Uni costs - student/parent paying

[MarysMonologue]

This isn't so much a TAAT but more sort of off the back of a few posts I have seen about sending kids off to university lately.

Is it more common now for parents to pay? I graduated 10 years ago, and whilst I was at University very few of my peers had fees/accommodation paid for. All of us worked, usually Friday/Saturday/Sunday and used that alongside our loans. I only knew one person who had their fees paid for and received a weekly allowance (and even still he took out the maintenance loan without telling his parents and squandered it all on having a very very good time).

But I see more and more threads about parents covering costs, and not many mention jobs. Are students no longer working through University? Or is it just a case now where the loans students get, just is not feasible to live on and cover the rising costs these days?

For me, I couldn't have survived without my PT job and to be honest, my £500 student overdraft. But they did keep me ticking over - I definitely had a lot of beans on toast and super noodle dinners though. I got the minimum loan, as my parents earned just over the threshold but they just couldn't have afforded to pay for me. Not with my siblings at home, mortgage etc. Although in saying that, if I was really stuck they would have made sure I wasn't in trouble of course but at the detriment to their own bills I imagine.

Just wondering out loud really. With a very young baby, I am curious at how much it has all changed. Although in saying that, by the time they go to University (if they want to), it will have changed even more! We're discussing opening a bank account for her, but to be honest it was more for general stuff in her future, maybe a car etc, I hadn't earmarked it for University fees.

@Africa2go that's fine, apologies I just read it quickly during a feed so thought you were saying it like that! Do they get any additional help because there's two going at the same time, or no? I can't imagine the pressure that must put families under. But amazing they're both in a position to go, and I hope they love it! As cringe as it sounds, they really are the best days aren't they!

@boys3 oh wow!! That definitely seems low compared to some of the prices people are mentioning. Out of curiousity, I looked up my old University accommodation and the prices are definitely more in the range of £150 pw, starting price! The private houses are still an option for around £300 per month, but to be honest, look as rundown as they did 10 years ago. They used to be snapped up really quickly, but looks like there are loads available so reckon students just don't want them anymore when there are nicer options out there. Some of them really are not fit for purpose so I don't blame them!

@MarysMonologue no, the calculation of how much you're supposed to pay is the same regardless of how many children are going at the same time.

Not a chance I will be able to afford to pay the difference for my DD. I will of course support her in any which way I can but I just don't have that disposable income and the way things are I can't see that changing in the next few years. I had savings for time but divorce changed all that.

With our current income DD is unlikely to qualify for anything except minimum loans so I am saving money every month to top her up if she decides uni is what she wants. She may not and everything may change as we have 10 yrs till she's 18 but I want to make sure that I have the money to cover what she needs if she needs it.

I feel that is not my children’s fault that our income of £65k means they are only eligible for the minimum loan so I plan to top them up. We go without in other ways in order to be able to do that. Ds will end up with approx £65 per week to live on after halls fees. He will need to work if he wants more.

I’m not sure of the system in Scotland and Ireland work but I know in Wales the amount a young person gets does not depend on their parent’s income, just whether it’s a grant or loan.

I think my mother went in about 1958, and her combination of grant and scholarship was also meant to be topped up by her parents. I believe her father paid her first term's accommodation and considered that enough - which left her almost nothing for transport and textbooks. (she dropped out after 2 years - couldn't get a part-time or holiday job without her father signing the paperwork, while she was under 21; but years later she was able to transfer credits to eventually complete her BSc in a different subject)

I am surprised that so many parents shore their kids up like this. A loan and a job should be the 18 year old's responsibility. My friend has a son at med school who has flown through like this and all of mu generation did. Parents seem to be terrified of the 'debt' their children will rack up. Do they not realise that the repayments don't kick in until they can be well afforded ?

It’s also a consideration which degree it is.

Any medical degree you can’t get a job, even part time as you have to do several placement periods. These include shifts, ie weekend & nights. Nobody will employ you & allow you to only be available during ‘term’ time & then not available for 10/15 weeks.

On top of these 12hr shifts, an hour drive each way, then there’s also assignments etc on top. So working on the days off is not practical either.

Unfortunately @Thisisashitshow the government assumes that parents will make up the difference as the loan is based on parental income. Mine have always had jobs in the holidays but for some it is impossible to have a job during term time due to their course requirements. We are fortunate to be able to afford to pay their rent & they live off the minimum loan plus earnings from jobs.
Back in the 80s student term time jobs weren't a thing - I knew no-one who had one. I was on a minimum grant (£205/year) & relied on my parents & a job in the holidays. Those on a maximum grant could manage on that (DH was one of those).

@Thisisashitshow its not really parents choosing to "shore" up their DC, its what the government expects them to do. The "shortfall" for lots of students is about £5k (the difference between the maximum loan and what the government gives them, expecting parents to bridge the gap). That's quite a lot to earn via a job whilst doing a full time course - particularly one like medicine where (a) it's full on and (b) you don't get the usual student holidays, or at some unis where they simply don't allow students to have term time jobs.

Worth adding that parental contribution is nothing new. It has ALWAYS been that way. In fact it's better now as those from highish income backgrounds are entitled to a basic loan, whereas previously they weren't entitled to anything.

People conveniently forget that. Or are ignorant of the fact.

What generation are you? I'm in my 50s, so pre loans, but grants were also means tested, so parents were expected to top up even then. It's not my kids' fault our earnings mean that they don't get the full loan, I think it's my moral duty to contribute.

I don't know anyone paying fees. Clearly don't walk in affluent enough circles.

I do know lots who are making their child's maintenance loan up to the full amount (or as much as they can) as their child isn't getting the full amount due to parental income.
Most of these children are working as well as rents alone take up a fair chunk of the money!

I think a lot more students are choosing to continue living in the family home, whilst commuting to university, in order to keep costs down, as well.

I remember seeing some stats about this somewhere but can't find them now - don't know if anyone on this thread knows? There was a much higher proportion of students doing this than I'd expected.

In Scotland parents are legally obliged to support their children until 25 if in full time education. There are similar provisions I think in the rest of the uK but not as clear as in Scotland. So if you’re not supporting your child and the court assess that you can afford to, you will be ordered to pay. It’s not via CMS - via sheriff court. So I suppose perhaps it’s more expected in Scotland to continue to support your children in education.

Of course lots of parents still don’t comply with their obligations same as lots of deadbeat (usually dads) parents don’t pay their maintenance for younger children. But they are legal obligations and can be enforced.

there isn’t really a realistic prospect that many students could support themselves anyway these days. I have been saving for my two to go to university since they were born.

Ours don’t work term time and don’t have loans

@sheepdogdelight

overall
www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/chart-4

and by individual uni
www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/table-57

Thanks so much @boys3 !

Combination of factors, tuition fees are so high so there's more pressure/ expectations on the student to do well to make it worth while, so more are using their weekend for study not work. Materance loans have also not kept up with cosy of living so there's more of a gap to fill, plus I think the demographic of mumsnet is biased towards people who can afford to pay.

We have 2 at uni and they both get the minimum. But one Dd is studying a year abroad at the moment... she gets so much more on her loan as well as some grants, meaning we top up less as she is in a cheaper country anyhow... her rent is half that of her uk based sister.

So would suggest looking into studying abroad if you want a cheaper option.

My parents paid all my living expenses at Uni in the 90's. My own child has a minimum loan and fees loan and I pay all his rent and bills, he lives on his loan. Last year that was about £8k in total and this year a little less.

A minimum maintenance loan is nowhere near what's needed by a student. As the parent, I've seen it as my responsibility to make up the difference - usually by paying their accommodation charges and leaving them with the loan to live off. I've had three kids at uni for the past 7 years, supporting two at once for three of those years. We'd put money aside to do this and sorted our household budget accordingly to ensure we could afford to support them. They also took on jobs in the holidays and kept the money they earned.

We're not great earners, we don't drive a new car and we don't have expensive holidays. We might do that now they've all finished uni, though!

I haven’t RTFT but yes if as parents your earnings mean they don’t qualify for the full loan it’s your job to make it up. In reality because of the high cost of accommodation many parents pay for that instead.

my DSs accommodation is about £140 per week which we pay, and the minimum maintenance loan is about £4.5k so he lives off that. He works to supplement it during the holidays.

I'm 35 now and started university at 17, my parents paid for my accomodation and I think that was very normal among others I knew. I had a part time job in Tesco from 2nd year onwards to pay for living expenses.

I should add that I went to college in Ireland so fees were "free" but there was a student contribution charge of €700 a year at the time (much more expensive today). My parents paid this for me.