Student MoneySaving: Funding, Borrowing & Living as a student Article Discussion Area

Pennylessperformer

Hi everyone,
I'm a 20year old Yorkshire lass who has follwed her dream to the lovely london and i need your help!

Last year i took the foundation course in Acting at East 15 acting school in london. I have been offered a place at London School Of Musical Theatre to start in September 2007 however i am having real trouble finding the funds! For East15 i received a student loan and as the fees were just the regular university fees my parents and family were able to help me out, however for LSMT the fees alone are in the region of £11,000. I'm trying to reapply for another loan but that would only cover my living expenses as the school is in central london. I have looked into career development loans but the ones i have found say you need to be a homeowner, which im definately not!

When i finished at East15 in July last year i stayed living in london and have been doing part time jobs and a few acting jobs to keep me going but im hardly raising enough money to live so saving money for next year isnt really working. I'm currently looking into sponsorships but keep coming up against dead ends due to things such as my course only being one year, its not a postgraduate and its in central london!

If anyone knows of any ways i could apply for additional student loans or where i can apply for sponsorships for this type of course any information you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thankyou

mummyx4

Hi, I wonder if you could help me.
I am a mature student with four children, and my husband and I are considering buying a bigger house as we have reached critical mass in this one! But we are not sure whether we would be able to afford the bigger mortgage.
So my question is this, if we have a bigger mortgage (basically our payments would double) would I get more student support?
Thanks for your advice

Oldernotwiser

mummyx4 wrote: »

Hi, I wonder if you could help me.
I am a mature student with four children, and my husband and I are considering buying a bigger house as we have reached critical mass in this one! But we are not sure whether we would be able to afford the bigger mortgage.
So my question is this, if we have a bigger mortgage (basically our payments would double) would I get more student support?
Thanks for your advice

Basic answer; no.

jackie7

I'm 32 so I'm not eligible for a government student loan, do any of the banks offer study loans that are reasonable. I'm worried about accumulating huge debts with huge interest.

Gemma7_2

Hi im a single mum of 20month old twins and am due start an access course in sept, i'm getting worried about what help i will get when i go to uni i recieve HB IS CB and CTC i've been to see a mature student advisor that wasn't much help and asked the lone parent advisor at the job center but they didnt know either please help.

student_advisor

Gemma7 wrote: »

Hi im a single mum of 20month old twins and am due start an access course in sept, i'm getting worried about what help i will get when i go to uni i recieve HB IS CB and CTC i've been to see a mature student advisor that wasn't much help and asked the lone parent advisor at the job center but they didnt know either please help.

There's plenty of help available for you, and the system is set up so that you should be better off with the full student finance package than you are with the benefits you are currently receiving.

You will be entitled to claim:

1. Tuition Fee Loan to cover your fees in full so that you don't have to pay them up front (up to £3070 for 07/08).
2. Special Support Grant of £2765.
3. Maintenance Loan of £4510.
4. Parent's Learning Allowance of £1435
5. Childcare Grant - 85% of childcare costs up to £255 per week
6. Institutional Bursary (if fees are more that £2765) generally around £1000 per year
7. Access to Learning Fund - apply to institution, different amounts available depending on circumstances and institution
8. You can also apply for charitable support, use funder finder (may be available at your local library) to target your applications based on sex, ethnicity, course subject, where you live etc.

The figures used above are for 07/08 as 08/09 figures will not be confirmed for a few months. I am also assuming that you are not doing an NHS funded course.

You will not receive income support during your HE course as your student income will be too high. You might retain some housing benefit. Full-time students do not generally have to pay council tax - ask your institution for an exemption certificate. During the long summer holiday you will be able to claim all these benefits in full.

You will retain child benefit and child tax credit.

Hope this helps.
Have you been advised about the funding available to you during your Access course?

student_advisor

jackie7 wrote: »

I'm 32 so I'm not eligible for a government student loan, do any of the banks offer study loans that are reasonable. I'm worried about accumulating huge debts with huge interest.

What course are you going to do?
Have you already been to university?

You are not too old to be eligible for a student loan for an HE course, but if the course you want to study is not eligible, or you have been to university before, you would need to look at alternative funding.

Gemma7_2

Thanks student advisor i've been trying to get advice for months now with no success that has really put my mind at rest that i will be able to do it.:j:j

My college will pay up to £5000 in childcare whilst doing my access course but that unfortunatley doesnt cover much as i have twins :eek:so am having to take the course over two years. they also said i could get help with petrol costs and my local college offers the access course for free to everyone!

I'm not sure if you can help or tell me where to get help but i'm trying to decide what teaching (primary) route will be best for me i know of someone who just completed maths english science and it and access level and got into uni for teaching and was wondering if that is possible for me also as it would mean this course would only take a year?

student_advisor

Gemma

It sounds like you might benefit from an appointment with an independent Careers Advisor. Does your local college have one? (they should do),try learn direct if not: http://www.learndirect-advice.co.uk/

You could also approach the admission departments of any universities you are thinking of applying to, they should be able to tell you what's on offer and what qualifications you need to get in.

There are plenty of degree courses around which lead to qualified teacher status with a first degree so that you don't have to do a PGCE post-grad, but you will definitely need level 2 qualifications in English, maths and IT (first part of Access course & equivalent to GCSE).

Good luck!

Gemma7_2

thanks its all so confusing my college arent that helpful i've tried contacting one uni and they just told me to look on the website which was no help at all theres so many choices B ed BA ed Degree then PGCE i dont know what the differences are maybe i should try learn direct.
I find it very difficult to go to appointments as i have 20month old twins and am a single parent.