Want to study, but no money!

natdjay

Hello! This is my first post, go me!!
So, back story is.......
I currently work 20ish hours a week (evenings + Sun)
Have 2 boys, 1 full school, other only just 2yo.
OH works FT, 20k ish a year.

Problem is, i want to go to college to do FT Access course but don't think we can afford it. I wouldn't want to work at the same time (not enough to make it worth it), and i would have to pay child care cos don't have any help in that way.
I'm gonna have to work really hard to convince OH that this is possible.
We don't have joint money, and i just pay few joint bills (water, broadband, etc), and food the weeks i can afford it.
OH money is all gone every week (only afloat bcos of insurance payout at mo :shocked:) we go beyond our means thats for sure.
So...anyway. Is there anything else other than TC that i would be able to claim while a FT student?
Also, other half is a head in the sand guy and has lots of things he could do to save/reclaim money owed but wants me to do it for him which i can't/won't......Anyone dealt with stubborn parners and converted them????? lol.

Thanks, Nat

Oldernotwiser

If the Access course is your first level 3 qualification you'll be able to claim the £30 per week Adult Learning Grant.

sulkisu

Hi there.

Why not wait two years until your youngest is in school before starting your access course? You could use the intervening time to get your household finances in order - use the tips on here for money saving on shopping, utilities, reclaiming money, building up savings etc.
That way, when you return to college you will really be able to concentrate on your studies, without worrying about all of the other stuff. Showing OH that you have thought it all through and worked out a way of getting what you wnat without jeoparding the family's security, might make iteasier to sell the idea to him.

Deepmistrust

natdjay wrote: »

Hello! This is my first post, go me!!
So, back story is.......
I currently work 20ish hours a week (evenings + Sun)
Have 2 boys, 1 full school, other only just 2yo.
OH works FT, 20k ish a year.

Problem is, i want to go to college to do FT Access course but don't think we can afford it. I wouldn't want to work at the same time (not enough to make it worth it), and i would have to pay child care cos don't have any help in that way.
I'm gonna have to work really hard to convince OH that this is possible.
We don't have joint money, and i just pay few joint bills (water, broadband, etc), and food the weeks i can afford it.
OH money is all gone every week (only afloat bcos of insurance payout at mo :shocked:) we go beyond our means thats for sure.
So...anyway. Is there anything else other than TC that i would be able to claim while a FT student?
Also, other half is a head in the sand guy and has lots of things he could do to save/reclaim money owed but wants me to do it for him which i can't/won't......Anyone dealt with stubborn parners and converted them????? lol.

Thanks, Nat

Your college might be able to help out with their Learner Support Fund, for books and possibly childcare (though if you are intending on still working 16+ hours, you should still qualify for childcare help through tax credits too).

Fiver29

natdjay wrote: »

Hello! This is my first post, go me!!
So, back story is.......
I currently work 20ish hours a week (evenings + Sun)
Have 2 boys, 1 full school, other only just 2yo.
OH works FT, 20k ish a year.

Problem is, i want to go to college to do FT Access course but don't think we can afford it. I wouldn't want to work at the same time (not enough to make it worth it), and i would have to pay child care cos don't have any help in that way.
I'm gonna have to work really hard to convince OH that this is possible.
We don't have joint money, and i just pay few joint bills (water, broadband, etc), and food the weeks i can afford it.
OH money is all gone every week (only afloat bcos of insurance payout at mo :shocked:) we go beyond our means thats for sure.
So...anyway. Is there anything else other than TC that i would be able to claim while a FT student?
Also, other half is a head in the sand guy and has lots of things he could do to save/reclaim money owed but wants me to do it for him which i can't/won't......Anyone dealt with stubborn parners and converted them????? lol.

Thanks, Nat

I did an Access course a couple of years ago, and it was free for everyone, I don't know if that's changed.

You could do it over 1 or 2 years, even full time (1 year) you'd only do 15 hours a week, and there was minimal home study, probably about an hour or 2 a week, until the revision for the exam. But it was really easy, virtually handed on a plate.

So you'd easily be able to carry on work and do the course, and a lot of colleges do subsidised child care.

natdjay

Hi, thanks. I know it makes sense to wait, but i want to get started. I've wanted to do this for 5 years now! I think i'll ring the college next week and see what they can tell me (if anything!).
On the money front, i am going to have to put some real effort into cutting back/saving/reducing debt, will become a regular on here from now on.
Thanks again. Nat

Oldernotwiser

Fiver29 wrote: »

I did an Access course a couple of years ago, and it was free for everyone, I don't know if that's changed.

You could do it over 1 or 2 years, even full time (1 year) you'd only do 15 hours a week, and there was minimal home study, probably about an hour or 2 a week, until the revision for the exam. But it was really easy, virtually handed on a plate.

So you'd easily be able to carry on work and do the course, and a lot of colleges do subsidised child care.

Sorry, I have to disagree with you on most of this.

Whether or not Access courses are free will depend on the college; where I used to work the fees were £800 pa for full time. Full time courses are usually very intensive with a lot of independent study and nothing was handed to anyone on a plate!

I'm not saying that your experience isn't valid but it certainly isn't general and most people wouldn't be able to cope with parenting, part time work and full time study and would be very unwise to attempt this. Don't forget, it's not just a question of passing, but of getting good grades.

Jowo_2

Hopefully the following link will give you some pointers.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/WhyGoToUniversityOrCollege/DG_4017026

Contact your local colleges/Uni to understand more about finance, such as bursaries,scholarships, hardship funds, grants, child care provision and so on - they should have a Student Services dept that will understand if any support is available for someone in your position.

creased-leach

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Sorry, I have to disagree with you on most of this.

Whether or not Access courses are free will depend on the college; where I used to work the fees were £800 pa for full time. Full time courses are usually very intensive with a lot of independent study and nothing was handed to anyone on a plate!

I'm not saying that your experience isn't valid but it certainly isn't general and most people wouldn't be able to cope with parenting, part time work and full time study and would be very unwise to attempt this. Don't forget, it's not just a question of passing, but of getting good grades.

I did access around 5 years ago. Personally, I worked hard, spent at least 10/15 hours a week completing essays/ assignments etc, and came away with pretty much the best marks in my classes. It wasn't unknown for me to be sitting in the library at lunchtimes essentially "tutoring" a handful of people so they had their work done to hand in after lunch.

However, there was no way the college would have had anyone fail that course. A very sweet girl in my biology class failed an exam twice, but was then taken aside by the tutor to re-do some of the questions. She scraped a pass. She was then taken onto the Midwifery degree at uni :eek:

Shameful really, as the college was concerned about pass rates- not how the students would cope at uni level. That poor girl didn't really stand a chance, and her place (on a highly competitive course) could have gone to someone who would have made the most of it.

nannytone_2

natdjay wrote: »

Hi, thanks. I know it makes sense to wait, but i want to get started. I've wanted to do this for 5 years now! I think i'll ring the college next week and see what they can tell me (if anything!).
On the money front, i am going to have to put some real effort into cutting back/saving/reducing debt, will become a regular on here from now on.
Thanks again. Nat

if youve been wanting to do this for 5 years why did you have another baby? (youre perfectly entitled to have another baby btw)
I'm afraid life isnt always about what we 'want'
i want a new kitchen and a holiday abroad (ive never been abroad!) but 'wanting isnt an essential part of life.

another 2 years isnt so long to wait. good luck!

Fridge2

Fiver29 wrote: »

I did an Access course a couple of years ago, and it was free for everyone, I don't know if that's changed.

You could do it over 1 or 2 years, even full time (1 year) you'd only do 15 hours a week, and there was minimal home study, probably about an hour or 2 a week, until the revision for the exam. But it was really easy, virtually handed on a plate.

Just curious, but how could such a course be described as full time then?