Going from benefits to Studying

lozhazie

Ok Me and my wife are currently both on job seekers allowance. As the current job market is so poor of the untrained we both decided to return to education and get some qualifications.

After consulting the college my wife has been told she can study full time but I have to a part time course for a year in order to secure a place on a degree course.

We don't yet know if My wife will be eligible for student finance, but I have been told as my course is 15 hours I will not get help with funding.

We rent privately.

So if my wife signs off and studies full time and I start this 15 hour a week course. Will I be able to claim any benefits at all to get us through this first year. Please take it that my wife will not get student finance. Also are there any learning grants I can go for or any other source of funding I can apply for.

Thank you in advance.

BigAunty

The Direct Gov website has a section on student finance with a calculator there. There is also a student finance board on this website. Both should help you understand the options available to you. I'm surprised the college hasn't yet been able to inform your wife of a likely bursary/grant or if she can take out a student loan.

What level/type of course is your wife attending - further or higher education at college?

Do you have kids? Generally full time students without dependents and disabilities do not qualify for benefits like housing benefit, income support and so on. Obviously job seekers isn't an option as she'd not be actively seeking employment or able to take up a full time job.

lozhazie

We don't have kids nor will have any in the future. The question was more for both of us not just focusing on my wife studying. Will I be able to get any thing if I'm studying part time. The direct gov website is awful if you are a couple and doing different things like studying.

SailorSam

Check with the OU, i know you can get your fees paid if you're on certain benefits, not sure about JobSeekers though.

RAS

Hi

Please be very careful with colleges; tutors frequently provide information that is based on some past set of rules that no longer apply.

Is your wife going to do a degree? if so, she can get funding (but it depends which country you are in as England, Wales and Scotland have different rules)?

Is your part-time course an Access course? You will need to work part-time to fund yourself; in fact a lot of people work full-time and do a PT Acess course.

Ask to speak to the college (is it a college or what) student finance advisor. they should know the new rules.

Caz3121

If you are doing a part time course you may still be entitled to sign on for JSA however you would still be expected to look for work and would be expected to leave the course for a job. If you claim income based JSA this would be affected by the student finance and you may end up with no actual payment.
As students cannot claim housing benefit you would need to have the claim in your name and, again, the student funding will play a part
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_070816
Probably the best bet is getting a good idea on whether the student funding will cover what you need and if not maybe look at OU as suggested above

RAS

Just to remind everyone that the OU is going to be a lot more expensive in future because they will not get the student support they previously got from the Government.

You can however claim fees and loans if you do 60 credits or more a year.

BigAunty

I believe that part time students can now get student loans..., a new thing, I think.