Student finace issue.

wannabeIndy

Dunroamin wrote: »

You're being penalised because you took two years to do a one year course and then chose to study at a university that doesn't allow you to transfer your credits on to the second year of a degree course, thus taking 5 years to achieve a degree rather than the maximum allowed 3 + 1.

Students (particularly mature ones) are expected to find out things for themselves and to ensure that they understand everything that they sign.

You're flogging the proverbial dead horse, I'm afraid.

Yes. I was signed off work and decided to get into education. If I could have done the course in a year, which was an option, I would have. The benefits office however, said I could only get the course paid for if I did it part time. So I did. My uni said they would accept the certHE, so I did it. I had no idea it would actually effect the amount of finance I was entitled to.

As far as I was concerned the certHE was a route to access the degree. I was never told from applying for the certificate, applying to college, applying to student finance for the degree, multiple phone calls to SFE to cover several bases with them, not ONCE did anyone say "oh hold on a second....you won't be able to get finance for that".

Dunroamin

Of course,if you'd been prepared to come off benefits you could have done the Cert HE full time in a year, received student funding for it and then been able to do a three year degree.

Was there a different reason for your decision to do it part time?

wannabeIndy

Dunroamin wrote: »

Of course,if you'd been prepared to come off benefits you could have done the Cert HE full time in a year, received student funding for it and then been able to do a three year degree.

Was there a different reason for your decision to do it part time?

Again, that was an option that wasn't presented to me at the time. If it was, I would have done it. I've explained to everyone at every step of the process that I want to go to University. Before the certificate, during, applying to Uni....at every step i've been constantly chasing up about will the cert get me in, what do I need to do at this step....i've been a thorn in the side of everyone as I want this so much I didn't want to mess anything up. And at no point during all of this, even when I was talking to SFE on the phone, talking to them about the certificate, telling them about the tiny grant I got for the cert and what i'd expect to get funding-wise for the degree, did anyone mention that prior funding would effect anything I get in the future.

dizzyrascal

I've heard people saying a certHE is equivalent to a 1st year degree, but in reality is itsn't. My uni wouldn't take that as a first year and put me straight onto year two. As i'm a mature student they accepted it instead of A-levels.

Were you under the impression that you would be starting in year 2?
Actually a Cert HE is equivalent to the first year of an undergraduate degree if it is made up of 120 credits, it just seems that your university has not accepted it as a credit transfer just as evidence of study.
They are entitled to do this if they think the content of your course differs from their own. Are you repeating a lot of stuff from your Cert HE course? If so then I would question that decision.
If not, then you will see why they didn't accept it.
If it is very similar and you will be examined on the same things it may be possible to be an external candidate. (This is a long shot but it might work)
This would mean you are still registered on the course but do not have to attend uni and you can therefore work full time throughout the year. You will have to sit your exams in the summer and pass, then you will be in year 2.
It is usually something offered to students who have failed their first year and then failed their resits but only marginally. In other words, they have not impressed enough to continue on to year 2 but the tutors are confident that they will pass at the end of a year out.
It is not something that is offered to someone who has failed every module, just those who have been borderline on one or two modules and failed one or two. (as an example).
I don't know if this will work for you but it is worth a try