Teen wanting to go to uni

mikkiplum

My daughter is hoping to go to university this September (2021) however, I'm frightened about how much it will cost, I know that her tuition will be covered by a student loan, but how does she pay for her rent? Her dad and I only earn enough to cover our own bills etc, and I'm worried that she may not be able to go because we can't afford it. 

sammyjammy

Have you discussed it with her?  She can get a student loan for living costs as well as tuition.  Maybe she will need to get a job/go to Uni locally, she could even do an Open University degree if thats appropriate for what she wants to do.  What is her priority?

maman

If you have a low income then she will get a loan. I'd be inclined to ask her to put it off for another year and get a job to save some money to give her some savings. She could apply this year and get a place and defer going for a year. 

AskAsk

the student loan can cover living costs as well as tuition fees.  most parents will need to top it up but your daughter could also work part time to supplement her living costs.

princeofpounds

About 60% of undergraduate students have a job, these days, according to a quick google. For some it's just beer money part-time, others support themselves entirely. Apparently one in seven have full-time equivalent jobs.

She may be able to receive some hardship assistance depending on your situation. She may be able to get corporate sponsorship in return for committing to a post-graduate contract, particularly if she is studying a STEM subject - they were handing out the cheques to women engineers back when I studied!

Obviously the pandemic isn't particularly helpful right now, particularly for using a summer job to build up savings, but the situation may be better by the autumn. 

Talk to her about it. She will need a plan of some kind, and I should imagine she will have had some thoughts already. You also need to set the right expectations regarding the support you can actually provide. If the worst comes to the worst, a one year deferral is often possible.

HampshireH

At her age is she aware of your financial situation? Or does she think it's affordable. Does she have a PT job and is she contributing either to the household or by buying her own clothes, toiletries etc?

I worked throughout uni and in my third year I did two jobs equivilent to full-time. It can be done.

Personally I would suggest she works for a year and defers her placement whilst saving. Keeps the uni dream alive with a place secured but without, hopefully the impact of Covid spoiling it

Uni this year will be a nightmare with such upheaval and recovery from the Covid crisis. 

You definitely do not want her signing up to accomodation in June/July for September as she will be stuck with full costs whether she goes or not.

thorsoak

Be honest with your daughter - that you cannot afford to subsidise her - but at the same time, please do not give her the impression that you need her to go out and get a job to keep the family going - I had that guilt placed on me, 60 years ago and I still feel the guilt to this day.     Talk it over with her, make it clear to her that you will do all you can to help her get the finance that she will need, that she will have to get a job to top up her student loan/grant etc - but please, please please, don't tell her that you need her to go out to work to subsidies the family.   Encourage her independence.

Retireby40

Went to University for 4 years. Never did my parents give me as much as a tenner for a few beers. 

I had a student loan. I also had a means tested maintenance grant as my parents household income was under 15-16k.
 
The loan and grant covered fees, rent and maybe transport.

I worked around 10-12 hours a week in a bar at the weekend which got me around £70-80 a week and that was more than enough to support me for a bit of electric, heat, food and a night out a week. Maybe even 2 nights out if I stuck to pasta and sauce.

She clearly is ambitious and I would try and support her not financially but looking at everything she can get from the students loan company and advise her about getting a small job.

One piece of advice. If she has experience living in a family with a tight budget if she was to start full time work and defer for a year she may get so used to having £1100-1500 a month that she may decide never to go back to studying and living of £60-70 quid a week.

Savvy_Sue

Make sure she and you look at Martin's articles on student loans on the main site.

tooldle

You don't say where in the UK you are OP. Here in Wales, students can take out a full student loan (if they wish) regardless of parents income, hence no need for parents to top up. For those on lower incomes there are grants which replace the loan (or part of). 
Many universities also provide a degree of support to those with very low family incomes. 
Sit down together and have a good look at what might be available.

74jax

For my DD, Her 9k loan covered the course and she got minimum student loan of around £3.5k, her rent was £6k and she kept her job on that she had at 16.she worked for Clarkes so could swap between branches when he came home for holidays so never stopped working. She took as !!!!!! shifts as she could over summer (prime back to school shoes time).
I sent her £15 a week, so I knew she had something for food - I doubt it ever went on food! 
She learnt quickly she could do her work in the middle of the night in the library (students dvd very strange sleeping habits) if she wasn't going out. 

Personally, I'd try and put off another year, paying 9k for online lectures think will still be the norm. And you don't want to be lumbered with accommodation she is stuck in alone. 

My DD is almost 23 now, never moved back home and it was the best thing she could have done. But if have doubts planning for this year with the pandemic and online courses /accommodation etc.