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How do student survive?
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stars_bright
Posts: 159 Forumite
My son is about to start his fianl year at Uni. Our household income is low so he qualifies for most of the loan and grant. However he has just worked out that once he has paid his college bill he will have only £80 to live on until Jan! Obviously we will help him as much as possible but we have another child at home and a low income ourselves so this will be very limited.
He received more grant and loan the previous 2 years but apparenlty they gte less in their graduation year on the assumption they will get a job as soon as they graduate, this is fine but how is getting a job next July going to help him now? he is already at his max overdraft from the last 2 years! He has tried to get a part time job but it is very difficult to get one in these economic times.
Up until now his father has paying maintenance through a consent order which was supposed to continue till he left university but his father has decided that now he is 21 he deoesn't need to continue paying. Although this is not what the order says it would cost me to employ solicitor to enforce it.
Anyone got any advice?
He received more grant and loan the previous 2 years but apparenlty they gte less in their graduation year on the assumption they will get a job as soon as they graduate, this is fine but how is getting a job next July going to help him now? he is already at his max overdraft from the last 2 years! He has tried to get a part time job but it is very difficult to get one in these economic times.
Up until now his father has paying maintenance through a consent order which was supposed to continue till he left university but his father has decided that now he is 21 he deoesn't need to continue paying. Although this is not what the order says it would cost me to employ solicitor to enforce it.
Anyone got any advice?
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Comments
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Firstly, students get less loan in their final year because come summer they are no longer students. In the previous years the loan is meant to cover them over summer as well. It's not to do with a job, but since they are no longer students they are allowed to apply for JSA.
What do you mean by college bill? I presume that means accommodation rather than tuition fees? Most students survive by getting a part-time job. Although these are not as easy to come by now as they used to be, they do still exist. He is probably a bit late for Christmas temp work, but there are jobs about if you aren't too picky.0 -
I have a son who has just started his third year also. The way he is managing is that he has worked during every holiday (mainly through agencies) from the age of 16 and saved that money to fund himself whilst at university - he hasn't had any paid work during term-time whilst at university. We haven't had to give him any money. Our older boy did the same, and that is also what the youngest will be expected to do when his time comes.
I know this information is of no help now - but how did he/you think things were going to work out? It's not as if the funding/costs are secret. He should go to his university job shop and sign up with some employment agencies, ask at every supermarket, etc, etc. Luckily at this time of year lots of companies are taking on Christmas temps.
Sorry if that sounds harsh, but lots of students are in the same position
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