HELP!! Student left in the lurch!

kr15snw

I didnt get a penny from my parents, not because they didnt want to. But they could afford to. I also lived away from home so paid my way (lived with boyfriend).

It wasnt easy but I paid half of the household bills and even managed to have some spare cash for fun, lol. I worked 16 - 20 hours a week (more if I had cancelled lectures) and had the loan / grant.

LOTS of students have no help financially, but we manage!

bestpud

kr15snw wrote: »

I didnt get a penny from my parents, not because they didnt want to. But they could afford to. I also lived away from home so paid my way (lived with boyfriend).

It wasnt easy but I paid half of the household bills and even managed to have some spare cash for fun, lol. I worked 16 - 20 hours a week (more if I had cancelled lectures) and had the loan / grant.

LOTS of students have no help financially, but we manage!

I agree with you about working, but some would say you had a head start in receiving the full loan and grant. The OP seems to be only entitled to the loans, and possibly the minimum one at that.

Bennifred

My student son only gets the minimum loan and as we cannot afford (regardless of what the Government may think!:mad: ) to support him financially, he works part-time during term time and full-time during the holidays in order to fund his studies. I'm not saying it is an easy thing to do, but if you really want it then you find a way of making it work. All of my children know that if they want to go into higher education then it is with our blessing and emotional support, but that once they leave school they must support themselves financially (obviously they live at home during holidays at no cost to them:rolleyes: ) Also, without wishing to sound hard-hearted:o , your friend is an adult and it is her decision both to study rather than work, and also not to accompany her parents, so why should she expect to have her lifestyle funded by them?

lilysgarden

Believe me, funding your way through university on the most basic of money is possible! I'm a mature student and have just finished my three year degree. Yes I got the maximum student loan and because I chose to do a degree in social work, the government paid my tuition fee's (something I believe they no longer do?!). But being a mature student, I've been living with my boyfriend (also a mature student after dropping out first time round) with ABSOLUTELY no financial support from either of our parents. Mine can't afford to help but would go hungry if it meant ensuring I continue my studies. My boyfriends parents can afford to help, we just refuse to allow them to pay for the mistakes of our youth. I also did a year at college full time in order to gain a uni place, with no student finance of any sort. For that year, I worked 25hrs a week, went to ALL of my lectures for 7hrs a day and did voluntary work in order to gain more experience. Throughout my 3 years at uni, I've worked 2 part time jobs and again attended all of my lectures, as well as doing full time practice placements which, with studies and work etc, amount to around a 80 hour week.

If your friend is really this determined to stay at uni, she needs to get a job and quit spending time in the student bar. She's already had her loans for this year, so when she applies for next years loan, she just applies as an independent candidate.That way, they don't take her parents income into consideration and she gets the maximum loan plus any grants she's entitled to. If she struggles throughout the year, she can apply for hardship grants from the uni. However, they are strict and will ask for bank statements etc. I know someone who was turned down for them because he'd been to the theatre, even though it was for his studies!

Please take my advice, don't think it's impossible to get through uni with mum and dads help. It's not! There's plenty of students (particularly mature one's) who can't get student loans because their considered too old for them! If your friends that determined to finish her degree, then I wish them the best of luck. Just don't think live can continue being the big party it has been already!

Nik xx

Flower08

bestpud wrote: »

I agree with you about working, but some would say you had a head start in receiving the full loan and grant. The OP seems to be only entitled to the loans, and possibly the minimum one at that.

I only get the minimum amount of loan and no grants and have no other support - plenty of students are in this position and just have to work to get by. Im sure it'll take a bit of getting used to at first - but your friend just needs to get saving and working!

Oldernotwiser

lilysgarden wrote: »

when she applies for next years loan, she just applies as an independent candidate.That way, they don't take her parents income into consideration and she gets the maximum loan plus any grants she's entitled to.

Sorry but this is completely wrong! There are strict criteria for being considered an independent student which the person in question doesn't fit. If her parents' income is over the threshold then she'll be ineligible for the grant and her loan will be reduced. If it were as simple as saying "this year I'm an independent student" then everybody would be doing it!

I do hope that you check your facts correctly before advising your clients and not assume that just because you've done things the hard way that everybody's capable of such exertions. I would've expected a social worker not to make these types of assumptions.

bestpud

lilysgarden wrote: »

Please take my advice, don't think it's impossible to get through uni with mum and dads help. It's not! There's plenty of students (particularly mature one's) who can't get student loans because their considered too old for them! If your friends that determined to finish her degree, then I wish them the best of luck. Just don't think live can continue being the big party it has been already!

Nik xx

ONW is correct, she will still be assessed by her parents income and that could mean she is on quite a bit less than you'd have been and she has to take a tuition fees loan.

I think it is very relevent that you are a mature student too! I am one myself and the mind set is very different in the majority of cases.

You have to remember that the OP's friend is at the same maturity level you and your OH were at when you dropped out the first time - and you both had family support! Plus, this time you have each other, and double the hindsight - it helped a lot, I am sure.

I agree she can do it and she will not be the only student doing so, but she is not going to find it easy by any means and suggesting all will be fine if she stays out of the student bar is not helpful imo.

neet87

From personal experience local authorities will make it as difficult as possible for people to be classed as independent. I do not have contact with my parents, have not lived with them since I was 18 and do not receive any financial help from them yet my local authority has refused to accept this claiming that they have had information to the contrary which is utterly ridiculous (they refused to state where from- I am very sceptical!) and thus I get a fraction of the help that people classed as 'independent' are entitled too.

I have managed by getting a weekend job, working during holidays and just being frugal! It can be done!

stationaryace

just a quick word of warning from someone who has taken in friends in the past- get everything written down. i'm not talking about lawyers or anything but just sit down and compose a list of how much she is going to pay and when ie weekly, monthly etc. I had a friend come to stay over the summer and as she was between jobs it was agreed that she would pay when she had the money- that was last year and as yet i haven't seen anything and been left with her share of the bills. the last time i brought it up she started querying the figures and has said she'll pay some of it but her cheque book is in a box at her parents and she's on the other side of the country on placement. My other friend that I shared with, however, was brilliant. A little ditzy and occassionally needed reminding but absolutely lovely. Needless to say, I only really see one of them nowadays....