GAP year questions..

wirm

I'm taking a gap year this year and working. What happens come September next year when I want to go to Uni and need to apply for my loan etc. If I'm earning for a year will this mean I will get less of a loan etc . Currently I've been told that if I go to Uni in sepetember 2005 I will get a loan, grant and my fees paid, but I'm wondering if this will be less because I've worked.

Anyone else taking a gap year? What are you planning to do? (I'm just interested to know what everyone else is doing.

stuwilky

wirm,

Have you applied for deferred entry through UCAS?
If you apply in the 2005 entry with deferred you will still be considered under the current system rather than the old one (I am not sure if you can still do this - check with UCAS).

As for the loan situation, you working shouldnt make any different to the amount of support you get. The biggest thing to be aware of is the changes to fee structure in 2006.

wirm

I haven't applied for a deferred entry just yet.

stuwilky

Presuming you want to be considered under the current funding arrangements Id advise looking into that asap.

miss_loop_2

unless you have a deffered entry your going to end up paying top up fees as well, so you may wanna see if you can still get in this year....

wirm

But I don't have to deffer my entry until after the results come out......

miss_loop_2

I don't think you have that choice, you've got to deffer it now or they'll be expecting you to go in september

Garf

Id advise you to ring up the clearing line for the university that you have shosen to confirm:
1. If you have been accepted
2. When you are expected to start
3. If you can defer your entry

Its till unclear whether you have applied for a loan yet.

YOu can choose to have income assessed loan or non income assessed. THis is to do with how much your parents/yourself has earned or are earning.

I chose non income assesssed as my parents earned over the threshold (not sure of the amount) but with non income assessed you are are expected to pay tuition fees and are given the minimum amount ~£3000. Which in student real terms covers rent for where you live at uni.

wirm

I have applied for my loan etc. got it all back and sent to the SLC.

Music_Is_My_World

I'm pretty sure you do have to tell the uni you want to go to that you want to defer before you get your results, otherwise when you get them the uni could automatically accept you for this year.
I've just taken a gap year to earn money and the only way that affected my loan application was in the bit where they want to know how much you've earned interest-wise. Luckily I chose an ISA that only pays out interest yearly and I haven't get that interest yet so that shouldn't have affected my application. https://www.studentfinancedirect.co.uk is a good place to find out more about your loan and any changes like with top-up fees and stuff.
By the way you might want to contact your chosen uni before UCAS if you haven't deffered yet as any change in information can take a while to get through the system and they can deal with any problems at the source.