trying to budget for living costs as 46 year old undergraduate... help

iceblue15

I'm hoping to study full-time for a degree and am trying to work out how I can afford to live before I take the plunge and apply. The tuition fees will be covered by a loan. The maintenance grant is £3,354 and the maintenance loan is £3,823 which gives a total of £7,177 BUT my rent is £110 per week - a total of £5,720 per year.

This only leaves £1,457 to live on - i.e. £28 per week for ALL utility bills, council tax, phone, internet, clothing, travel, books and food which makes it impossible to manage.

Does anyone know how it works if you get a part-time job? Are you able to keep all of the income from it?

Is the maintenance loan treated as income even though you have to pay it back?

Thanks to anyone who is able to help.

iceblue15

I've just been trying to research more, and found a comment by someone that maintenance grants and loans for living costs have been stopped for people doing online degrees. Does anyone know if this is true? I tried searching on the student finance site but cannot find any info about it.

Thanks very much for any help - much appreciated.

amiehall

You get an exemption from council tax as a full-time student.

I'm confused by your second comment though, is it full-time or is it online?

Your own earnings don't affect any loans.

Dunroamin

As you've been on disability benefits for a long time, perhaps you might be better studying part time rather than trying to combine full time study and part time work.

flea72

You need to move if you are paying £110/wk plus bills. Most student accommodation is around £100/wk including bills. Also alot of unis offer bursaries for people on low incomes, on top of the grant/loan. Usually around an additional £3k a year.

Erinnire

You may still get help towards housing costs,Disabled Students can claim LHA/HB in certain circumstances. You will be exempt from council tax.

(I am assuming you are single.)

Do you claim benefits at the moment?

iceblue15

amiehall wrote: »

You get an exemption from council tax as a full-time student.

I'm confused by your second comment though, is it full-time or is it online?

Your own earnings don't affect any loans.

I'm sorry - I've got confused. I was looking at an online OU degree on a full-time basis, so I wondered if it might be considered the same as doing a full-time degree at another university for the purposes of claiming a grant for living costs. I don't know if I've been really silly thinking that, but otherwise I don't know how you're meant to be able to afford to study full-time.

iceblue15

Dunroamin wrote: »

As you've been on disability benefits for a long time, perhaps you might be better studying part time rather than trying to combine full time study and part time work.

Thanks Dunroamin, I think I would prefer it if it was part-time, but I didn't think it would work out at all affordable if I did it that way. I will have another think.

iceblue15

flea72 wrote: »

You need to move if you are paying £110/wk plus bills. Most student accommodation is around £100/wk including bills. Also alot of unis offer bursaries for people on low incomes, on top of the grant/loan. Usually around an additional £3k a year.

I didn't realise that most accommodation was so much cheaper. I guess I do live in a more expensive part of the country. The trouble is that if I move to another area, it would be a big upheaval and I'm currently in social housing and didn't want to lose my tenancy. But I appreciate what you are saying.

iceblue15

Erinnire wrote: »

You may still get help towards housing costs,Disabled Students can claim LHA/HB in certain circumstances. You will be exempt from council tax.

(I am assuming you are single.)

Do you claim benefits at the moment?

Yes I do claim benefits and am single, and I've been trying to think how I can change things so that they are better for the future. I've also been really yearning to study for a long time.

iceblue15

Just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who's written replies - I appreciate you taking the time to respond.