New Student Mother - what am i enttled to???

emidee

Hello Rachel - is there any way you could get a place on a 'Foundation Year' (Not Foundation degree) relevant to the degree you want to do, instead of the Access course?
These foundation years are counted as 'year 0' of a degree course, & attract HE funding (Student Loans & Grants, tuition fee loans, etc).

Otherwise, have you checked whether you would be eligible for the Adult Learning Grant? Check here: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/FinancialHelpForAdultLearners/Adultlearninggrant/DG_068346

HTH & good luck
Emily xx.

marywooyeah

Hi Rach, first off congrats for getting into uni! I have a 1yr old and OH is on £15,000 per annum, I work 16 hrs a week and bring home roughly £320 a month ( basic without any overtime). My wages cover the bills, OH pays the rent and the reduced council tax (reduced due to me being a student)
As we earn over £15,000 combined we dont get working tax credit, but do get child tax credit and the childcare element of working tax credit, which pays for my son's nursery fees with £20 a week leftover. We get the childcare element because we both work, so if you could fit in at least 16 hrs a week you could get the childcare element too aswell as the wages to top up student loan. I get around £3200 maintenance loan, £2900 grant and £1508 parent's learning allowance, plus a £1300 bursary from the uni. By using my wages to pay the bills, technically all the student money is extra, it means I have been able to put a decent amount into a savings account for the first time in my life and have money there to fall back on.
If you dont think you can manage working as well, you may qualify for the childcare grant from student finance which will pay up to 75% (I think) of the childcare costs. As your hubby is on £4000 more than mine but with you not working I dont see why you would not get the full amount of grants and loans though.
The person to ask is Taiko - he knows everything about student money!

liney

I'm waivering about applying to Uni at the moment, instead of continuing with OU. My husband is on just under 20k, and having put this into entitledto.com, it appears that without me working we would get £50 per week tax credits. Would we be eligable for this if I became a full time student in addition to the maintenace grants and loan?

What is the "Parents learning allowance" please?

brians_daughter

Liney...PLA

Who can apply for the Parents' Learning Allowance?

You may be able to get the Parents' Learning Allowance if you're a full-time student with dependent children. You can apply whether or not you get the Childcare Grant.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/Extrahelp/DG_171503