How am I supposed to afford college at 30 with 2 children?

gravitytolls

Emmzi wrote: »

by living like a student?

part time job and beans on toast. That may not match your current standard of living, but it is how many students do it.

The kids too? :eek:

rainbowfairydust

skint-mum-of-two wrote: »

Hi

I'm desperate to go back to education to do an acess course but don't know how I'm supposed to afford it. I have 2 children, 1 at school and 1 that will need to go into childcare. I'm 30 years old and my husband is a police officer so earns 35,000.00 and everywhere I look it says I'm not entitled to any help with course or childcare fees. My husband does earn a good wage but we are not left with any spare money at the end of the month and sometimes some bills don't even get paid.

Has anyone got any information that would help me to get back into college please? I'm desperate!

Thank you.

I have been in a similar situation to you with the exception that i am single and have no children.

Background -
I applied to do an access course at a local college , and was accepted. In the end i had to decline my spot because i couldn't take the risk of walking out of full time work on the off chance i'd find part time work.
The course fees alone were £1400 and then i'd have living expenses for the year on top of that. Current employer were not prepared to employ me part time. I looked into loans/funding etc but as a single person with no children i had fat chance. I was bitterly disappointed at the time and i started looking at alternatives to help me get in my chosen field.

I looked at several on-line courses and also at the OU in great detail but i felt that studying on-line just wasn't for me. I then chose to start volunteering at a local charity (victim support) (as i wish to work in the criminal justice sector) because i thought that this may open some doors for me. As it happens it hasn't (yet at least) but its a step closer getting me to where i want to be.

I did some more researching into courses that were part time/night school and by chance i came across a foundation programme run by a local uni (starting sept 2012). This is in effect A-Levels as its a number of subjects over the course of 2 years giving me enough points to apply for university to do a degree.

The best part is that its night school (one evening a week with an occasional saturday morning ) and as i am under the threshold i will get the course paid for by the university. I am able to continue working in my current role.
i will have to study for 2 years which means that it will be 2014 before i get to start my degree but tbh i am in no hurry. I still have another 30 years (ish) of working before i am at retirement age and i have the added bonus of having some experience in this field i want to be in which will look good to the uni i apply too & also future employers.

My point to all the above (because i dont want to seem like i am lording it over you) is keep looking because somewhere will have a similar option for you to take. Its worth checking out local universities night school programmes or speaking to them as they may know of other places to try. Look for volunteer opportunities. They may help you get a foot in the door.

Wish you the best of luck

tkwad

i just want to wish the op good luck in her quest, i find the negativity and backlash from some hard to handle, advice was sought it wasnt about income or rent costs it was about childcare, some of us "breeders" would like to do a bit more than stay at home and yes maybe to contribute to the tax system in the future we need to have a helping hand with childcare...i really do wish sometimes people would be a little bit less mean....

dizzyrascal

tkwad wrote: »

i just want to wish the op good luck in her quest, i find the negativity and backlash from some hard to handle, advice was sought it wasnt about income or rent costs it was about childcare, some of us "breeders" would like to do a bit more than stay at home and yes maybe to contribute to the tax system in the future we need to have a helping hand with childcare...i really do wish sometimes people would be a little bit less mean....

Getting a further or higher education is a choice.
Not something she has to do. It is something she wants to do.
I would like to do a lot of things but can't because I can't afford it!