AIBU to wonder if there are film directors who will sponsor my godson's degree?

[lucy333]

After advice really more than AIBU.
My amazing godson managed to get a place on a degree course studying practical film making at London Met school and managed to get sufficient funding to pay for the first year (you can't get the fees covered like other uni degrees).
He's been in and out of care so has achieved his dreams against the odds but is struggling to get funding for years 2 and 3. A kind friend of the family has set up a Go fund me fundraiser and some lovely people have donated but there's still some distance to go and time is running out. I just wondered if anyone had any suggestions on possible companies /individuals who may be able to sponsor him? Or charities or individuals who support care leavers with this type of thing?
We've been trying to research but haven't had much success so I thought I'd ask the knowledgeable people on here.
Thanks for reading!

Does the university have a widening participation department?

Could he apply to a regular university and get a student loan? There are quite a few that do film making degrees.

Try the Princes Trust. They have specific schemes for further education for care leavers

Princes Trust?

I found this on their site, if they can’t help some of the other bodies may be able to:

https://www.princes-trust.org.uk/how-we-can-help/who-else/employment/grants-funding

There's a bursary of £1,500 per year that some students can apply for:

Bursaries and grants - London Metropolitan University

Or try this,

www.careleavers.com/what-we-do/young-peoples-project/acessingeducation-2/

Has he tried writing to film production companies, my sister wrote to music recording companies for funds for her PG course and got quite a bit. I thought it was cheeky, and by no means all replied, but she got almost enough to cover her fees. And a free case for her instrument.

Thanks so much for these suggestions! I'm not sure of everything we've collectively looked at but will pass these on.

Have a look at turn2us, try their grants search?

https://coramvoice.org.uk/for-professionals/specialist-advocacy-service/leaving-care/

Coram might be able to help or point you towards sponsorship opportunities. Best of luck to your godson - great that he has you in his life.

Have a look at Viegin Media shorts (film competition)

A good place to submit a short film

Lots of links on internet

Reach out to your local Rotary Club and see if they have any scholarships/similar for local residents.

Put a post on LinkedIn lots of philanthropy on there

OP people have given helpful ideas but having worked on higher education for many years in my experience he's unlikely to get enough money from any of theses place to complete the course.

He needs to seriously consider finding a course that does qualify for student loans.
This is the only way to ensure he had access to funding to complete the degree.

And please be aware if new starts this course and drops out for whatever reason, this is highly likely to impact his ability to get student loans in the future, because it will count as previous study (student funding is complicated and unreasonable!).

London Met is not a great university- he'd do better finding a qualifying course (for student finance) at a better establishment!

Absolutely this.

I had to pay for a year of my sister's study as she had previously studied an equivalent (but somewhat useless) thing for a year, so did not qualify for any financial support or loan.

It isn't London Met - it's the Met Film School. The fees are £60k per year

I hope he's applied to a mainstream uni as well. That's a huge amount of money to find. Though if he's found 1 years worth he must be very resourceful - which makes me think going to somewhere like Ravensbourne, or another conservatoire type place would also get him where he wants to go given his obvious determination.

Ah @titchy that makes more sense. My tired brain didn't brain assumed London Met uni.

@lucy333 they super expensive course tend to be aimed at the very rich (usually international) students and doesn't mean they are any better than a course that qualifies for student loans. They price tag is a bit of a red herring.
Titchy gave good advice, get him to look at other specialist courses that will be funded. And even consider taking a year out and starting in 2025 of necessary. If footie is worth getting right.

A word of warning. A relative did that degree a few years ago. It’s accredited by the University of West London. My relative comes from overseas and did not get into any other establishment.

The film school does a good marketing job but there is no substance to it. In my opinion the degree is rubbish. Most in the industry look down on it and as someone else has said it’s mostly for the rich who either believe the hype or cannot get into a more traditional establishment.

My relative is working in hospitality because he cannot get a job in the film industry. Conversely I know several young people who went to other universities who are working in the industry.

I would cut his losses to be honest and look for another degree.

Thanks for the further suggestions and advice. @titchy yes, sorry it's metfilm school but the fees aren't 60k per year as he's looking for £14k for years 2 and 3
@EasterRose24 he's already completed a year so would that already mean a student loan is not possible?

@lucy333 Congratulations on the completed year, that's great because he'll have credits he can probably take to use towards another course (if that becomes necessary).
That year of study counts as one year of previous study. Student Finance (England and Wales) will then deduct that from his overall entitlement to a tuition fee loan (if he applied for one) which is usually the three years of the course plus, one additional year in case of retakes etc.
So he's still entitled to a loan of he's on a qualifying course, but now he had, in effect, reduced his entitlement by one year (and yes this is correct even if he has not had any money from the Student loans company!!).

Like I said Student finance regs are complicated and at times plain daft. But thems the rules!

I hope he's able to get the sponsorship to stay on the course. Has he asked the uni if they have scholarships or bursaries that might help?

Eddie Hamilton give great advice on how to get into film editing here. He didn't go to film school and was nominated for the best editor Oscar last year. Film school is not essential, but sacrifices in your family/personal life are.

They are according to the website... why would they give him such a discount? he could transfer elsewhere.

I've just checked and think that is across the 3 years and he has had some scholarship from them. I'm not that on top of the exact position, as you may tell!

As a foster carer I know that in my area care leavers are given grants from the local authority so student loans do not need to be taken out. I know nothing about this particular course or this particular university but in traditional establishments care leavers have HUGE financial incentives. A recent teenager we fostered received the equivalent of approx £60,000 over the three years of his degree course and there is also extra money available for those undertaking apprenticeships.

You're quite right £20k a year, £6k of which can be paid by student loan leaving him £14k to find.