A Level Funding for 22 year old

Legacy_user

**Posting on behalf of my boyfriend**

Basically, I went to college at 16, had no drive and failed. Now I am determined to go back. However, I rang up and found out that I was not available for the adult learners loan, and there were no loans for the A level language courses which I want to do. From what was said on the phone, it would cost upwards of £6000, much of which would have to be paid upfront, not something I'd be able to get a hold of by next September. Am I entitled to a student loan? Or any funding? I have never had one before, and if I do get one, would I be unable to get one when going to Uni? I am employed, living at home, and wish to do Spanish, Japanese and Law at Manchester College. I am 22. Thanks for your help.

DomRavioli

You won't get funding if they don't have any available.

Have you thought about getting your LLB through Open University (They have the fee loans nowadays) with either Spanish or Japanese (if they offer it - I know they do the LLB course)

IS there a reason you have picked such different subjects?

System

Do open uni do A Levels? He's wanting to do A Level Spanish/Japanese/Law* then hopefully go onto study BA Spanish and Japanese at University of Manchester.

*this isn't a final subject yet, he's still not 100% sure what the third will be but will definitely do Spanish and Japanese

Erinnire

Not sure about A level funding, but could he look into a law pathway access course. It's 1 year you can get an adult learner loan for it and if you go onto uni then it is written off.

He could then perhaps pick up the languages as free electives at univeristy?

System

Thanks for the sugestions, he's dead set on doing languages, he knows he wants to do it at Uni, the law could be anything it's just to fill grades, and was wondering what he could do to get funding.

Looking like he may have to wait to he's 24 and get the 24+ learning grant thing, which as another question, he turns 24 in December 2014, i take it he would have to wait till september 2015 to be able to get that funding?

Mojisola

Doesn't this apply?

https://www.nus.org.uk/en/advice/money-and-funding/further-education/im-a-student-aged-19-years-old-or-older--what-further-education-funding-can-i-get-in-england/

Also, you don’t need to pay for the following, depending on how old you are:
training that leads to your first Level 2 qualification (the equivalent of five GCSEs at grades A* to C – though you can’t take GCSEs for free), if you’re under 24 years old at the start of your course
your first full Level 3 qualification (the equivalent of two A Level passes), if you’re under 25 years old at the start of your course.

System

Mojisola wrote: »

Doesn't this apply?

www.nus.org.uk/en/advice/money-and-funding/further-education/im-a-student-aged-19-years-old-or-older--what-further-education-funding-can-i-get-in-england/

Also, you don’t need to pay for the following, depending on how old you are:
training that leads to your first Level 2 qualification (the equivalent of five GCSEs at grades A* to C – though you can’t take GCSEs for free), if you’re under 24 years old at the start of your course
your first full Level 3 qualification (the equivalent of two A Level passes), if you’re under 25 years old at the start of your course.

I'm not sure, he got DDD the first time round-do D's count as passes for those purposes, as in does it have to be A-C passes to count for A Levels?

skint_chick

Has he checked the entry requirements for the course at uni? Sometimes if you're older you might not necessarily need 3 A Levels - Access courses are usually accepted and take 2 years part time in the evenings and although the cost varies by college shouldn't cost £6000! It depends if uni course offers places to beginners with language aptitude - best bet is for him to actually speak to the admissions tutor for that course at the uni.

You can usually take A levels as evening courses at local colleges - it's usually about £200-300 for each AS Level and then the same again for the A Level year. But with languages you would need to start with GCSE's in the subject first as the jump from GCSE to A Level is huge in terms of grammar and vocab with languages. I have an aptitude for languages and jumped straight into both GCSE Spanish and Italian without doing lower level classes and struggled for a couple of months to learn the vocab and keep up with the grammar. Does your bf already know Spanish and Japanese? What are his long term plans after he gets his degree?

Callie22

When I was doing A-Levels (which admittedly was a while ago ) I was told that the Law A-Level isn't particularly respected and a more 'academic' A-Level would be a better choice. Since he's thinking of applying to a Russell Group uni it might be a good idea to speak to the admissions office to see what A-Levels the Modern/Oriental Languages departments would recommend, rather than putting himself at a disadvantage when applying against people with three traditional academic A-Levels.

He could also look into other routes. As he's a mature student it might be cheaper to go down the route of an Access course and some additional language courses - the OU offer some language modules from beginner lever, for example. It would probably be worthwhile seeing if there's a non-traditional route to get where he wants to be.

System

Some interesting ideas there guys, shall refer this back to him and get back to answer queries asap.

SkintChick-He did Spanish A Level the first time round, he feels he'd have done better at it if he'd applied himself more at the time, otherwise he's pretty confident with it. and so far he's trying to self study Japanese. Will ask him if he's looked into access courses.

Callie22-Asking what A Levels they look for might be a good idea., and maybe looking at OU

Dunroamin

xXMessedUpXx wrote: »

I'm not sure, he got DDD the first time round-do D's count as passes for those purposes, as in does it have to be A-C passes to count for A Levels?

Ds are pass grades at A level.

Does he already have GCSEs in Spanish and Japanese?