Uni- how much?

[LotsOfBalloons]

So my eldest is in yr 9 and I have 2 kids.

Fibancially we have stretched ourselves to manage music lessons, swimming etc.

Both are at a grammar school and are expecting to do uni.

I'm starting to get The Fear. Our income isn't high for a number of reasons and we haven't got capacity to save beyond 100 a month we save for car issues/etc. We don't do expensive holidays, have old cars etc.

A threads I was on suggested needing 30k for uni. That's so way beyond us.

I was wondering if people could let me know what they do need (ie don't come and tell me you've bought your child a house etc as not relevant!)

I went before fees were introduced. I know they have loans now (I'm already anxious about them leaving in debt but I know its how it works now) but do the loans cover enough?

My child is keen to work too but there aren't Saturday jobs like there used to be and noo e around here employs under 16s anyway. Having said that, they're autistic and may not have capacity for work and uni at the same time.

Yes, I think me paying 8/9K for my son's halls, who hasn't gone to university yet, instead of 7K at the particular university I have signed an accomodation contract for so he didn't have to share a bathroom would make him 'really spoilt', because he is fine in a shared bathroom. Which is what I said. I have no idea about other people's kids. The point being, there are many options for accomodation and many comprises to make to make it work.

Can your DC make some money from their music?

Hobnobs yes definitely uni. I think unfortunately it's the way our system is set up in England- they're v bright and go to a grammar school and it's just compeltely expected in their circle. They'd have to have a complete change of heart about future plans not to

However I do completely agree - my cousins son is doing an accountancy apprenticeship degree and is being paid reasonably and properly working - SO much better financially and don't go into adult life in debt. Their family is really quite well off but not at all common to go to uni in the family or area so wasn't ever the expectation. I am sure he will earn well as an accountant too!

I don't know about that but I do know a few students who's work have transferred them to places near where they go to uni when they've moved

One works at Costa another at mcdonalds and my son works for the Cs so was given permission to wfh while he's away

Looking at getting a job at a chain restaurant or something when he's a little older might help if you think he'd be OK with that

Op if non of you can afford it then you can't afford it.
Some apprenticeship also offer free uni hnd

stuff.

It's not the be all and end all esp depending on what degree they do.

It's probably got lost in all the pages now but my child is autistic and so supermarkets/chain fast food won't work for them as they avoid them now anyway due to sensory issues.

A quiet bookshop or music shop would suit them but far less of those!

But yes ive heard the big chains are often really good at providing work at home and at uni. Great experience and good for cb etc if your child can manage it.

What type of degree would your DS be looking at?

Current interest is psychology or neuroscience. We're a couple of years away though.

There are sometimes psychology research studies you can be paid to take part in. Probably need to be over 18, but might be worth looking into.

I think the catastrophising comments are because if you’re on a lower income (as you’ve intimated OP) then your DC can access a larger loan. Which then puts them on an even playing field with the vast majority of DC in terms of funds.

It’s actually not necessarily easier for ppl with larger household income ironically, because in those circs their DC can only access a smaller loan and there’s a definite gap in funding that the parent is expected to bridge. Of course some pll can’t or won’t, but that’s how it’s been set up.

The "catastrophising" comments seem to come from those who haven't figured out what OP is asking, i.e. "What do students actually need? Can they survive on maximum loan?" I hope that she has been reassured by those who have provided actual financial details!

Mind you, on a similar thread, some people expressed disbelief that students could actually live frugally, so I suppose that another part of it is knowing your DC. (Some of the weekly spends I've seen are shocking to me, and that could panic people who are doing research.)

Oh wow, that’s so expensive! Why does nobody ever warn you of these costs before you have kids! Haha

So I am autistic, got a very low loan (parents had high income but refused to “top up as didn’t think uni was necessary) and I got a degree from a top London uni without getting into huge debt.

Things I did/had:

1. London Uni gave a yearly grant for students from UK state schools either FSM/first in the family to uni/poorly ranked state school all qualified you. I think I got between £500-£700 each year.

1. Commuted! I did a humanties degree meaning that it wasn’t hugely time table intensive. I also worked out that term time was actually less weeks than holiday time and it didn’t make any sense to pay London rent for all those weeks. As I’m autistic I was happier this way- I didn’t want to party etc, happy with friends from home town. My parents didn’t charge me rent to stay at home so I spent my student loan on a rail pass. It was 4 hours per day round trip but as this was for 4 days per week, one day finishing at 3pm, dropping to 3 days in Year 3, term time only, it was manageable. Possibly widen your geography criteria for living at home.

1. Worked! I lived in a fairly tourist place which meant I could get cafe/restaurant jobs which had less hours in term time ( would still do 8-10 hours per week!) and basically had the option to work pretty much full time in the holidays. I also took up office temping one summer which had more standard hours and earnt more. I actually made more friends in the jobs than I did at uni.

I also ran a car during these years, necessary for living in a rural area!

it was a weird hard life for a few years but I did it, I worked really really hard. I struggled to career plan but I think that was more to do with autism.

passed my degree, carried on with the hospitality jobs for a year or 2 and then ended up getting myself a job in a bank and have worked my way up to a pretty senior position. Out earn most of my uni cohort now!

Sorry didn’t turn that into much advice but mine would be:

1. Look at scholarship programmes etc- RG unis often have wider entry criteria and will offer sometimes £1-2k for a high performing student. I think UEA offered me £2k a year! SEN and Music to a high level often also get scholarships.
2. Consider commuting- possibly preferable to live at home with supportive parents. I would HATE living in a house share etc.
3. If your DC are autistic, are they eligible for PIP/Disabled Students Allowance?

Certainly once they're at Uni, there should be lots of options as most places in Uni towns employ students part time, not just fast food & supermarkets, but also restaurants, book shops, cafes, non food shops. There are also employment opportunities at Unis, such as admin jobs, "student ambassadors" doing viewings, open day tours, etc, paid research assistant jobs, etc.

My DS is also Autistic and has had a job working with people with PMLD for the last year or so. He absolutely loves it and luckily there are lots of places near his Uni where he can work doing the same kind of thing.

He also gets a bursary of (I think) £800 a year from Uni due to being from an area where people don't typically go to Uni. And he will be guaranteed accomodation with a private bathroom as he wouldn't cope with shared.

I'm from a very working class poor background. I had a overtime job all through school so already had some savings when I went to Uni.

I then had a Saturday job all through Uni in term time (packing cutlery in a cutlery factory!) plus when I went home I worked in next all holidays.

It was the only way I could fund Uni, my parents couldn't.

Fast forward 30 years and I have an excellent career and six figure salary, so the hard work paid off.