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Original poster

Can’t afford uni

181 replies

Floodedflats · 25/10/2023 13:01

I’ve got a friend who has 5 children her eldest wants to go to uni next year but because of there income he will only get minimum allowance. He’s considering a job part time but it’s a course that he can’t really work along side due to the hours and extra work it’s a very intense course. She can’t support him as they are stretched financially as a family. He can’t afford to go as the money will leave him short after accommodation costs. The uni course isn’t covered at his local uni otherwise he would stay home. What do people do in these situations.

OP posts:
House4DS · 25/10/2023 16:36

@Floodedflats What does he want to study, and what is the family income?
Carefully choosing uni might mean he is eligible for bursaries.

RoyKentFanclub · 25/10/2023 16:38

They’re are expected to be able to live on the equivalent of the man maintenance loan which is £10k (everyone gets the tuition loan)

that mean that if they are only eligible for the minimum maintenance loan of c£4k they need to find £6k a year to live on (assuming they go to one of the cheaper universities in terms of living costs).

If they take a year out to work and then work during the holidays it should be possible but it isn’t easy and they might need two years out. Contrary to popular belief working during term time isn’t the norm because of the workload. My ds is at a northern university which is generally regarded as one of the cheaper universities to live at and none of his 12 flat mates have term time jobs. They are in circa 15 hours a week of lectures and seminars and then they are expected to do around 25- 30 hours a week of independent study.

Babyroobs · 25/10/2023 16:38

It's difficult. We have four kids and three have gone to Uni, at the moment two there at the same time. We are resigned to being financially crippled for the next few years although hopefully will be doing a health course next year and will get a bursary which will help. They are both looking for jobs to help with the shortfall. we give them around £275 a month each, but yes it must be difficult if you can't find that.

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Higher education
Iris1976 · 25/10/2023 16:38

As previous posters have said,all learners should be entitled to full loan,they are adults after all and are the ones responsible for paying it back
This obviously doesn't help your friends child,my daughter is looking to take a year out and work full time first.

Desecratedcoconut · 25/10/2023 16:41

It is a shitty system - I'm not sure anyone could argue otherwise.

Chocolata82 · 25/10/2023 16:44

I didn't realise the loans were means tested....I know we won't qualify as we are always just above the threshold. I'm having to pay out £80a month for the college bus where alot get it free. Can never understand why we have to pay for the college bus when children have to be in education until they're 18.

Chewbecca · 25/10/2023 16:49

Beezknees · 25/10/2023 15:50

Is it? I thought the loan was around 9 grand, that's enough to live on for the year?

Show quote history

Yes, definitely.
There are many, many young people at Uni on the max loan who manage just fine. I know one who actually saves some of it (Oxford so low accomodation costs throughout).
I mean, it's not a life of luxury but it is perfectly manageable at many Unis.

whatsappdoc · 25/10/2023 16:54

What my dds did is work from May to September prior to uni to give a 4/5k cushion especially as the loans can come through late and you are expected to pay accommodation in advance. Worked at Christmas and worked again in the summer. The first year accommodation in halls is a rip-off, things should ease in a student house in 2/3rd years 🤞 We gave them what we were saving in food and clubs at home so 1500 or so. It can be done!

EwwSprouts · 25/10/2023 16:54

@RoyKentFanclub Not sure a cheap northern university is representative of the bigger picture. "In 2021, the survey found that 34% of UK students had jobs while studying, rising to 45% last year and 55% this year." https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/jun/22/cost-of-living-crisis-forcing-students-to-take-on-more-hours-of-paid-work#:~:text=The%20survey%20found%20that%2028,or%20all%20of%20their%20costs.

TeenLifeMum · 25/10/2023 17:01

I worry about this. We’ll have 3 dc at uni at the same time and it’s just not affordable. We’ll probably have to remortgage or get a loan.

titchy · 25/10/2023 17:05

Could you fund your child at £10k a year? You're lucky if you can!

No one has to. They're all entitled to the minimum maintenance loan, the most parents would ever need to contribute is £5k a year.

Just to be that person - the system of parents supporting their dc through uni HAS NOT CHANGED IN 50 YEARS OR MORE. This should not have come as a surprise, but they still went on to have 5 kids they couldn't afford. Yes it's arsey of me to say that. But actually pretty shitty for the kids.

All I can suggest is that they scrimp and give him something, even £150 a month (which they'll be saving on the food bill), he gets a part time/summer job and looks at cheaper uni towns.

LetTheBloodyDogOut · 25/10/2023 17:06

My friends son did a degree apprenticeship for this reason but they’re obviously very competitive to get on.

My son gets the lower maintenance loan due to our income. He gets something like £4k and his accommodation is around £7.5k. He has a job doing 16 hours over 4 days but it’s becoming impossible around his Uni schedule so he’s going to have to hand his notice in. We’re fortunate we can cover everything for him and he does have a good amount of savings but I feel so sorry for those who that’s not an option for.

A gap year to work and save money is another option.

Desecratedcoconut · 25/10/2023 17:06

Three at the same time 😮 I only have a one year overlap of two children at uni with my three. That was just a result of overthinking the third child rather than forward planning though.

RoyKentFanclub · 25/10/2023 17:11

EwwSprouts · 25/10/2023 16:54

@RoyKentFanclub Not sure a cheap northern university is representative of the bigger picture. "In 2021, the survey found that 34% of UK students had jobs while studying, rising to 45% last year and 55% this year." https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/jun/22/cost-of-living-crisis-forcing-students-to-take-on-more-hours-of-paid-work#:~:text=The%20survey%20found%20that%2028,or%20all%20of%20their%20costs.

Well it might not be insofar as they might be managing to get by without working but my point was more that working to any great extent during term time isn’t really feasible if you are putting in the hours that you are supposed to studying.

My DS is at Lancaster. His accommodation (shared bathroom not en suite) is £6400. He gets the minimum maintenance loan of £4500 so before he even starts he needs to find £1900. Then he has to live. The expected parental contribution to top him up so that he is getting the same as those on full loans is £5200 per annum.

That’s the minimum students are expected to try to live on but it hasn’t changed to reflect the increased cost of living.

Viviennemary · 25/10/2023 17:12

People need to think about the consequences of having five children. Money will be spread more thinly and they won't be able to provide the same financial support as they would have with only one or two children. Their income will be assessed and they will be told what their contribution should be. Same as everybody else.

RoyKentFanclub · 25/10/2023 17:12

I think working gap years will become the norm

Whapples · 25/10/2023 17:14

Tbh, I got minimum loan, a tiny top up the last two years due to being disabled, and I just had to work. It was tough as I did education, so often I would be working in a school 5 days a week and also working my part time job. It was tough but I did survive. Unfortunately, life isn’t fair and sometimes you have to slog through. I’m don’t regret it, even tho now it’s been a few years and I know I couldn’t do it again. I know lots of people were in the same position as me.

DisforDarkChocolate · 25/10/2023 17:15

Student loans barely cover accommodation now.

  1. work for a year or two and save
  2. pick a local course even if it's not his top choice
  3. pick a course that's not his top choice but he can work part-time with

Life ain't fair, we're definitely finding it hard helping our son and it's not going to get any easier.

Desecratedcoconut · 25/10/2023 17:17

Viviennemary · 25/10/2023 17:12

People need to think about the consequences of having five children. Money will be spread more thinly and they won't be able to provide the same financial support as they would have with only one or two children. Their income will be assessed and they will be told what their contribution should be. Same as everybody else.

There's nothing in the op to suggest that the parents weren't aware of the situation or consequences when they decided to have five children or that they feel obliged to support their kids through university.

SilverGlitterBaubles · 25/10/2023 17:30

No one has to. They're all entitled to the minimum maintenance loan, the most parents would ever need to contribute is £5k a year.

I really don't think that is the case, in fact I really wish it was. The minimum maintenance loan plus the expected parents top up (if they can afford it) just covers the rent it is not enough to cover living costs. Ok some areas might be a bit cheaper but many universities are short of accommodation so prices are higher. Two of DDs friends have recently quit because they couldn't afford to stay there and their parents were struggling financially.

ShanghaiDiva · 25/10/2023 17:31

as @titchy says the system has not changed, parents were always expected to make up the difference. I went to university in the 1980s and fees were paid and I had a full grant which was means tested. Dh’s parents paid all his accommodation and living expenses as they were not eligible for a grant.

Busgirl29 · 25/10/2023 17:38

Ifailed · 25/10/2023 13:04

Unless things have changed, isn't this what the Student Loan is for?

Even a full student loan barely covers rent in some cities. The minimum loan won't cover rent anywhere, I wouldn't imagine, let anyone bills, food etc.

WarmWinterSun · 25/10/2023 17:41

Is it really not possible for him to work part time? I supported myself through university by working alongside a very intensive course. I worked on weekends and tutored in the evenings, then worked and saved in the holidays. My studies didn’t suffer, I just had to be organised. It can be done.

FikaMika · 25/10/2023 17:43

SilverGlitterBaubles · 25/10/2023 17:30

No one has to. They're all entitled to the minimum maintenance loan, the most parents would ever need to contribute is £5k a year.

I really don't think that is the case, in fact I really wish it was. The minimum maintenance loan plus the expected parents top up (if they can afford it) just covers the rent it is not enough to cover living costs. Ok some areas might be a bit cheaper but many universities are short of accommodation so prices are higher. Two of DDs friends have recently quit because they couldn't afford to stay there and their parents were struggling financially.

Exactly, inflation has changed things.

We're paying for two at the moment, it's been planned but is still a stretch.

I went to university in the 1990s and my parents had to pay so it wasn't unexpected.

Threeboysadogandacat · 25/10/2023 17:45

Ds3 is in his last year of school. He worked part time last year and the same this year. He is then going to take a gap year before university and work whilst he’s there. He will qualify for the maximum grant and loan due to our income. We will also help him where we can. His brothers both went to the local uni (they are much older than him) to save money but they don’t offer the course ds3 wants. We couldn’t help if we had 5 children.