hi So confused over p/t fees-HELP please.

gailey_2

Im 32 this year.

Thinking of returning to uni to do

undergraduate ba hons in social work.

part time over 5years as have kids.

can see local uni now charges £9000 fulltime fees a year
cant see any part time fees?

I live in england with hubby who works.

The snag is I laready did a degree after leaveing school 1999-2003 got bsc business and legal studies which seemed good value then fees were £1200 a year then which in my case was paid as came from single parent family.

The year before me still had grants
then I think when younger sister 5years younger went grants were reintroduced.

My younger sister started her 2nd degree at cardiiff last spetember but because shes wales shes reduced fees just over £3000 but ebcause its her 2nd degree she gets no finacial help so has to pay tuition fees upfront suspect her bloke has baffled how she pays them but she has been bankrolled by bank of mum for several years techcy subject im the independant one!

She keeps saying study in wales but fisrtly think you have to be rfesident and dont want to move back our lifes few miles over the border in wales and dont want to travel to far as have to make it work around my kids.

The student loan guide seems to say can get no loan as already done a degree.

The bank career courses are for postgrad courses but this is for a undergraduate course.

The course guide mentions nhs bursery? do all social work courses get burseries for entire duration of course?
Sisters doing dentisty and she says she gets it final year of her course.

I then read martins guide and unclear if part time students entitled to any grants so for mature student going back situiation very difficult.

if unempployed would I get help with fees?

the uni website mentions fee waiver is certain circumstances.

I couldent afford any more than £1000 in fees a year as would have to pay travel. childcare and text books.

Anyone else in similar situation?

Im off to uni open day today hoping they can shed some light on the mattter as finding it very confusing and all the things read so far make me think wont be finacially viable but wanted to do something with my life so when all 3kids at school can return to a well paid fulfilling career as looks like we all be working until 70 so least another 35+years of work ahead of me.

Not currently working as taken last 3half years out to have a family.

since not working paid no student loan but did pay some back when was working and threshold was 15grand under my system.

will the threashold stay same for old style pupils or also go up to £21?

devildog

Sorry I can't answer your questions barring the last one ( ) IF you were able to get a loan the threshold for that loan would go up to £21K but your previous loan would stay at the £15K threshold.

Oldernotwiser

devildog wrote: »

Sorry I can't answer your questions barring the last one ( ) IF you were able to get a loan the threshold for that loan would go up to £21K but your previous loan would stay at the £15K threshold.

I believe that the thresholds are coming into line and both loans will be added together for repayment.

devildog

oops, thanks for putting me straight.

agrinnall

I doubt if you will find any university (well, not a real one) that charges fees for part time study of less than £1000 per annum, in fact I would expect them to be more like £6000 given that they will want to receive a similar amount from part time students over the course of their study as they will from full time students. I think it's unlikely you will find anywhere that would fund a Social Work degree (my understanding is that there are already far more qualified people than there are jobs), and you've already found that because you already have a degree you are ineligible for a student loan. You'll need to find the money yourself I'm afraid.

easilydistracted

Social work was still funded when I studied it a few years ago. I'm pretty sure from my current students it is, at least up to a point. The last I was aware there was an NHS bursary. Try the GSCC (www.gscc.org.uk off the top of my head) which is currently the regulator for social work (though not for long) or www.communitycare.co.uk which is a social work online magazine/ forum for more info. I have to say that it is much harder for new graduates to find work then it was before. The thing that seems to help most is having a lot of pre-qualifying experience.

gailey_2

Thanks guys

went to open day think im elibible for £4500 bursury if do fulltime.
then cant feen fee loan but think i can get maintainance loan £5500

so thats funds the £9000 fees a year.

but would have expense of childcare especially when on placement so unsure what to do.

as think you have to be working to get childcare element of tax credits

theres 2schemes to help with childcare but hubby might be over that threshold as he works

will be really hard work but loved the campus.

loved the course

just need to find a practical and financial way to make it work!

easily distracted im 32 this year and have 3kids of my own plu stepson.
on school, pta, was retail mananger for many years and breastfeeding peer supporter at health clinic plus volunteer at rainbows hoping all this go in my favour.

easilydistracted

Was it just the open day in the social work department you went to? If so then I would go and seek out the student finance office at the uni who should be able to give you the advice, I think you get an additional element for dependents in the bursary but I'm not 100%.

Is it only the one uni you are applying to? There are often a really high level of applications for each place so you need to make sure yours stands out. I'd say that the experience you have is helpful, but probably the bare minimum you need to get to the course and you will need to have some good placements and work experience in the course to be employable.

I would particularly search out some experience with people with social problems, for instance volunteering for drugs agencies. I worked in children's homes prior to and throughout much of the course amongst other experience. This really helped me get work when I qualified. You can do this as a casual job and its a really good way of working out whether its really the right career for you. It is also really hard however and definitely has a shelf life!

I'd also not recommend doing the course when in debt as its another added stress, though I didn't follow my own advice! It can also put a lot of strain on relationships to say the least.

Good luck

Oldernotwiser

gailey wrote: »

easily distracted im 32 this year and have 3kids of my own plu stepson.
on school, pta, was retail mananger for many years and breastfeeding peer supporter at health clinic plus volunteer at rainbows hoping all this go in my favour.

You really need substantial experience of at least one client group to be accepted for social work (and to prepare yourself for the stresses involved). It might be worthwhile considering undertaking some relevant work experience and applying next year.

angelbob

agrinnall wrote: »

I doubt if you will find any university (well, not a real one) that charges fees for part time study of less than £1000 per annum, in fact I would expect them to be more like £6000 given that they will want to receive a similar amount from part time students over the course of their study as they will from full time students. I think it's unlikely you will find anywhere that would fund a Social Work degree (my understanding is that there are already far more qualified people than there are jobs), and you've already found that because you already have a degree you are ineligible for a student loan. You'll need to find the money yourself I'm afraid.

what do you mean a real one? my part time fees are £680 a year, each year it goes up by £5/£10 and my course is 6 years long, btw im studying Archaeology.
believe me its a real uni, do you even have a clue what your talking about??
OP they are grants for post grad courses but it will not cover all fees, but ask at your uni first?

agrinnall

angelbob wrote: »

what do you mean a real one? my part time fees are £680 a year, each year it goes up by £5/£10 and my course is 6 years long, btw im studying Archaeology.
believe me its a real uni, do you even have a clue what your talking about??
OP they are grants for post grad courses but it will not cover all fees, but ask at your uni first?

Yes, but you started your course when fees were a lot lower than when the OP will start her course. A university will expect to get up to £27K from a full time student over 3 years, do you really think they won't want to get the same over the time it takes to get a part time degree?
I know what I'm talking about, do you? Obviously they don't teach manners on your Archeology course.
Oh, and the OP is very clearly talking about doing an undergraduate degree so won't care about your information about postgraduate course grants.