the income-assessed student loan. if you only apply for the non-income assessed part, you'll only get somewhere around £500 (at least, thats what it was when my friend got it a few years ago), and won't be able to claim travel expenses. if you do take the income-assessed loan, you'll have to pay the first £150(ish) of the expenses from your loan, but anything over and above that you can claim back.

paying a student loan back really isn't a major issue. as stated, if you don't earn over £15000 you don't pay anything, and if you do earn over £15000, you pay back 9% per year on any income above the £15000.

dmg24

How do you think that other students manage?

You seem to expect a fund especially for you?

bestpud

dmg24 wrote: »

How do you think that other students manage?

You seem to expect a fund especially for you?

Quite!

The car is essential even though most students would have to manage without.

And he/she needs money but would rather struggle than take a loan!

Makes all us mere mortals who willingly applied for student finance, so we could go to uni, appear lacking somehow, don't you think?

Talk about wanting to have their cake and eat it!