Lone parent student scotland, any financial advice?

Bumfluf

Hi all

Im a lone parent in Scotland. Lost my FT job of four years a couple of months ago. I've applied for all the jobs under the sun but unsurprisingly I've not been successful as quite embarrasingly I have absolutely no qualifications . I didn't sit the exams - so Im going to apply to go back to college in january / august 2012. Im 20 years old, have twins under 5 so for the last few months I've been getting IS / HB / CTC / CB + milk n veg vouchers.

I know which course Im applying for, it's a further education access course, as apposed to a higher education course (apparently fundings different ) What I want to know, is what Im I likely to get moneywise when I do go into college, I've heard about education grants and bursarys and what not, but some websites are saying that it's not applicable for Higher Education courses? Anyone in / been in a similar position? any advice much appreciated x

P.s! I know to speak to the college, went today. The place was absolutely heaving! Apparently, it's enrollment day ( out all the days I could've picked..)

roougers

Well, I am not an 'expert' but in Scotland College (HNC/HND) and Uni are treated fairly similarly, but as you say access is another mtter entirely.

When you do you to College proper and if you are doing an HNC course you will get pretty much exactly the same as someone in the first year of a degree course, i.e your tuition fees and probably a good percentage of the loan if you want it. You may also get the independant OR young student allowance which is a nice extra £100 or so a month, and there are other benefits out there if you have kids.

I'm not sure what others will tell you, but in my experience you will get more if you start at HNC level.

alyth

I did an access course before I started uni, just about to move onto 2nd year, and I got a bursary of £400 a month whilst I did the access. I can't comment on what you can get as a lone parent, but my advice would be to get your bursary application into the college NOW. I got my place in June 2009, applied for funding and got it very easily.

However there were people who started on my access course in the September who didn't get their funding until after the october break, because of a backlog. The college also ran out of money, so unsurprisingly some people got nothing at all. I assume you'll be applying for funding from the college rather than UCAS? And don't assume that you can get hardship, as my college's hardship also ran out of money! College's only get a certain amount of money to give out as bursaries.

So I suppose it depends on what sort of course you're doing - is it access with a view to going to uni, or HNC/D? And I do have to say, if you were at college today and it was enrollment day, do you know whether you've got your place on your preferred course - have you had this confirmed in writing? My access course was fully booked by the June, whilst they still kept interviewing people were placed on a waiting list - I know this because my college is part of a wider uni and the situation this year meant that courses were even more oversubscribed.