Compelling personal reasons

jemlouise

Hi

I don't know if this is a bit off topic but I need a decent opinion. I'm currently in my last year of study however I've fallen pregnant which is great but my uni is a five hour round trip and costly on the ticket front too despite having a railcard, I'll be six to seven months when I go in for my exams, my brain is already turning to mush I can't remember anything, I've got terrible morning sickness and am generally having a bit of a troublesome pregnancy.

Basically I'm thinking of transferring to a closer uni in september however they have informed me I would have to start from the second year, thus running out of finance by a year.

I have to write a compelling personal reasons letter in order to get my funding back so i can complete the last year.

Has anyone previously done this? If so has this been accepted as a reason? It would be really good to hear from you and would boost my confidence if I heard of other people doing this.

Thanks.

Knalchemist

The rule is length of course + 1 year. Have you used up your extra year already?

When you apply for student finance, you include a short letter stating that you're applying for CPR for a particular year, and then state why. You need to include evidence as well.

One of the common CPR reasons is pregnancy, so I don't think it'd be a big problem for you to get the year back.

jemlouise

Not yet, I;m in my third year so have got one spare which would be excellent if I stayed where I am and just deferred the year. However I really need a uni closer to me but they've told me I would repeat the second year and then obviously the third year, resulting in 5 years of funding overall.

Thank you for your comment though, I'm glad to hear that!

Dunroamin

You could look at doing your last year part time with the OU if they offer the relevant subject.

nimbo

Dunroamin wrote: »

You could look at doing your last year part time with the OU if they offer the relevant subject.

although the OU will let you transfer credit - they may not name the degree - e.g. you'd get a Bsc, or a BA, but not a Bsc in social work (obviously insert the name of the actual subject)...

for the PCR

get as much evidence as you can... so notes from tutors, and maybe supportive notes from your doctor re: morning sickness, as I was told they would help (PCR was granted, but I don't know what swung it)...

A woman on my course wasn't allowed to do her exams when the rest of us did in the first year, as her due date was too close (I can't remember how close it was - but we were joking that it would be good hands on experience for the student midwives - ha-ha)... She was technically banned from campus, due to risk assessments they had done. (so ask what the cut off point is for this at your uni is, as this could later support the PCR appeal)...

Is there any chance you could move closer?

Also look into fees - as there is a chance that you'd end up paying the 9k fees, rather than the £3'465 you are currently paying. (I asked my university in April about this, as I thought I may have to take a year out to save the cash for fees, and at the time, they said this was being discussed). (Ours was the first year that deferred entry - didn't defer the fees, as they thought this would encourage too many to defer who were planning on going the year after). (And I think that going back to year two may make this more likely - which may suck)...

Sorry if I'm teaching granny to suck eggs, and good luck. xx