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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to say that a student loan can be enough to survive on at uni without having to get a job?

186 replies

Mickeyx0x0 · 08/01/2022 23:10

My son is in second year of uni. Due to a drop in our income due to pandemic, he has received full student loan last year and this year. If he had not got full loan, we would otherwise have made it up to the same amount with our parental contribution.

He has found the amount he has been awarded more than enough to live on, without needing to get a part time job. Perhaps it is the area his uni is in (Loughborough where costs are cheaper than some places). Maybe my son is more frugal than the average student (quite possibly; not sure about this one). I am just curious as to whether other people find that their student DC is can manage on their student loan without needing to work as well?

OP posts:
user313213521 · 09/01/2022 17:34

[quote RollaCola84]@user313213521 You've never recruited an Oxford or Cambridge graduate then ? We weren't allowed to work in term time and as far as I know that hasn't changed.[/quote]
It doesn't need to be term time work - they can have holiday jobs or gap year jobs and that would tick the box.

There are also some ways that Oxbridge students can do paid work during termtime - the Cambassador scheme for instance.

orangetree99 · 09/01/2022 17:39

Based on my DC and their friends the only people who don't have to work at Uni are those that are on full loan (often with bursaries as well) or whose parents top up the maintenance loan to at least the maximum.
The worst off are those that only get minimum loan but parents can't/won't give them anything - I know a couple of those and they work many hours during term time and holidays just to pay rent/food. We were fortunate to be able to top both my DCs loan up to the maximum which meant neither had to work term time but both did in the summer holidays but what they earned paid for a holiday before they went back to University rather than paying for essentials. The system is just so unfair.

LessTime · 09/01/2022 17:51

@RampantIvy

One of mine saved thousands during this time.

Doing what? Was this before covid?

Yes, it was before Covid. One of my kids did a lot of babysitting during school term times and child minding and event waitressing during the school holidays. She saved over £4000. One of my sons also saved several thousand simply from working the months between finishing his a levels and starting Uni. He got the office based job via a local recruitment agency. It was fulll time and paid over £10 an hour( I can’t remember the details) . A few years ago. It was some sort of data entry and was very boring but he made a lot. Apart from using some for a cheap holiday he stashed the rest for Uni. Obviously it helped that his living costs were low as he was living at home and the job was local. I don’t think any Uni students living in my town would have struggled to find work over the Xmas holidays. There are currently jobs going at many catering businesses and shops.
Uni summer holidays are really long.
LessTime · 09/01/2022 17:57

@RedHot22

At Cambridge, they’re not allowed to work
Cambridge students has more than 16 plus weeks summer holidays. You’d think the average Cambridge student would be able to find some way of earning some money over that time. 🤷🏻‍♀️
Comefromaway · 09/01/2022 18:05

In my experience with Dd the cheaper halls sold out first.

AvocadoPlant · 09/01/2022 18:08

Having had 3 DC apply to uni accommodation at 3 different unis, in each case the university’s own accommodation page has advised that the cheaper halls are the most over-subscribed.

RampantIvy · 09/01/2022 18:09

@LessTime they mean during term time not the summer

helloisitmeyourelookingfor · 09/01/2022 18:09

Dd has managed to live on her loan this year and last because there's been next to no visits to the pub, clubbing, meals out, uni societies, sports, or big events

Saved her a fortune in clothes alcohol and tickets!

LessTime · 09/01/2022 18:11

[quote RampantIvy]@LessTime they mean during term time not the summer[/quote]
I got that, I was pointing out that there is still plenty of time for them to earn money if they wished.

AvocadoPlant · 09/01/2022 18:12

@helloisitmeyourelookingfor

Dd has managed to live on her loan this year and last because there's been next to no visits to the pub, clubbing, meals out, uni societies, sports, or big events

Saved her a fortune in clothes alcohol and tickets!

Which uni is this? Everything is open at Exeter and DD is loving all the sports socs, club nights and events! She is learning to budget very fast! Smile
RampantIvy · 09/01/2022 19:01

Everything has been open at Newcastle since September as well.

AshLane · 09/01/2022 19:06

Absolutely not. Accommodation in Edinburgh is so expensive - landlords can make more through holiday let's.

Thankfully also loads of part time jobs in hospitality.

LoudSnoringDog · 09/01/2022 19:07

My son is in London. We have to subsidise and he has a part time job at home when he is on leave

He gets minimum loan though

Belladonna12 · 09/01/2022 19:08

My DD manages without working during the academic year although she does work in the summer holidays. Her accommodation Isn't particularly cheap but she doesn't drink so that probably saves money. I don't think many of her friends work during term time either.

CrimbleCrumble1 · 09/01/2022 19:10

My DC got the minimum amount loan and their accommodation was 6k (no food).

Mylittlepotofjoy · 09/01/2022 19:11

Three of mine managed it in london and midlands in the last 9 years . It is doable

NinaProudman2022 · 09/01/2022 19:16

It depends where they study, cost of halls, socialising and or cost of sports at uni etc etc etc.

Also do you pay their phone costs, do they have enough clothes, IT study costs, cost of course related costs etc etc.

SeasonFinale · 09/01/2022 19:19

@titchy

The full loan should be enough - all unis have cheaper accommodation options (these have less demand than the expensive halls!) with the possible exception of Durham which can allocate to very expensive halls.
Even though Bristol has cheaper halls you get allocated halls and some don't even get one of their 9 choices.
Sugarsugar25 · 09/01/2022 19:37

I thought the full loan was £9488 this year? Hope I'm not getting short-changed by Student Finance! Grin

I do get a full student loan (even though I am a mature student).

I would be able to pay my rent, bills and food off that. However, I do live in a cheaper and non-student area.

But I still work part-time two jobs so I can save for a house and be somewhat more financially comfortable than I have ever been. I got a bursary too from the University.

I know it all sounds greedy but I will never get an inheritance or any financial help because my family are on minimum wage so I have to work.

I think if you can work, do get some work in the meantime. It helps with CV and gives experience into the 'world of work'.

I don't miss out on the social aspect because I have my friends outside of University. But I think if you were younger, the social aspects of University are important too.

I would say to parents to check to see if their child is eligible for any bursaries that prospective Universities have and apply for as many. They are competitive but they're worth it.

RagzReturnedUnwrapped · 09/01/2022 19:40

@BuanoKubiamVej

It's totally dependent on which university, and its ridiculous that the only concession made is a London weighting. In a lot of places where the university is high prestige and there's limited availability of accommodation, students will have no choice but to spend the majority of their loan on rent and will have very little left over for food and other expenses without a supplementary income. There certainly are places where a student can live within the budget of the loan but young people should be able to make a choice of university based on their academic potential and aspirations, not the cost of living in the relevant city.
DS is off to 6th form this year and we've already had a conversation about how he may not be able to go to whichever uni he wants due to accommodation costs. He had no idea it would be so varied, we had a look at a few. We've discussed part time jobs etc as well. Of course, if he wants to apply to Oxbridge or somewhere else prestigious and gets in, we'll do what we can to make it happen, but it doesn't hurt to set realistic expectations.
forcedfun · 09/01/2022 20:10

@RagzReturnedUnwrapped would working for a gap year not be a good solution in that instance? That way he can have a good cushion saved up to cover the gap

tangone · 09/01/2022 20:15

Does your ds have travel costs op?

RagzReturnedUnwrapped · 09/01/2022 20:18

[quote forcedfun]@RagzReturnedUnwrapped would working for a gap year not be a good solution in that instance? That way he can have a good cushion saved up to cover the gap[/quote]
Yeah he's seriously considering this, he'd like a gap year anyway but I said he'll need to work to pay for it and preferably spend at least part of it working and saving towards uni living costs.
Thankfully DS2 is going for a degree apprenticeship so no costs there (13 months age gap) and DD, if she goes to uni, will be after DS1 finishes or in his year 3 if he has a gap year.

PetsL · 09/01/2022 20:19

Why shouldn't students be expected to get a part time job? I worked throughout uni, probably about 20 hours per week. Unless doing a very intense course, such as medicine, I think getting a job should be expected.

RagzReturnedUnwrapped · 09/01/2022 20:38

@PetsL

Why shouldn't students be expected to get a part time job? I worked throughout uni, probably about 20 hours per week. Unless doing a very intense course, such as medicine, I think getting a job should be expected.
I agree. I worked during mine and I was doing nursing so much longer course and more hours and the DCs were all in primary school at the time. Most uni courses you should be able to work and earn enough for food and nights out at least. If my income means my DC get less than the full amount, then I will contribute towards rent and books etc, but I will certainly expect them to work a little bit at least, it's good for them.
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