Crazy plan to do masters/ surrogacy

[Falalalafishfingers]

To progress in my career I need to do another qualification which will take me up to the next level.
The course itself would be paid for by my employer but I would need to be a student for a year and wouldn't be eligible for a loan etc as it's a masters. It's not nursing either. This is what's put me off before as I'm the main breadwinner. Not sure if we'd get UC with my DP's whopping £22,000 salary.
I've also always wanted to be a surrogate to a childless couple, preferably with their egg/sperm. Could I combine the two? Do you get ML for being a surrogate?
My crazy plan is possibly could I have a baby and do the course on my maternity leave, where I would be on full pay? We have 2 DC's so I know I recover from pregnancy well.
I think the course would start slow so if I timed it right I could have lectures to work around rather than intensive placements in the early days.
Tell me this isn't going to work?

That sounds like a great deal of spinning plates to be keeping in the air at once. A huge amount of uncertainty and potential for things to go wrong. I would be cautious.

You would be eligible for a loan, which sounds like a better plan: www.gov.uk/masters-loan

You are right, that is a crazy plan with a huge amount that could go wrong (both physically and emotionally).
You have recovered well from 2 births. You do not KNOW that you will recover well from a third.

I don't think you would get full maternity leave for being a surrogate? Time off to recover certainly, but ML is to look after a young baby... which you wont have! Even if covered by statutory ML, I doubt your employer would pay any extra on top. If you think they would be happy to pay you a year's full pay to study, then just ask for that!

Can you not study part time, alongside your work? If it is related to your job, then you could probably arrange something with your employer where they help you balance work and study.
It would take longer than a year and be very hard work, but that is what many mature students do when they can't afford a year out from work.

I doubt you would get maternity leave as you will not have the child to look after. And you can't time surrogacy so precisely.

@SquishySquirmy not really as it has full time placements (9-5 Monday to Friday) so the only way would be to work weekends or evenings at my current job.

You are entitled to full mat leave and pay (subject to working the qualifying period) as you would be with any pregnancy progressing past 24 weeks.

With regards to the full lay maternity leave, you are asking in the wrong place. It would be up to your employer, surely? As it is in excess of statutory ML pay (I am not even sure you would be entitled to that).
What question do you think would go down better?
"Will you pay full pay for a year after I give birth to a child I won't keep?"
Or
"Will you pay full pay for a year so that I can gain a professional qualification necessary for my professional development?"

Will probably be no to both tbh, but the second question would be more attractive to your employer I think! Might be better to ask for something more realistic - reducing your workload to study part time, or agreeing to an unpaid/partially paid year out. They are already paying for your course though, which is quite a saving I imagine! They will expect you to meet them halfway I would have thought.

This is absolutely crazy.

You can't be a surrogate to get time off and get a qualification.

We have 2 DC's so I know I recover from pregnancy well.

You don't know this at all, you know you have had two good pregnancies, there's no telling you would be healthy in a third pregnancy.

Please rethink your strategy.

I think you need to do some reading about surrogacy and the potential issues. It's no easier a solution to money problems than selling a kidney.

What happens if you die or are permanently injured in labour? Or the baby dies or is permanently injured? Or is disabled or the wrong sex and the surrogate parents don't want the baby? What if you don't want to give your baby up? What if the parents expect you to express milk for several months after they've taken your child away because breast milk is best?

I started to write out a whole answer to this, but it comes down to: no. You would be absolutely bonkers to try and do this. As an employer, I would seriously question if we should be funding a qualification for someone with such poor judgement.

You can get a loan for a masters. Check link upthread. The interest rate is quite high and the percentage you will pay back is added on top of your bachelor repayments, if you are doing that already. I decided against it as it was way too much interest and a huge chunk of future income off for just a postgrad. Or are you not in the UK?

[quote Falalalafishfingers]@SquishySquirmy not really as it has full time placements (9-5 Monday to Friday) so the only way would be to work weekends or evenings at my current job.[/quote]
I couldn’t see any employer being OK with this to be honest. Yes you’ll get ML but there has got to be issues with you essentially working somewhere else full time.

I’m sorry. I know it can be shit and frustrating. I’d love to do a masters but the massive uni fees and lack of support mean I can’t do it. But being a surrogate doesn’t seem like a good solution.

Youcanworkitout at full pay though? Or just statutory?

grabby, expecting your employer to sponsor a masters and pay maternity leave.

You know you recovered well from 2 pregnancies. You don't know how a third will be.
Being a surrogate is the most extra way of getting time off work that I've ever heard of.
This is a stupid plan.
That's all.

Crazy plan? Yes.

How would your children feel if you get be away a baby? Will they wonder if they are next?
Insane plan

You would be barmy to consider this --or surrogacy at all-/

or surrogacy at all even

I know this doesn't always work with masters with placements, but is a part time masters and part time work an option? Also look at your options for loans, they do exist!

If your employer would pay for the masters, it's not unreasonable to ask if they would pay you a stipend on top for living expenses. The worst they can say is no!

Tbh I Don't think you have thought the whole surrogacy thing though and don't think it will work for you
....

Someone on here once said they knew a teacher who was a surrogate and travelled the world with her kids in her "year off"

Your idea sounds unnecessary, are you renting? Can you live with parents for that year? That sounds more sensible!

If you're contemplating this ridiculous plan, and given that you're ignoring the fact PP have said you can get a student loan for a master's, I don't think a master's degree can help you TBH.

Without even going into the surrogacy part - my third birth very nearly caused my death. Two previous uneventful ones.

Op this isn't the answer.

If work are willing to pay for your masters, but you can't do it and work, what is their solution? It seems weird they'd offer to pay for Something that's impossible for you to complete without getting pregnant at the right time and not keeping the baby

You are mad