Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how do you/your child pay for uni?

179 replies

wishparentingwaseasy · 27/04/2015 15:57

My eldest is off to a central London university in the autumn and I have just completed the student loan calculator.

We (as its household income not students income or lack of) are entitled to £9,000 for fees and £6,500 for living expenses. The cheapest halls is £5,000. I daren't look how much for non halls accommodation. Leaving £1,500 for everything else including food, books etc. £37.50 based on 40 weeks.

AIBU to wonder if that is doable?

It is certainly unlikely that they will be travelling home. Sad

OP posts:
GirlSailor · 27/04/2015 20:53

321jenny321 I don't think we're going to agree. I think that all things considered it's harder to have the lower income. You miss out on a lot of things, and the £2700 I got a year as a grant didn't come anywhere close to the difference between my family's income and those of my friends who came from £40k+ families. I appreciated it though, as my course didn't have short terms but was closer to a school year and no term only renting. Hence my £5 a week food budget. I didn't resent my friends who law families were better off, though, I just worked multiple jobs. I know what it's like to worry about money so I hope it all goes well for you. It just isn't the fault of some kid from a low income family's fault that it's not super easy for everyone.

notquiteruralbliss · 27/04/2015 20:54

Mine managed ok on minimum loan (no point us even filling in the forms as we earn way over the threshold) and part time work with me paying accommodation costs.

Headdesk · 27/04/2015 20:57

I'm a student, I work 4 nights a week to get by, my loan just about covers my rent (private student house) and student finance very kindly decided to take away my grant this year because apparently a tenancy agreement and several household bills couldn't prove that I no longer lived with my (soon to be) ex husband Angry

StressedOutStudent21 · 27/04/2015 20:57

I'm from a low income (under 20k per year) family. I don't work, I don't get a penny from my parents and I went to university a year 'late', so I'm 21 and in my second year of BSc at Newcastle University.

I qualified for around 6k per year in student finance in terms of loan/grant and I pay for my tuition with a tuition fee loan. I qualified for two extra grants from my university due to being from an area where not a lot of people progress to university and I worked my arse off for a year doing HEFC (access) because I wanted to qualify for the high achievers scholarship too. I get by, its not easy and I have to be on top of my spending and budget and I do use my overdraft from time to time but generally not.

This summer I do plan to get a job but I won't work during term time, I'm just really not capable of balancing a job with study while getting grades that are acceptable (acceptable to me that is). I want to be able to have some money to fall back on after my degree, but for now getting a high first to progress after is more important to me. I will also say that I am a bit of a dull student, I don't really drink and I don't go out very often. I have fun, but I'm serious about my studies and because stupid me chose a competitive field to go into after my degree, I really need a great final grade.

321jenny321 · 27/04/2015 21:06

It just isn't the fault of some kid from a low income family's fault that it's not super easy for everyone.

Not their fault at all and I dont begrudge them a single penny. Just want my daughter to have the same access to funds. Luckily we can help her, but I have friends who are praying their children don't go to uni as they just can't afford to fund them and that isn't fair. If they were on under £25k they would have no such worries.

Talismania · 27/04/2015 21:09

Part time job is essential. $40 a week is nowhere near enough.

For reference I got about the same as her in loans/grants and I earned $1200 p/month working part time on top of that, and that was just enough to live comfortably (though I had additional expenses as I had a car).

whois · 27/04/2015 21:10

If they were on under £25k they would have no such worries.

But they would have other money worries, given they would be on a much lower income.

Most people pay for uni via a combination of loans, work and parental help.

I do think it is a bit redic for parents of 18 year olds to suddenly realise they might need to help out with uni fees. What did you think was going to happen?

SirChenjin · 27/04/2015 21:12

Family circumstances change, and for many it's not possible to save that amount of money for Uni on top of everything else that has to be paid for from the family coffers.

Becca19962014 · 27/04/2015 21:17

I had a small grant and small loan. I didn't go to uni in London but I severely struggled as my parents refused to pay towards my degree, their income was assessed as needing to contribute as I was living with them but I soon realised once at uni there was no way to enforce it (maybe that's changed now - it was deeply unfair a and very upsetting).

I wasn't allowed to get a job, we were all told no pt work - it would have been impossible with the amount of work. Some tried and failed the course. It was very intensive - I struggled to get work done without a ot job. I ended up relying on credit cards and bank loans. I did a year out (which was great!) but couldn't save much due to accommodation etc there.

I got my degree, and some great jobs but it was really hard financially.

parsnipbob · 27/04/2015 21:23

I'm also not sure why the onus is on parents to contribute in the first place to be honest, I mean if you want to and you are able to then great but it shouldn't be an expectation nor a requirement.

My mum couldn't have afforded to give me a bean but even if she had been able to I'm not sure I would have taken it. I knew I wanted to go so deliberately chose to take my gap year and save. My sister did the same. I saw it as my choice to go to uni so my financial responsibility really. Glad I did as I am good with money now and not sure I would have been had my parents paid for everything.

I think it's a shame the government expects parents to pay when they might be unable or unwilling to.

I worked throughout my A-levels and GCSEs too so that I could go, really helped me appreciate my degree and watch my own money.

Jazzle37 · 27/04/2015 21:24

£37.50 should be plenty enough for food and groceries if careful. Books can be borrowed from the library, or if they have to be bought then second hand (ebay etc, some universities have noticeboards for that kind of thing). If a regular part time job is not doable there are usually temping agencies around for some as and when work.

That said, nights out should be restricted to the SU in London if they also want to eat that month as bar prices are astronomical...

In my first term of uni (way back in 2007...) I had less than £15 a week left after accommodation costs. I had a year out to work for saving and I worked for a couple of temp agencies and had temporary part time jobs during my course. My mom helped where she could by saving up her silver coins for the washing machines Grin

parsnipbob · 27/04/2015 21:28

agree £37.50 is plenty for groceries, my budget was £25 a week for food because I never went out (don't drink so student socialising was a bit beyond me). sister is even more frugal, sets herself £15 for food.

Arrowminta · 27/04/2015 21:30

I earn less than 25K and mine qualifies for maintenance loan and grant, plus a bursary from the uni. That comes to around 10K per year to live on. Obviously gets a tuition fee loan too and the course is too heavy to work in term time. She only works in summer hols to help fund spending money and pay for her student house and I feed and house her.

If I was earning say 40K per year, she wouldn't get the bursary but I would be able to help out more.

fulltothebrim · 27/04/2015 21:35

My DS is off to University soon. but will be living with me and going to a local University. THankfully we don't have to pay any fees here, and he will work part time, so money shouldn't be much of an issue.

SirChenjin · 27/04/2015 21:45

arrow - that would very much depend on your family circumstances. To have £10K a year to live on with no p/t job whilst living away from home is a situation that many students would love to be in.

Arrowminta · 27/04/2015 21:52

SirChenjin, I am aware of both points. If she had to work it would put her at a huge disadvantange over the other students on her course, so we are grateful for the help that is available.

parsnipbob · 27/04/2015 22:01

working isn't a bad thing by any means btw, it's a major advantage you have over other graduates if you've worked while at uni :)

I speak from experience!

Obviously not at the expense of getting a good degree mark, but it shouldn't be looked down on/seen as a hardship - it's a really good thing for students to do, if they are able to.

SirChenjin · 27/04/2015 22:03

Can you see why the kind of state help for some students might be perceived as unfair though arrow?

Arrowminta · 27/04/2015 22:04

They are advised not to. It's OK, she has worked since she was 14 at a Saturday job and works in the summer holidays.

Arrowminta · 27/04/2015 22:08

Sorry didn't see last post.

SirChenin, what would be unfair is if students from low income families were prevented from going to Uni unless their parents could help. Don't you think?

Look I know what you are saying but they means test the grants to try and make it fair.

PUGaLUGS · 27/04/2015 22:10

All DS1 will get is £3731 in a maintenance grant, meaning we are £1500 short for accommodation which we will have to fund.

We anticipate that we will need to give him around £500 a month altogether.

parsnipbob · 27/04/2015 22:11

They should also take other things to account when assessing household income - a couple on 40k with one child is going to be a lot better off than a couple on 40k with 4 children.

parsnipbob · 27/04/2015 22:11

Pug I take it that is 500 a month including accommodation? Will he be able to work part time?

morethanpotatoprints · 27/04/2015 22:23

Don't you have to pay it back though? I thought everyone did.
I suppose like everything else, the bloody system is always being changed.

PUGaLUGS · 27/04/2015 22:24

Absolutely parsnip.

In theory he should be able to work part time. He isn't the most proactive boy! BUT, he studies, doesn't go out and doesn't cause us any hassle unlike DS2 who incidently is very work and money driven and at 13 had a paper round and now at 15 is a potwasher at our local village pub