Student loans questions

ThinkingOfLinking

Hi all,
Just today been offered my place on a course to start this September so I have a few questions.

Do I have to wait til I have had the offer made via UCAS before I can apply? Had a formal unconditional offer via email and was told UCAS will have it on their website for me next week.

Also, when does the first payment come?

Finally, how do I apply for grants? I am single, 25 this Autumn, and have no savings or income (on JSA at present) so definitely entitled...

Thanks so much for all help/advice offered.

melancholly

http://www.slc.co.uk/contact%20us/customer_enquiries.html

depending on where you're studying, click on the relevant link and it has pages of details - here's one on deadlines from the england finance page:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/Gettingstarted/DG_171577

essentially, apply asap and you didn't need to wait until you had the offer! 30 mins on that website should cover everything!

ThinkingOfLinking

Thanks

Also, I've now applied

But I was wondering, what if I don't have enough evidence? I'm contactin the jobcentre but have claimed at 3 in different cities in the last few years.

MrsManda

Flickering_Ember wrote: »

Thanks
Also, I've now applied
But I was wondering, what if I don't have enough evidence? I'm contactin the jobcentre but have claimed at 3 in different cities in the last few years.

If you don't have enough evidence to confirm that you have been self supporting for three years and you are not 25yrs old until after your first day of university you may need to be assessed as a dependent student using your parents income. I don't know how strict they are with this when you are so close to being 25 at the start of the course

Taiko

Sorry, it's not the first day of university. You have to be over 25 on the 1st September.

You can be non-income assessed until such time as you gather the evidence though.

ThinkingOfLinking

Taiko wrote: »

Sorry, it's not the first day of university. You have to be over 25 on the 1st September.

You can be non-income assessed until such time as you gather the evidence though.

Even if we're estranged (father and I - mother is dead) and I moved 250 miles away from him in 2008 (and can prove how long I've lived this far away)?

Taiko

Yep. You'd need to prove that estrangement.

Oldernotwiser

Flickering_Ember wrote: »

Even if we're estranged (father and I - mother is dead) and I moved 250 miles away from him in 2008 (and can prove how long I've lived this far away)?

Where you live doesn't matter when it comes to claiming independent status.

However, if you're nearly 25, surely you've been out of education and supporting yourself for at least 3 years?

MrsManda

Taiko wrote: »

Sorry, it's not the first day of university. You have to be over 25 on the 1st September.

Ah sorry, I read the first day of the academic year as the first day of term but 1st September makes more sense

ThinkingOfLinking

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Where you live doesn't matter when it comes to claiming independent status.

However, if you're nearly 25, surely you've been out of education and supporting yourself for at least 3 years?

Yes, I have. But I was living with my father til I was 21. I've had a combination of income earnt through paid work and jobseekers' allowance during periods of unemployment.

Oldernotwiser

Flickering_Ember wrote: »

Yes, I have. But I was living with my father til I was 21. I've had a combination of income earnt through paid work and jobseekers' allowance during periods of unemployment.

But that's what I meant. It doesn't matter that you were living with your father, it's whether you were out of full time education and supporting yourself by earning or claiming benefits that counts.

You could still be living with him now and it wouldn't matter!