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Oh my GOD - university - how the hell are we going to afford this?

167 replies

ElizabethMyDear · 26/09/2012 19:32

I feel a bit sick - DS submitted his UCAS today, and I just looked at the government website about loans and grants. DH and I both work full time, so I knew he wouldn't get a grant, but for maintenance he can only take out a loan of £4788 - that probably won't even cover his rent.

His cousin in his first year at uni gets close to ten thousand a year to live on with grants, loans, and bursery, because his parents both only work very part time hours. I knew we wouldn't get money given like that, but I thought he would be able to borrow the same amount as his cousin gets - I thought it was the same for all students, and varied in how much you have to pay back?

We've got three other kids, no way can we find a spare £5k a year to top him up. And his course (medicine) is really too intensive for him to have a term time job.

He's screwed, isn't he? Sad

OP posts:
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Northernlurkerisbackatwork · 26/09/2012 19:35

I did these sums earlier in the year. It's really scary. Dd1 is 14 so we've a few years yet but not long. I don't know how they are supposed to get by when they can't borrow enough to live on.

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achillea · 26/09/2012 19:39

It's awful for you, and so unfair, but he might be able to get a job to top up his income.

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Gumby · 26/09/2012 19:48

His course won't be too intensive to get a weekend job surely?
He also needs to get a job ASAP to start saving up

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Gumby · 26/09/2012 19:48

If he's prepared to do a few years as an army doctor they'll pay the fees too

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SevenYearBitch · 26/09/2012 19:51

i feel you pain.
ds has just gone - he has got a loan which covers his rent, and luckily he does a job, part time, which he can do from anywhere, and i buy all his food, clothes and shopping.

next year though he wants to do a masters.....ive told him to get saving, as i had a pay rise and its doubtful he will get a grant, his loan wont cover his rent either.

i will still buy shopping/food etc but he will have to contribute to his rent. its so damn expensive, im afraid that university will once again be the reserve of the very rich (or the very poor if they can get more financial support)

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SevenYearBitch · 26/09/2012 19:52

.....and DD wants to go to.

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NatashaBee · 26/09/2012 19:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ArthurShappey · 26/09/2012 19:54

His course won't be too intensive, many medical students get evening, weekend, holiday jobs. If he lives in halls the loan should cover most of his rent anything else he will (or you will) just have to find. Sad

He's going to need to budget very carefully, you're going to have to help where and when you can.

He needs to do whatever he can to budget and plan wisely, starting now! Prepare him as much as you can.

On a separate note, would he consider sponsorship in some way through the armed forces. I believe (although I may be wrong) that the army, navy and air force offer cadetships and sponsorship for students and as a medic he may have more success in getting sponsorship than other degrees?

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ArthurShappey · 26/09/2012 19:55

Oh cross posts with Gumby, I'm a slow typer.

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achillea · 26/09/2012 19:56

The armed forces will sponsor his degree for him in exchange for a few years service.

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ArthurShappey · 26/09/2012 19:56

Oh but can I say it's not a 'few' years device (I think it's about 11?).

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ArthurShappey · 26/09/2012 19:57

Well it was 11 or 14 when I applied for cadetship with the Navy.

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ArthurShappey · 26/09/2012 19:57

Service! Not device! Blush

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Theas18 · 26/09/2012 19:58

Last year dd took full tuition loan and maintenance loan. The maintenance loan almost covered her hall fees ( fully catered). She "works" as a choral scholar for a bursary and we top up a bit.

Sadly Living out is more expensive - rent alone is more than her Loan -argh!

We will be broke after 3 kids Through uni - I'm taking on extra work. I'm lucky I can, but also mindful I'm in a high pressure job and I'm not sure how long it is sustainable.

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Tuttutitlookslikerain · 26/09/2012 20:00

DS1 was adamant he didn't want to go, wanted to go straight to Sandhurst and become an Army officer.

He went for an interview with the Army last night, with DH (I was not well enough to go) and has now decided he would like to go and join the Army later.

I have absolutely no idea how we are going to afford. DH works full time, I am disabled. It makes me feel sick just thinking about it!

We, also have DS2 who is in yr11 who wants to go!

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maillotjaune · 26/09/2012 20:03

Medicine should not be too intensive to work in pre clinical years. Harder than for other courses, yes, but not impossible. Finding a job is the bigger problem at the moment though.

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StrangeGlue · 26/09/2012 20:05

Oh this is tough. Can he live at home whilst he studies with any of the unis he's applied for? At least then there wouldn't be rent/bills/food to worry about (as long as you were okay with still paying for those).

He'll be able to work in the holidays but I think working during term time while doing a medicine degree would be very hard. And also I think it's easy to say"he'll have to work" but when there are so many people who could work full-time/flexibly seeking work that's a bit of a flippant comment.

Some banks do education loans but they of course will have more interest than the student loans.

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DorsetKnob · 26/09/2012 20:06

Tut, it may be worth looking investigating the army route again as a means to a university education, especially if he still wants to join.

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amothersplaceisinthewrong · 26/09/2012 20:09

I think you might find some Univeristies won't let medical students have term time jobs.....

To the person whose son is doing a masters - I don't think there are student loans for Masters - we had to fully fund our son for this two years ago.

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Zoomania · 26/09/2012 20:11

Consider where in the country he wants to go.... London etc more expensive to live in than further north. Many medics do get a part time job...they typically work hard-play hard so sacrificing an evening or two out will not only be cheaper (less alcohol consumed!) but top up the loans. Medic friends did everything from Bar work, spending an evening a week tutoring (could earn £60 per week ), life guarding, working in a care home doing a night shift etc. As long as it is instead of a night out rather than eating into study time it is doable for the first few years. Later on it may be harder but there may be hardship funds available through uni. Once he starts earning he may be in a position to pay you back if you were able to loan him money rather than give it out right IYSWIM. Some students also lived at home if they lived in a city which isn't ideal but if it was that or not going at all then would tht be possible? Good luck!

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Zoomania · 26/09/2012 20:15

Also meant to add that much working in holidays not always possible. For the first few years sometimes exams are scheduled immediately after a holiday so they are spent cramming. Although there should be a long summer break in the first two or three years. In the clinical years he may only get 4 weeks a year off. Again the timings of exams may mean that revision is needed.

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SevenYearBitch · 26/09/2012 20:17

really? no funding for a masters at all? fuck. if thats true then there is no way i can fund it - (this year his accommodation is £5300 per academic year, his course fees are £9000, and his shopping and living costs are around £45 per week.

if none of this is funded through student finance loans then he simply cant do it. we dont have that kind of money.

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LeeCoakley · 26/09/2012 20:17

Dd1 has to support herself with part time work. She wants to take a Masters next year and we had assumed there would be some form of loan Sad. So that is definitely just for the rich. I don't know how I'm going to tell her.

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dementedma · 26/09/2012 20:17

Similar problems here. Thought did would get loan/grant to cover cots but not so. Started the course anyway in the hope that a miracle will happen and told Dd to learn as much as she can while she"s there with the understanding that she may have to withdraw at some point. Have one more months fees and accommodation left then pray the remortgage will come through. anyone know of a spare room in Glasgow? :-(

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hugoagogo · 26/09/2012 20:18

How low does your income need to be to qualify for a full student loan?

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