Need Help I am on Jobseekers and am Part-Time Studying at University!

wontfallforit

Agreed that the library is the best option. I've done 5 years of higher education, never bought a single book for my courses, other than one or two that I had a real interest in re-reading once my course had finished.

There's sometimes a bit of a mad dash for books at the library. If you find all the good books have been loaned out, you simply request them back, and the library will reserve you the next copy that is returned. Library will also have access to reference books, journals, article databases, etc., and your tutors will be able to advise you what sort of information you'd be able to use from the internet.

Student unions often hold second-hand book sales, and second hand books are always flogged off by ex-students on sites like eBay and Amazon.

Also agreed with going down the fulltime route. If you're on JSA, I assume you're looking to work, at least part time? However, depending on your financial situation now, which is obviously precarious, you could lose the JSA and housing benefit, and opt for a maintenance loan and grant instead. The grant (assuming you qualify) is non-repayable, whereas the loan is only re-payable once your earnings hit a certain threshold (currently 15k). Even then, repayments are very low, relative to your overall income. Your university may also offer additional discretionary grants, though these are usually offered on a strict basis of need.

Fulltime students don't pay council tax.

By going down the student finance route, the pressure of jobseeking is eliminated. You only need to work if your financial situation dictates so - you don't need to satisfy the DWP.

wontfallforit

Gen Studies is ridiculous. Some colleges have a 'good' record of almost all their students passing it with flying colours, usually A-grades.

My college was different. During 2 years of study, the tutors bothered their backsides to teach GS classes literally half a dozen times. All I ever remember studying in these very scarce lessons was the ills of teenage smoking...the exam, however, was something to do with writing about some some 'famous' oil painting, which I'd never set eyes on in my life.

Failed miserably, of course! Well, actually, I 'passed' with a grade E, but something was amiss considering the fact that I got AABB in my main 4 subjects :-/

My sister is quite a bit younger, and is doing something different. It's some kind of 'extended project' in which students write at length about a topic that really interests them. It has UCAS points attached to it, but the majority of universities now ignore it.

Oldernotwiser

DVardysShadow wrote: »

Surely they become teacher's? :eek:

Teacher's what?

briona

DVardysShadow wrote: »

Surely they become teacher's? :eek:

For one heart-stopping moment, I thought I'd made a rather embarrassing typo!

DVardysShadow

briona wrote: »

For one heart-stopping moment, I thought I'd made a rather embarrassing typo!

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

DVardysShadow

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Teacher's what?

Teacher's what teach kids, of course.

barbara_anne

God knows what you'd think of me then!

I'm studying to be a teacher and I got an A in General Studies. It was years ago now though. I think what wontfallforit is talking about is the Certificate Of Personal Effectiveness?

P.S. I am literate!

Absinthe_Fairy

wontfallforit wrote: »

Gen Studies is ridiculous. Some colleges have a 'good' record of almost all their students passing it with flying colours, usually A-grades.

My college was different. During 2 years of study, the tutors bothered their backsides to teach GS classes literally half a dozen times. All I ever remember studying in these very scarce lessons was the ills of teenage smoking...the exam, however, was something to do with writing about some some 'famous' oil painting, which I'd never set eyes on in my life.

Failed miserably, of course! Well, actually, I 'passed' with a grade E, but something was amiss considering the fact that I got AABB in my main 4 subjects :-/

My sister is quite a bit younger, and is doing something different. It's some kind of 'extended project' in which students write at length about a topic that really interests them. It has UCAS points attached to it, but the majority of universities now ignore it.

I got a C in General Studies - including one module in which I got an 'Unclassified' - but As in my other A Levels! :rotfl:

Mind, that might have been because we spent General Studies lessons, and the lunch hour that followed it, in Pizza Hut a lot of the time - with the full permission of the teacher involved who thought GS was as pointless as we did!

kevin2oo9

Why can't the people on here just answer the OP question instead of commenting on spelling which from my understanding the OP didn't say "I am going to write a short paragraph and can you sort it for me" slightly pathetic but assuming everybody has degrees..

oldmotherreilly

Can I ask the OP if the course is officially part time or if they themselves consider it to be part time because of the number of hours s/he is attending university? Other posters are correct inthat, if you are studying for a degree that is deemed to be full time by the university, then entitlement to JSA is lost-the details would have to be sent to Decision Making and they would disallow the claim. OP-have you informed the JCP that you are studying on the course and completed the relevant paperwork?