Going back to college

buzzby

Hi

What are the laws about going back to college while on JSA?
Been trying to find work now for 3 months with no joy an I am close to going back to college to get an engineering degree.

Am I allowed to work part time while at college, how does this affect my JSA and Housing benefit?

Many thanks

Buzz

19lottie82

You won't get JSA if you go back to college f/t (16 hours + a week) as you won't be seeking FT work.

There are no restrictions on working while you are at college, you can work as much as you like.

If you are studying a low lever course (NC or equiv), then you may be entitled to housing benefit (but again, not JSA), but if it's anythign above this (HNC/HND +), then you won't get housing benefit.

Your income will consist of a loan and possibly a bursary (depending on your circumstances). many students top up their incomes with p/t jobs, which you will almost certainly have to do to get by if you are self sufficient.

dizzyrascal

19lottie82 wrote: »

There are no restrictions on working while you are at college, you can work as much as you like.

I'm afraid the above is not true. When you sign up to be a student you are committing to the course as your main priority. You are also agreeing to limit your part time working to approx 16 hours. Any more than this will affect your work and you may get thrown off the course if you don't complete assignments etc.

buzzby

How about the 1 day a week courses? How do I stand with them?

dizzyrascal

I would be very surprised if you can do an engineering degree on one day a week! They tend to be very intense courses with lots of project work to complete

19lottie82

dizzyrascal wrote: »

You are also agreeing to limit your part time working to approx 16 hours

No you're not. As long as you get all your work done there is no limit to how much you can work and you certainly don't have to sign an agreement promising you wo't work more than x hours

19lottie82

buzzby wrote: »

How about the 1 day a week courses? How do I stand with them?

You won't get any grants / bursaries but I'm not sure in regards to your benefits. Best to ask at the job centre.

I agree with the other poster tho, I've never heard of an engineering course that's only 1 day a week!

dizzyrascal

19lottie82 wrote: »

No you're not. As long as you get all your work done there is no limit to how much you can work and you certainly don't have to sign an agreement promising you wo't work more than x hours

When accept the offer as a student you are signing up to their terms and conditions. Universities ask that you do no more than 15-16 hours a week during term time in a job. You have agreed to this, even if you are no aware of it. Although it is not set in stone, as I said earlier, if they felt your work was suffering as a result of working too many hours in a job, they can and will ask you to leave. Your first commitment is to the university.
You have agreed to attend lectures, tutorials and complete all your work on time etc. The general consensus is that more than 16 hours work will affect your ability to complete the course.

19lottie82

dizzyrascal wrote: »

When accept the offer as a student you are signing up to their terms and conditions. Universities ask that you do no more than 15-16 hours a week during term time in a job. You have agreed to this, even if you are no aware of it. Although it is not set in stone, as I said earlier, if they felt your work was suffering as a result of working too many hours in a job, they can and will ask you to leave. Your first commitment is to the university.
You have agreed to attend lectures, tutorials and complete all your work on time etc. The general consensus is that more than 16 hours work will affect your ability to complete the course.

OK, I apologise if this is the case. I have attended college and uni twice (undergrad, Msc) and have never been made aware of this. It may be a recommendation, but I'm pretty sure it's not enforced? If you fall behind with work / fail your exams, then you will be chucked out whatever the reason. I can't see a student being thrown off a course simply due to the hours he worked in a job, if his work was up to scratch.

dizzyrascal

It is enforced at the uni I work at, very vigorously. As I said it is part of the terms and agreement that you sign up to when you accept the offer.
The figure of 16 hours came about after researching the maximum amount of work you could possibly do whilst studying full time. Most universities do stick to this. After all, it doesn't do them any good if people have to leave or fail to complete the course. There is also a welfare issue and the universities have a duty to make sure that their student population do not over do it, become stressed, become ill due to overwork.
By the way, you will have signed up to a great deal of stuff you are not aware of when you joined your courses. Most of it wouldn't affect you, but it is there to protect you, or protect the university.

Dunroamin

dizzyrascal wrote: »

I'm afraid the above is not true. When you sign up to be a student you are committing to the course as your main priority. You are also agreeing to limit your part time working to approx 16 hours. Any more than this will affect your work and you may get thrown off the course if you don't complete assignments etc.

There are plenty of students who work full time hours alongside doing a degree full time. It may not be wise but, unless the university specifically says this is inadmissable, then there's nothing to stop them.

ETA

Just read your later post. I know that Oxbridge don't generally allow students to take any work but most universities don't have such restrictions.

(Not advocating this path by any means.)