Mature Postgraduate Student Stuck in a Rut

AmberMoon

I am 32 years old and a part-time taught postgraduate student of English Lit at the University of Leeds.

I am currently in a severe financial rut, as throughout my course I have had to limit my working hours to a maximum of 30hpw, and as a result I have landed myself in a lot of debt.

I am currently unemployed and I am afraid to apply for jobs as given my outgoings, I would need to earn around £22,000pa to be able to survive and be comfortable.

What I would like to know is if anyone knows of any charities which offer grants to postgrad mature students in need? I wrote to a bunch of places last year that I found on the turntous website and out of 11 letters I only got 2 replies and both of these were telling me that they only help Undergraduates.

My university pay my fees and a small stipend towards my maintenance but this is swallowed by my overdraft every time I get it.

Voyager2002

The standard source is the Directory of Grant-Making Trusts, but I don't hold out much hope of you being given any significant funds.

Unless you have special needs like a physical disability then there should be lots of scope to cut your out-goings: the big opportunity would be to become a resident tutor in a uni hall of residence (or one for overseas students run by an outfit such as INTO) which would pay little or nothing but give you free accommodation with all bills found. Not so feasible if you have a family though... again you say nothing about this.

It should be possible to earn a fair amount in 30 hours, and at that level of work you should also be eligible for Tax Credits. Perhaps you could do tutoring, or teach English to international students? Or you could transcribe interview for Social Scientists: I used to pay my best transcriber more than fifteen pounds an hour, and that was ten years ago.

agrinnall

I think your problem really isn't what you're able to earn, it's a lack of previous savings and too high outgoings. It's too late to do anything about the savings now (unless you can defer part of the course to work full time for a while) so you really need to address where the money you do have is going. The net from gross pay of £22K seems a lot to have to pay out, I think if you try you can reduce that. Maybe take a look at some other parts of the forum, such as the Old Style and Debt Free Wannabe boards.

Dird

Was your undergrad course also English Lit?