im so scared ive got to quit uni!! please help me.. independent student finance q

simonjames90

Ive tried my hardest to answer the question myself but ive struggled to find a forum post closely relating to my circumstances so please accept my apologies if there is one! I am currently awaiting SFE to assess my application as an independent status. I have been paying all my own bills since I was 16 which includes rent, phone bills, food, car finance ect.

More specifically in years

2008 from 3 job roles I earnt £9600 so over the £7500 mark

2009 fr job seekers allowance and two job roles £3500 so way under

2010 a income total of £7200 from one job role

2011 £4900

2012 £3000 from JSA

I have a baby on the way at the end of January and I am aware of additional support that is available to me and that is great and I am extremely grateful for that but the over all support I think I am going to get from student finance isn't going to be enough if I do not be assessed as self supporting. .. I come from a lower class working background and my mum earns around £15k a year and she has always been my primary care giver or main parent... she is now with a partner(past 3 years ) who earns £45k a year and student finance will assess his details if I go down the route of my mother supporting my application. .. ive met him twice he will never support me and why should he as I am now 23!?! At best going down this route I will get £4500 maintenance loan to live on a year and a little extra when I am a parent in January and maybe a little from University hardship funds

My mums reply to asking for financial support was that she can't at all and that I should quit uni and get a full time job....

I am going to have to quit university aren't I??

Ive got to support myself and my family.. I know next year as I will have an dependent on me for that financial year I will be an independent student but this year is gonna kill me


Please can anyone shed light on my circumstances especially if you have experienced this yourself

What should I do?? Are my prior earnings enough to satisfy an independent status

Please do not guess at answers as this is a very sensitive subject for me and stabs in the dark will just throw my emotions from one side of the room to the other

Thanks so much for reading

amiehall

I'm confused by your post. You haven't given any information about your course etc. Are you currently at university? You plan to complete this year as normal even though you will have your child in the middle of the year? How long do you have left on your course?

Any future years, you will be assessed as independent as any student with a child is considered independent from the September after the child is born.

If you explain the situation more clearly, I'm sure you can get some further advice.

amiehall

Having looked at your name again, it seems like you're a boy. I guess the lack of maternity leave is making more sense to me now...

simonjames90

Course is Law with Criminology
Uni is Nottingham trent
Year is second year so one more left after!!

My baby will be here January 2014 and legislation around student finance state that I will be classed as an independent student automatically next year as my baby will be here before the first day of the academic year I am applying support for!

Thanks for any help you can give me, apologies for lack of clarity

simonjames90

I am on the course right now amd struggling but plan to complete if I can

simonjames90

I dont understand why my course , year and university are relevant though. .. to anything

jackieblack

Does your uni have a student advice/support service that could help you?

simonjames90

Already been Jackie but even if they give me thier maximum I still cannot support my family

jackieblack

Does the baby's mum work, or is she a student too?

simonjames90

Benefits Jackie

jackieblack

So, sorry, just so I can understand - how is your situation going to change after the baby arrives so that you will need to leave Uni?

Your GF's benefits will take take into account the baby, plus she will receive Child Benefit.

Do you live together?

Sorry for the questions, I'm just struggling to understand why you feel that you will need to leave Uni in order to support the baby. Babies don't have to cost an enormous amount to support, especially at first...... Unless you will be needing to support your girlfriend as well?