What should I reasonably pay for DD to go to Uni

ceebeeby

We live in Scotland, so no tuition fees.

She is adament she wants to move away from home (her and DH do not get on) and go to Uni as far away as possible. I have offered that she stays here and attends the local Uni but she insists that this is not an option.

She has no part-time job and is in absolutely no hurry to get one.

Relevant to the equation (I suppose for the overall picture) is that at present I receive both child maintnenance and child benefit for her. As soon as she starts Uni in September, both will stop.

If you asked me what I can afford to pay, given that my monthly budget is already (quite rightly) going to be reduced by £300 as above, the question is not a lot. I would probably have to take on some form of part time work I suppose.

Again, relevant to the equation, there would be no financial contribution from either her father or step-father. It would all come from me.

Welcome your suggestions and advice on what I SHOULD reasonably pay towards.

Rikki

You don't have to pay anything. She will be an adult, living in halls with student grants available to her and able to work.



Edit:
CB and tax credits stop before the September she starts university.

The_One_Who

How much is she entitled to in maintenance loans/bursaries?

Frankly, I'd suggest that if she wants to move away, she needs to get a job. I know it's not easy, but there are options out there if you are not too fussy. I really do not agree with you trying to get a part-time job whilst she doesn't!

If her step-father lives in the same house as you his income will be taken into account during the means-testing as it is household income rather than just parental income.

kazwookie

Get her to apply for the student loans and what ever benefits a student is entitled to, you don't have to pay anything.

nearlyrich

Is her Dad going to carry on paying towards her upkeep at uni? I would sit down with her and work out the costs involved and explain the consequences of having huge student debts from living away the alternative of living at home rent free might seem more attractive and that is more than enough of a contribution from you, she should still get a job.

Errata

Offer her the equivalent of weekly CB and tell her to ask her dad to make up the rest she thinks she needs.

melancholly

is she unwilling to get a job because she wants to study and do really well at school or just because it seems a bit much like hard work?! i suppose her attitude will make a difference to what i suggest! if she is being a bit bratty about it, time to get some lessons in budgeting in now, before she's off living on her own. preparing and helping at uni can be as much about skills and attitude as it can be about cost.

if you can afford to help her, that's great. if you can't, she should be able to cope without you having to brankrupt yourself trying! if you do want to help and can't afford to give monthly help, perhaps saving a bit each month between now and then will help you give a good starting sum to keep her going for the first month, until she gets things worked out in a new town. if you are going tobuy her things like pans and linen and crockery, it's worth saving them up now whenever you see then, rather than forking out at all in one go.

Bennifred

You do not have to give her any money at all. Like all students, she is entitled to apply for the maintenance loan and if she needs more than that she can get a part-time job. After all, she is an adult and it is her choice to carry on with her education rather than getting a full-time job. It is also her choice if she wants to move away so that her costs are higher. You do not have to subsidise her unless you choose to.

New_York_No1_fan

ceebeeby wrote: »

We live in Scotland, so no tuition fees.

She is adament she wants to move away from home (her and DH do not get on) and go to Uni as far away as possible. I have offered that she stays here and attends the local Uni but she insists that this is not an option.

She has no part-time job and is in absolutely no hurry to get one.

Relevant to the equation (I suppose for the overall picture) is that at present I receive both child maintnenance and child benefit for her. As soon as she starts Uni in September, both will stop.

If you asked me what I can afford to pay, given that my monthly budget is already (quite rightly) going to be reduced by £300 as above, the question is not a lot. I would probably have to take on some form of part time work I suppose.

Again, relevant to the equation, there would be no financial contribution from either her father or step-father. It would all come from me.

Welcome your suggestions and advice on what I SHOULD reasonably pay towards.

Think DD needs to sit down with you and weigh up the options open to her.

Check the finance calculator on Student Finance website as this will give her an idea of what she could receive in financial help.

Ask her which unis she's looking at and weigh up their tuition fees plus cost of hall accomodation and amount of money to live off each week ie food and partying! See if there are any scholarships or bursaries up for grabs at that uni. Not all are income assessed.

Perhaps then she will realise that there will be a shortfall between money coming in and that going out and the end result means a part time job! This doesn't necessarily mean she has to have one at Uni but she'll have a very long summer holiday btn end of exams and starting Uni, roughly end of Sept. She could rake up quite an income. DD manages to work each holiday and has enough money to live off at Uni and run a car. Employers are usually very good at keeping students jobs open for them so that they just work in the hols.

You never know, the cost of living in England may bring her to her senses and she may look closer to Scotland. After all its not about getting as far away as poss, its whether you can find a course in a Uni and town which you love.

GothicStirling

If you're going to subsidize her study, she isn't going to learn anything about the real world.

She needs to start standing on her own two feet and make her own mistakes. I made some doozies [credit cards, loans, overdrafts . . .] Trust me, when she runs out of money, she'll soon go job-hunting.

Dumyat

http://www.student-support-saas.gov.uk/student_support/scottish_inside/2001_or_later/financial_support.htm