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Further education

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

Uni costs - student/parent paying

108 replies

MarysMonologue · 29/06/2022 18:37

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.

OP posts:
LizziesTwin · 25/08/2023 15:06

In the 80s we got housing benefit as students, you aren’t entitled to that now and you could claim the dole in the holidays. Things have changed a lot.

TizerorFizz · 25/08/2023 15:09

@Lbet Not sure what grad stats and housing stats you have been reading!? Bank of mum and dad really is needed as so few grads have a chance to save money unless living at home and then propose to live in a cheap area. Many report they are nowhere close to saving for a deposit or earning enough for a mortgage. If parents only have enough for fees, don’t. Fund a deposit.

TizerorFizz · 25/08/2023 15:16

Maintenance loan is low for most students and parents are expected to pay. As they did 50 plus years ago when it was also means tested. The myth of lavish finance from “the good old days” when hardly anyone went to uni still persists. Greater uni participation comes with costs. Borne by government, (taxpayers) and parents. After that the grads themselves who, mostly, don’t pay it off. So it’s still a cost to the taxpayer but just not via benefits!

Cookerhood · 25/08/2023 17:23

Yep, mine had a deed of covanent to pay me (£150/term I think), plus my grant of £205/year.
DH, on the other hand, had a full grant so it really did cost him nothing to be a student.

MariaVT65 · 25/08/2023 17:28

Yes I’m the same as you OP. I graduated in 2011 and my mum didn’t pay anything at all towards my uni, other than a supermarket voucher at xmas.

However, the only reason I just about made it work was because I took a gap year first to work and save money, I worked during all the holidays, and I worked during a whole year abroad. Otherwise I would have been buggered.

Lbet · 25/08/2023 18:38

TizerorFizz · 25/08/2023 15:09

@Lbet Not sure what grad stats and housing stats you have been reading!? Bank of mum and dad really is needed as so few grads have a chance to save money unless living at home and then propose to live in a cheap area. Many report they are nowhere close to saving for a deposit or earning enough for a mortgage. If parents only have enough for fees, don’t. Fund a deposit.

That depends on each individual and how much savings they have behind them. It is also up to each parent how much they want to help their kids in uni. You just assumed that the OP was going to use all her inheritance to help fund her kids in uni, she maybe fortunate enough to be able to help them with a deposit for a house as well which would be great.

TizerorFizz · 25/08/2023 21:00

Hasn’t said that. Lots of people seem to be either/or.

If DC don’t earn much and get full maintenance loan, uni is pretty cheap. Not many pay it off completely but all things need weighing up.

3WildOnes · 28/08/2023 20:14

I think it depends which uni you go to. I went to quite a 'MC' uni. None of my friends had jobs. Quite a few didn't have loans at all and were fully funded by their parents. Lots were topped up by parents, so parents paid accommodation and loan was used to live off, or the other way around.

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