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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

to think my son should go to College near home to save money?

69 replies

OrangeStar · 08/03/2017 16:33

I know in the old days teenagers and young adults often went away from home area to study, and it was great for fostering independence and freedom.

However, these days, with education courses (especially degrees) costing so much money, and the very limited grants and high cost of housing, I can't see how my son would afford to live away from home in terms of rent in addition to all the other costs!

Wondered how other people saw this, or managed this? I'd like for my son to have the choice to move to study away from home if he wanted, but I can't practically see how he (or I) could afford it.

OP posts:
DrinkMilkAndKickAss · 08/03/2017 16:52

OP there may not be government grants any more but loans are still means tested. If you're on a very low income your DS could be entitled to up to £8500 in student loan PA which, depending on location, wouldn't necessarily require you to contribute

Willyoujustbequiet · 08/03/2017 16:53

Molly there really was no need. Your first post was rude.

oldwife · 08/03/2017 16:53

The maintenance loan is means tested. So if the parent that the student lives with has a lower income they can borrow more.

DS is in his first year. He is only entitled to the minimum maintenance loan. It's about £3800 per year ? This almost covers his hall fees. I top him up for food, spends etc.

He worked last summer, and will do so this summer to build up some savings.

I am hoping that as from September, when he will be living in the town - off campus, that he'll be able to get a part time job too so my input won't be needed so much.

That's how all students do it - unless their parents are loaded and give them loads of money.

It all sounds like a scary amount of money - but if your DC wants to go to University then that's what is necessary. Sixth form usually give parents some info on these details too - so it might make it clearer.

pinkbraces · 08/03/2017 16:53

Loan will be dependent upon household income. For both my daughters loan did not cover rent, let alone anything else.
if this is the case for your DS then the only option is to work whilst studying or stay at home whilst studying.
You can't magic the money!

user1484394242 · 08/03/2017 16:54

OrangeStar, ignore her. Anyone who has any decent advice can give it politely.

We have financial issues too, DD wants to go to London to uni. We've gone over our finances a few times and even with the full student loan and a part time job, we're still short. I know it will be a great opportunity for her but I won't be able to send her money if she gets stuck. She has 2 part time jobs now while she does A levels and if she saves that for a year, it will cover some but not all the shortfall. It's tough. Her friends have grandparents who pay for this sort of thing but we don't have that sort of support. We've explained to her that staying in our city will mean we don't have to worry about rent. We can cover travel to and from uni, food, anything she needs to buy for studies with the maintenence loan. She's not happy but she knows we would send her if we could.

Not long ago there was a thread here about how much people helped their kids who moved away to study. It was worrying how much it was costing people.

DrinkMilkAndKickAss · 08/03/2017 16:55

Yes to 'the north' not being a cheap option! In the city DC is studying in there is a flat accommodation rate in halls of £7000 Shock

allchattedout · 08/03/2017 16:56

I'd like to know if the universe in which student loans cover even basic living costs

I managed it. It's really tight. In my time (early 00s) the loan was only £4,000. I just about managed it, but had to live on a massive budget and I worked over the summer holidays. In my current town (university town), you can get a room in a shared house for around £350 per month- that's £4,200 a year. This is in the South- it will be cheaper up North and there are some really good Russell Group unis up there (Nottingham, Sheffield, Leeds, Newcastle, York etc). If you pay just over £4,000 on rent, that still leaves £4,000 of your loan or around £75 per week to spend on living expenses. If you work part-time and earn an extra £50 or so a week, it will be much easier.

Not all students are rich. Those who don't have parents to help out have no choice but to live on the loan. When I went to uni, there were people who also insisted that it was impossible to live on the loan. I just thought 'you could if you had to'.

Also, living at home does not give you the full uni experience in my opinion.

littlefrog3 · 08/03/2017 16:57

Hi Orange.

If you're not on much of an income, could you (your son) apply for bursaries, and grants and stuff? I know several people who were on less that £18K joint income whose young adult child had tons of money thrown at them:- much more than people with higher incomes. IYSWIM.

But yeah I guess if he could live at home it would be handy, as it will cost less.

He will miss out on the uni experience though.

MNHQ
LornaMumsnet · 08/03/2017 16:57

Ahem

Can we ask for a bit of peace and love?

Personal attacks and the like are not really on and we don't want to have to remove the thread.

Thanks!

merrymouse · 08/03/2017 16:59

When I was at university some people lived at home during the first year then moved in with friends. It doesn't have to be all or nothing.

Middleagedmumoftwo · 08/03/2017 17:00

I don't see how you can work out what his student loan will give him to live on, as the amount they get is dependent on the parent's income. Those with parents on an income over around 60k get the basic rate loan which is about £3,800 a year...and this doesn't even cover rent at most university halls. Clearly the parents are expected to top up which we were able to due to having no mortgage, but I know lots of families who despite having an income over 60k also have large mortgages so struggle to help their kids with expenses. Whether they can fit in a part time job depends on their course, some degrees are a lot more demanding than others. So in answer to the Op's question it depends on many different factors...whether he will get the full cost of living loan (income dependent), whether the course he wants is available locally, and whether his course would leave him the time to get a job?

Foldedtshirt · 08/03/2017 17:00

I really think the main criterion in choosing a degree is that it should be the very best the student can attain in terms of relevance, interest and employability. Unless you happen to live where such a course is offered its really not worth living at home for. He'll have x costs anyway so why not incur x+20% for the very best degree he can attain.
And 18yos are lovely but are even lovelier when not under your roof 24/7

mollymaid16 · 08/03/2017 17:02

Yes because op is saying 'oh what will he do only living off the student loans' and I'm saying he's work is an option.

Me and DP both worked part-time through University as we can from lower income families. My DP is currently a teacher and I'm training in another role but we both got Firsts in our degree and still partied around our studies. I'm just saying he's not a baby and let him figure out himself like most students do as previous posted said we all don't have wealthy parents to top us up.

It was more fun living in a new city and I made more friends and better connections as your not relying on family for help etc

DrinkMilkAndKickAss · 08/03/2017 17:02

allchattedout sadly that's just not the case any more. We have multiple DC at uni, are not rich by any means and have other costs - mortgage, other debts, helping out elderly parents - to pay yet for one of our DC there was a £3000 discrepancy between their (catered) accommodation costs and his loan before even taking into account other expenses! Yes he had a job in the holidays but not one that could cover that sort of shortfall. In these instances it really is the 'squeezed middle' that have to make huge sacrifices to send their kids to uni, not just families on low incomes.

allchattedout · 08/03/2017 17:02

Yes to 'the north' not being a cheap option! In the city DC is studying in there is a flat accommodation rate in halls of £7000

Wow, where is that? That might include food as well though. It seems quite high. Looked at Leeds- halls start from £90 pw, Newcastle halls from £85. Have not looked at the others.

Students don't have to stay in halls and I seriously doubt there is a large northern city where rents are £7000 min for a room in a shared student house.

I work at a university in the South and I know students who have no choice but to manage on the loan and a part time job. It can be done, but not if you pick the most expensive accommodation.

Sixisthemagicnumber · 08/03/2017 17:04

Will your son get the full maintenance loan? I think those students who come from households where the income is too high for the full loan are expected to have their loans topped up by their parents. Obviously not all parents can afford to top up loans because the student finance calculations don't take outgoings into account.
I think for students who can't get the full loan and can't get any parental help they only have 2 options - either a part time job or living with their parents and choosing a university near to home. I don't know what those students do if the nearby universities don't offer the courses that they want to study.
Student finance is in a mess now. Our young people are going to be denied the opportunity of studying what they really want to study (or studying at all) because of the changes to student finance and the astronomical fees.

allchattedout · 08/03/2017 17:05

allchattedout sadly that's just not the case any more. We have multiple DC at uni, are not rich by any means and have other costs - mortgage, other debts, helping out elderly parents - to pay yet for one of our DC there was a £3000 discrepancy between their (catered) accommodation costs and his loan before even taking into account other expenses!

Was that because your DC was not entitled to the full loan? I had worked on the assumption that the OP's DS would be. Otherwise, that would make accommodation costs £11,000 per annum.
I am not completely talking out of my arse. I do work in higher education so I know students who are from low income families and they HAVE to manage on the loan and pt work (same as I had to). Obviously they cannot choose expensive catered accommodation and have to go for a cheaper room in a shared student house.

DrinkMilkAndKickAss · 08/03/2017 17:07

allchattedout think collegiate uni in a small cathedral city. That did include food but sadly there is a university policy that halls cannot compete on price so there is a flat rate. I know it's ridiculous, didn't stop us having to fork out for it though. That's why I think it's so damaging that the debate around the cost of university is so fixated on tuition fees. Whist people have been campaigning against their rise the real crisis has been growing in the rising cost of living and withdrawal of financial help!

allchattedout · 08/03/2017 17:09

360degreevirtualtours.group.shef.ac.uk/rent

Sheffield Uni- rent in halls from £4,450. Rent will be cheaper in second and third year when you live in houseshares and the large university towns have plenty of fairly low priced accommodation (though it's not very nice).

Sixisthemagicnumber · 08/03/2017 17:09

In Manchester average halls costs (non catered) is about £125 per week or £5k per year if you base it on 40 weeks. Not many students live in shared houses for their first year, most do choose halls of residence.

Smurfpoo · 08/03/2017 17:09

I didn't go to uni as my parents couldn't afford it (earnt too much to get any help, but the money was needed elsewhere). It is a huge regret of mine, but even working part time i couldn't have covered the cost.

Whilst i don't think your wrong to be concerned about how you / he will fund it, if he can stay at home presumably he will need to work less so perhaps he will have more time to study?

DrinkMilkAndKickAss · 08/03/2017 17:10

Was that because your DC was not entitled to the full loan? I had worked on the assumption that the OP's DS would be.

Yes not the full loan. Sorry I veered off track a bit!

ChatEnOeuf · 08/03/2017 17:14

My parents weren't in a position to help so I took out the maximum student loan (will still be paying it off in 15 years - I started university in 2000). I also:
Saved like a demon 16-18 from PT job
Worked PT in term time
Worked FT in holidays
Grant for travel for one year (intercalated degree)
Shopped wisely
Lived further out with friends in 2nd-6th years (3+ miles from campus) so rent was lower
Walked everywhere, whatever the weather

allchattedout · 08/03/2017 17:15

allchattedout think collegiate uni in a small cathedral city

First I thought York, but prices there are from £4,300. But then I realised you meant Durham. I don't think Durham Uni is representative of the cost of accommodation in the north. It attracts a vast number of very wealthy students, often privately educated. The accommodation costs are much higher than e.g. Oxford or Cambridge. They really are ridiculous and that is probably why you don't get many cash-strapped students applying there. So I think it is an exception rather than the rule.

littlefrog3 · 08/03/2017 17:20

Yeah £7000 a year for student accommodation sounds a lot. Even for London! £600 a WEEK? Nah surely not.