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Going back to uni - financial help?
pinkshoes
Posts: 20,674 Forumite
I'm about to have to leave my well paid job, so have decided to retrain as a teacher and go back to uni for a year.
Although my OH earns £36k, our basic costs (mortgage, gas, elec, water, council tax, petrol, tv license, phone, car tax, car insurance, MOT - for 2 cars, nursery bill, and food) are going to be more than his take home pay, not to mention the £9k tuition fees!
Does anyone know if we are likely to be entitled to any help, and where we can go to get that help?
Although my OH earns £36k, our basic costs (mortgage, gas, elec, water, council tax, petrol, tv license, phone, car tax, car insurance, MOT - for 2 cars, nursery bill, and food) are going to be more than his take home pay, not to mention the £9k tuition fees!
Does anyone know if we are likely to be entitled to any help, and where we can go to get that help?
Should've = Should HAVE (not 'of')
Would've = Would HAVE (not 'of')
No, I am not perfect, but yes I do judge people on their use of basic English language. If you didn't know the above, then learn it! (If English is your second language, then you are forgiven!)
Would've = Would HAVE (not 'of')
No, I am not perfect, but yes I do judge people on their use of basic English language. If you didn't know the above, then learn it! (If English is your second language, then you are forgiven!)
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Comments
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I am assuming you are returning to Uni having already done a first degree so will not qualify for student funding.
Income is too high for tax credits (who would not help with childcare unless you are working over 16 hours yourself)
Only think would be to see what student funding/loans the Uni may have that is available to you or look and see if you can do the course part time or when the children are older if you are not going to be able to manage0 -
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There is a student finance calculator on the direct.gov website, but at present it's down for maintenance - http://www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinancecalculator
It'll give you an idea of what you could be entitled to.
You can get the full 9k loan for fees regardless of income, and some other things you can get too.
Here's where to get more info:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/Typesoffinance/DG_194804
There is a maintenance loan that you would be entitled to up to £4375, 60% of which (£2625) you can have without any income assesment.
I'm a parent about to go to Uni (hopefully: just waiting to hear if I'm offered a place or not), but because I'm the breadwinner for my family, we get everything.Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.- Mark TwainArguing with idiots is like playing chess with a pigeon: no matter how good you are at chess, its just going to knock over the pieces and strut around like its victorious.0 -
...
Although my OH earns £36k, our basic costs (mortgage, gas, elec, water, council tax, petrol, tv license, phone, car tax, car insurance, MOT - for 2 cars, nursery bill, and food) are going to be more than his take home pay, not to mention the £9k tuition fees!
The majority of benefits are means tested, meaning benefits are calculated according to income.
Your personal expenses are completely irrelevant to entitlement.
The links provided by earlier posters are v.helpful. Have you considered the Open University or other part-time or distance learning to do your degree in order to fit it around part time employment or full time child care? The OU mentions bursaries.
http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/qualification/education/pgce/index.htm
Another strategy, apart from finding extra income, is to make extra savings - download the MSE budget planner and work through the site to learn how to slash costs to avoid debt - temporary mortgage holiday/switch to interest only payments, cheap groceries and thrifty recipes (there's a website which publishes recipes for a family of 4 to eat for £100 per month), slash energy consumption, find cheaper suppliers for energy, insurance, phone/telecom/broadband, transport, etc.0 -
The majority of benefits are means tested, meaning benefits are calculated according to income.
Your personal expenses are completely irrelevant to entitlement.
The links provided by earlier posters are v.helpful. Have you considered the Open University or other part-time or distance learning to do your degree in order to fit it around part time employment or full time child care? The OU mentions bursaries.
http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/qualification/education/pgce/index.htm
Another strategy, apart from finding extra income, is to make extra savings - download the MSE budget planner and work through the site to learn how to slash costs to avoid debt - temporary mortgage holiday/switch to interest only payments, cheap groceries and thrifty recipes (there's a website which publishes recipes for a family of 4 to eat for £100 per month), slash energy consumption, find cheaper suppliers for energy, insurance, phone/telecom/broadband, transport, etc.
The OP wants to do a PGCE, not an undergraduate degree and the OU no longer offers bursaries anyway.
OP, you will be eligible to take out a student loan for the fees and also a maintenance loan; depending on what you want to teach (and at what level) you may be eligible for a bursary.
(I'm getting a distinct sense of deja vu here, haven't you asked all this before?)
ETA
You'll also be elligible for a discount of 25% of your council tax whilst studying.0 -
The majority of benefits are means tested, meaning benefits are calculated according to income.
Benefits yes, however there is an Adult Dependants Grant which is based upon outgoings.
Which also reminds me about the Parents Learning Grant that you should look up.Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.- Mark TwainArguing with idiots is like playing chess with a pigeon: no matter how good you are at chess, its just going to knock over the pieces and strut around like its victorious.0 -
The OP wants to do a PGCE, not an undergraduate degree and the OU no longer offers bursaries anyway.
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Then I'm afraid their website is out of date because they offer it in half a dozen subjects and mention a bursary.
http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/qualification/education/pgce/index.htm0 -
Then I'm afraid their website is out of date because they offer it in half a dozen subjects and mention a bursary.
http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/qualification/education/pgce/index.htm
Sorry, you mentioned bursaries in the context of undergraduate degrees, which was why I said the OU no longer offered them without checking your link.0 -
Sorry, OP, everyone, myself included, has overlooked your asking where to get the help, not just information.
You apply for all your student finance through the direct.gov website. The application takes about an hour if you have all the info you need handy, both you and OH will need to fill parts in for yourselves.
Once complete, it tells you exactly what each of you needs to post off to the student finance place, and gives the address. It'll even print a cover letter for you.
It's waaaay easier than I had expected TBH.
Also, don't wait to hear if you have a place before applying: as soon as you complete and send your Uni application, get started on the student finance one too.Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.- Mark TwainArguing with idiots is like playing chess with a pigeon: no matter how good you are at chess, its just going to knock over the pieces and strut around like its victorious.0 -
Many thanks for all the links! Am just looking through them all whilst my little one sleeps!
My application for a PGCE has been very last minute, so although I'll get a £12k bursary due to my chosen subjects being in demand, it'll only cover the £9k tuition fees and a third of my childcare costs, so I'll need to find some extra money for somewhere.
It would be cheaper in the short term for me to be a housewife, but ultimately, I really enjoy working, and financially we'll be much better off in the long term.
Thanks everyone.Should've = Should HAVE (not 'of')
Would've = Would HAVE (not 'of')
No, I am not perfect, but yes I do judge people on their use of basic English language. If you didn't know the above, then learn it! (If English is your second language, then you are forgiven!)0
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