Not eligible for tuition fees/bursary!!

efgeesus

chika wrote: »

This happened to me last year. I had done two years of a media and journalism degree but decided thart I didn't like it and due to that and a few personal reasons I dropped out.

Last year I decided to do a teaching degree which I love but then I got the letter saying that I was only entitled to the basic loan and had to cover my fees myself.

I applied to the access to learning fund and was turned down but on the advice of a lecturer I appealed and after a 3 page begging letter and I suspect some interference from a lecturer I was awarded some cash. I also worked about 40 hours a week (not reccomended)! It was hard but I managed to get through it.

Btw, you will be entitled to the full support including tuition fee loan next year so it wont all be doom and gloom. Plus as the academic year is really short try and come to some arrangement with your uni to see if you can pay the fees in installments. You could work in the holidays and try and pay some of the money off then. Good luck!

thanks.

yeh i'll defo be working in the summer time, maybe even over the winter period.

but next year i won't be eligible for funding either, only 3rd and 4th.

really doesnt encourage anyone to go back having cocked up previously.
if it wasnt for ym parents i couldnt have done it, and as it is they are putting themselves out for me, which they shouldnt have to but thats the way it is.

ps did you manage to get much from the Access for Learning Fund?

custardy

glad i dropped out in the 1st year.money problems hit me so i had to drop out.
seems i made a smart if uninformed move.
does suck especially as you would be paying back the fee's anyway

Bennifred

Hmm - I wonder if this depends on which local authority you come under? My DS is starting a new course (year 1 of 3) this month, having dropped out after one and a bit years - they have offered him the tuition fees loan, and maintenance loan less what he had last year (i.e. taking off one third). He's been told it will revert to normal next year. This is despite being told originally that he wouldn't be entitled to any loans this year. You'd think they would't really mind (within reason!:rolleyes: ) what with the loans being re-payable and all...

chika

efgeesus wrote: »

thanks.

yeh i'll defo be working in the summer time, maybe even over the winter period.

but next year i won't be eligible for funding either, only 3rd and 4th.

really doesnt encourage anyone to go back having cocked up previously.
if it wasnt for ym parents i couldnt have done it, and as it is they are putting themselves out for me, which they shouldnt have to but thats the way it is.

ps did you manage to get much from the Access for Learning Fund?

I got just over 2k which was a massive help. However don't count on it, mine was a "non standard" award which was awarded to me by the academic registrar.

Its a shame that you can only get support for your third and fourth year, I would get onto your local authority and the SLC as you are entitled to support for five years. You really should only have to pay for your first year. I think not paying for the first year of the second degree is some kind of test to ensure that you are serious.

pinkshoes

Most people would know that the course wasn't right for them half way through the first year, spoken to the university, completed the year, then switched onto another (more suitable) course the following year. By entering into the second year, you can't have disliked the course that much!! What happened to the money you were given for the 2nd year you started?! Can't you use that?!

I don't think the £3k tuition fees are worth it for alot of courses, and lots of companies are reluctant to take on people who haven't got good A Levels (at least 3 Cs in 'proper' subjects). It's a shame there aren't many apprentiships around nowadays!

Don't even get me started on grants! Utter discrimination!

chika

pinkshoes wrote: »

Most people would know that the course wasn't right for them half way through the first year, spoken to the university, completed the year, then switched onto another (more suitable) course the following year. By entering into the second year, you can't have disliked the course that much!! quote]

To be honest with you the first years of most degrees aren't really an accurate representation of the whole thing. in fact in quite a lot of them the first year doesn't even count towards the qualification. Plus factoring in things like change or lecturers etc I think its slightly unfair to presume that "most people" would realise that something was wrong during the first year.

Savvy_Sue

efgeesus wrote: »

yeh it sucks.. I really wish i'd known about this previously, as i would have certainly not gone back to uni for part of the second year, thats the real kicker. for the sake of receiving £1600 in second year, i'm missing out on over £8000 for my first and second year which seems really harsh.

This is also going to sound really harsh, but those rules have been around since I was a student, and that's a VERY long time ago. Did you read the T&C either when you first received your money or when you were thinking of giving up?

DrFluffy

Try being a graduate on an undergrad course! Especially a looong one.

It sucks, but with some budgeting and planning it's doable...

conspirator

efgeesus wrote: »

Becuase I went to uni before for a year and 2 months into second year I can't get the above amounts until my third year.

That means you have had 2 years paid tuition.