Pregnant Student

Dunroamin

cte1111 wrote: »

She's already said that this isn't an abortion debate.

Just as well I'm not debating then!;)

Alikay

If you're not due until March next year, you should be able to continue with your studies right up til you give birth (assuming it's not a course like nursing or social work, where it could get tricky being heavily pregnant on placement).

If you get ahead with your assignments before the birth, I'm sure you'll be able to limp through the last couple of months until the end of your course. Seems a shame to have to defer a whole year as it gets a lot trickier to study when you've got a more mobile baby and have to pay a full year of childcare costs.

Voyager2002

If you are due in January then you might be able to study up until the end of the Autumn term. OTOH if you were able to find a job now you could save a nice pot of money if you worked up until the baby is due.

Either way, I suggest you defer until September 204. That way, you will have time to reserve a place in a decent childcare provider and generally get ready.

Don't worry too much about the overdraft. No matter what your bank says, if you don't have the money then they can't have any, and they can't put you in prison for debt or anything.

jacques_chirac

GoldenShadow wrote: »

At my uni you can resit semesters/defer a semester. Can you sit the Sept-Jan one and then do the Jan-May one in Jan-May 2015 instead? Give you more time for dissertation if you do one too.

What degree are you doing and what are your marks like? Not desirable but with resitting a semester you are capped with results but you would be financed through the semester, just depends on your uni's attitude really. No one wants results capped but its a better option than dropping out. I imagine that only one semester left would be more doable than having to do a full on year after a kid too. You'd know it was just 12 weeks etc.

The OP would not be resitting the semester - she would have been excused/ suspended her studies. Her marks would not be capped in this situation.

If it was me I would either suspend my studies for a year or withdraw with a written agreement that I could resume again in autumn 2014. The problem with suspending is that it limits your benefit options (you are still treated as being a student). The only problem I can see with withdrawing is if student funding arrangements/ fees changed in the next year - you would complete your final year at the new levels.

Alternatively, is OU an option? You could transfer your existing credits over if you completed a similar degree.

wiggywoo9

Hi Holly,

I had a tougher situation than you but similar. I found out I was pregnant just after I had got a room in a shared house, signed contract and moved 38 miles from home to the uni city. It was literally a few weeks into the start of my first year.

Unfortunately, though I was engaged to my then-partner, he decided it wasn't for him. Two weeks after discovering I was pregnant, I was alone, in a strange city, no friends, no money and at uni.

HOWEVER- I would never recommend the situation BUT I did it. I did it on my own, no breaks, have my own flat now, still single but my son is a happy, healthy boy whose mummy is graduating this Friday, alongside everyone else.

I know the issue with overdrafts- I avoided them until my 2nd year but then run to the limit. I would advise you, crazy enough as it is and hard as it is, to keep going.

Be careful for the first trimester, I wasn't sick but had terrible nausea and just felt off all the time. Just take it easy. Don't over-do things- can your bf help? A person you know at uni? You're in your 2nd year so should have some support networks there, ready made. Don't forget- you're still YOU- I avoided the SU and parties but really regret it now. Even just a society would be nice

Keep on top of work, make sure you request a special room for any exams, or extensions if you need them. Talk to the head of your subject- mine was very helpful and actually inspired me to keep going.

You'll get all the normal student loans/grants- be careful with money (I put a bit of money aside each week for buying a pack of nappies/a babygro, etc, often in sales), but nothing directly for baby so you need to plan for that. Ask friends/family for leftover baby things, help with shopping, etc. In the summer, you can temporarily claim IS. Get Child tax credit and child benefit sorted ASAP after the birth.

I really hope you keep going. I know its tough and excluding from uni friends, who are wild and free lol but think about it. You've got one and a half years at the most to get your degree and get set on your child's future. You CAN do it! Please don't give up- its only too easy to put off going back. Good luck- PM me if you'd like

bouncydog1

What a lovely, positive, inspirational post!

Jarbuhu

Uni is tough for the traditional student, so it might not be best for you to go during pregnancy. Sometimes unforeseen things happen that might inhibit you from returning after the two week period. This is a very tough situation period, I wish you well and hope you find some assistance.

GoldenShadow

jacques_chirac wrote: »

The OP would not be resitting the semester - she would have been excused/ suspended her studies. Her marks would not be capped in this situation.

If it was me I would either suspend my studies for a year or withdraw with a written agreement that I could resume again in autumn 2014. The problem with suspending is that it limits your benefit options (you are still treated as being a student). The only problem I can see with withdrawing is if student funding arrangements/ fees changed in the next year - you would complete your final year at the new levels.

Alternatively, is OU an option? You could transfer your existing credits over if you completed a similar degree.

I'm talking about just sitting the Sept-Jan semester even if she is concerned about her marks. If it really went horrendously, she could still resit it at a later date albeit being capped. But then if that semester is there and done she only has to return for half instead of a full year. Certainly at my uni I know you can complete half a year, and if something arises to prevent you doing the second half at that moment in time it can be delayed. Again, if unable to get a job, she would receive student loans during the Sept-Jan semester which assists with the current financial situation. Not ideal, but like others say the benefit situation is different after birth and its the current financial situation proving a problem.

If your uni does your degree part time you could always look at trying to do your last year (more likely to be 18 months/two years though) that way after bub as well.

Bottom line is, go to uni for this semester and you get funding. If it goes wrong you can still resit the semester though you would be capped (and its up to Stu Finance whether to fund you for a resit I believe *but* again the benefit situation is different after baby is here). If you don't go back to uni now, and you get no funding and are reliant on getting a job which, from your post, seems difficult at the moment.

Darren.B_2

Some great advice here.