How can I fund my course?

lauranurse

I would be really grateful for some advice.

I would like to do a part time, partly distance learning partly on site degree in nutritional therapy.

I am hoping i can get a career development loan to cover 2 years of the 3 years of fees, but what about the other year? How else do people fund their study?

I am on income support and DLA, so cannot save very much for it myself, and I am hoping there may be some scheme I dont know about out there somewhere!

Thanks for your help!!!!

Oldernotwiser

If you're looking at the Greenwich/BCNH course it seems to me that it doesn't come under the normal funding for part time degrees, which I imagine is the reason for your enquiry. If you look at the student section of MSE you'll find a great deal of information about Career Development Loans. You must realise that these are offered at commercial rates and need repaying whether you get well paid employment or not. They are NOT the same as Student Loans, which are a much softer option.

There are educational charities and foundations that may be able to help a little; you can find information on these here,

http://www.egas-online.org.uk/fwa/index.html

Without wanting to be unduly pessimistic, I'd look very carefully at this course of action. You could find yourself saddled with large debts that you're unable to pay because you're starting to set up a business. If it is this degree that you're looking at it's a 4 year course if you're studying it part time.

Have you had a look at the Nutritional Therapy course offered at Westminster or the part time degree at Bedfordshire? These seem to come under the normal student funding schemes (although check this out as I have only had a quick look). If this is the case you might well not have to pay fees for part time study if you're on benefits; if full time you'd be able to take out a student loan, which is a much more straightforward option. Post again if I can offer any more help or if I've misunderstood the situation.

TOBRUK

lauranurse wrote: »

I would be really grateful for some advice.

I would like to do a part time, partly distance learning partly on site degree in nutritional therapy.

I am hoping i can get a career development loan to cover 2 years of the 3 years of fees, but what about the other year? How else do people fund their study?

I am on income support and DLA, so cannot save very much for it myself, and I am hoping there may be some scheme I dont know about out there somewhere!

Thanks for your help!!!!

I don't know what your DLA entitlement is but if you are receiving disability benefit and/or income support you may get financial support. For example the OU has a section on their website and there you can find out if you are eligible for financial support online - it works out how much you can get, the course fees and other expenses. It should be similar with other colleges.

Oldernotwiser

TOBRUK wrote: »

I don't know what your DLA entitlement is but if you are receiving disability benefit and/or income support you may get financial support. For example the OU has a section on their website and there you can find out if you are eligible for financial support online - it works out how much you can get, the course fees and other expenses. It should be similar with other colleges.

Unfortunately there are some courses that don't come under the normal HE funding umbrella. My reply was based on the assumption that the course being considered was one of these. I'm sure Lauranurse will let us know.

TOBRUK

Oldernotwiser, thank you for that, I wasn't thinking of specific courses - don't want to mislead anyone.

lauranurse

The course I was looking at is the TVU/Plaskett nutritional college one.

I am unsure what to do now! The problem is that I was hoping that distance learning would be a cheaper option, and also would be easier for me as I suffer from depression and find it hard to get out and about.

Thanks for your help guys!