Quitting work to become a full time student

amiehall

It just seems very strange to me for both you and your partner to have a sudden and desperate desire to train to be nurses! I think it's an odd attitude in general to think that your job needs to be in the specifically caring sector to be doing some good. We as a society need all sorts of jobs doing and I strongly feel that you don't need to be spending your time literally nursing people back to health to make a strong social contribution.

I also feel sorry for you and your partner if you're not able to enjoy your life, living in financial security with someone you love. It seems so sad that you regard that as a waste.

Personally, I gave up a reasonably paid job in my early 20s to start my degree. I'm about to graduate and have landed a good job in my preferred sector so it's been worth it for me. But my goals were pretty tangible - to get out of retail management and into a professional role. I'd be worried that your goals are far less tangible and that this career move might not give you the fulfilment that you hope.

If you are serious about pursuing this, you need to pay off your CC debts, look up how much student finance you'd be entitled to, work out a budget and then save up any shortfall. You won't be able to work on a nursing course as it's long hours and limited holidays.

snake_charmer

Sky_ thank you for this!!

It does back up what I've read however I hadn't seen anything about bursaries cancelling out assessed loans but is something I was afraid off.

Do you know what they use to calculate the entitlements I.e. current earnings or previous year earnings?

My partner and I have enrolled into a 12 month course which is an introduction into adult learning which I've paid for and is necessary for the next step of studying for a nursing degree so we have some time to save a bit of cash but I guess that would be taken into account when calculating entitlements too?

starrystarry

snake_charmer wrote: »

Well, the few people who've responded haven't exactly been positive about it. Maybe I should waste another 5 years of my life, it's not like it's short or anything

Don't listen to the naysayers snake_charmer. If this is what you really want, make it happen.

I don't have any practical advice for you as I know nothing about the subject but I didn't want to read and run. Good luck with whatever path you choose to follow.

Undervalued

amiehall wrote: »

Personally, I gave up a reasonably paid job in my early 20s to start my degree. I'm about to graduate and have landed a good job in my preferred sector so it's been worth it for me. But my goals were pretty tangible - to get out of retail management and into a professional role. I'd be worried that your goals are far less tangible and that this career move might not give you the fulfilment that you hope.

If you are serious about pursuing this, you need to pay off your CC debts, look up how much student finance you'd be entitled to, work out a budget and then save up any shortfall. You won't be able to work on a nursing course as it's long hours and limited holidays.

^^^^^^^

Excellent advice.

ViolaLass

OP, my experience is that they look at the previous year's salary UNLESS you can give a good reason why your salary this year will be different (which it obviously would be in your case). If a student were to be assessed on their parents' income, for example, then this assumption is a reasonable way to go. In practice, I don't think you would have difficulty getting them to realise that you wouldn't have that salary any more.

On another note, have you already been to uni? That would affect your eligibility for some loans. And yes, getting a grant will part-reduce your loan. I imagine Googling 'student loans' or talking to your proposed uni would be the easiest way to find out the details.

Jobseeeker

I think you should go for it, but one at a time not both together.

snake_charmer

ViolaLass wrote: »

OP, my experience is that they look at the previous year's salary UNLESS you can give a good reason why your salary this year will be different (which it obviously would be in your case). If a student were to be assessed on their parents' income, for example, then this assumption is a reasonable way to go. In practice, I don't think you would have difficulty getting them to realise that you wouldn't have that salary any more.

On another note, have you already been to uni? That would affect your eligibility for some loans. And yes, getting a grant will part-reduce your loan. I imagine Googling 'student loans' or talking to your proposed uni would be the easiest way to find out the details.

Thanks. No, neither of us have been to university before so there shouldn't be any issues there. I've actually tried calling both line today and despite saying their lines are open, they were closed and I will try again on Monday.

I've been in fear of leaving what is currently a stable lifestyle and so just carried on doing what i do. When I've looked into before (well, paramedics actually), I've never really gotten into the finance side of things so it is a bit new to me. However, recent events in my life have made me question these fears and doubts and made me see that I shouldn't be so worried and that I can look for financial help.

Thanks again

amiehall

https://www.gov.uk/nhs-bursaries

snake_charmer

Thanks. I have actually been on that site and a few others however, none of them make it clear how they calculate your entitlements.

amiehall

snake_charmer wrote: »

Thanks. I have actually been on that site and a few others however, none of them make it clear how they calculate your entitlements.

The £1000 grant and the reduced level of Maintenance loan shown on that last link are not means tested so you should receive these. The NHS bursary is means tested, you can use a separate calculator for this
http://www.ppa.org.uk/StudentBursariesCalculator/reset.do