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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

confused about uni fees

10 replies

javo · 06/07/2011 11:43

H all my DD is hoping to go to uni in October. We have applied for the finance but have become confused about what she will get. We are freelancers and have had a disastrous time recently so our income is below the £25,000 threshold - so she is likely to get the full maintenance grant. My DD's college told her when she was applying tho Ucas that she would also get a grant to cover most of the fees an extra £1000 from the uni (for those on full grants). However, the Directgov student finance grants section makes no mention about a fees grant only that she would get a loan.

Has anyone else got the full grant and know what it covers. Any help gratefully received. She thinks she ahs done well in her exams so is likely to meet her offers and we are trying to help her plan her finances atm .
Thanks

OP posts:
Original poster
javo · 06/07/2011 13:06

Have been on direct gov again and pretty sure we got wrong advice from her college - there is no fees grant - everyone gets the loan (damn - might have applied to scottish uni to save on fees debt). Looks like she will get the maintenance grant plus a £1k bursary from the uni and maybe a £1k scholarship if her results are top notch plus the reduced loan amount.

My DD has applied for halls - but at the local uni - will she still get the living away from parents loan or the lower" with parents loan "as she could live at home.? The uni have said she may be put bottom of the list for halls as she could commute but she wants the uni experience and thinks she will make no friends if living at home- but don't know how we can fund her if she gets the at home loan rate. She has been trying very hard to get a paid job (she does voluntary work) but has AS so doesn't always come across well.

Thanks

OP posts:
sayithowitis · 07/07/2011 00:30

Hi, our income is just a bit more than yours. Last year, DC1 got a) loan for tuition fees around £3200, b) maintenance loan ( whatever full amount is), c) means tested maintenance loan of around £1000 and d) maintenance grant,actually worth around £1500, but they effectively reduce the maintenance loan by around half the grant amount, so actually, DC1 got £750 for that bit. The tuition fees are paid direct to the university and the rest is paid in three instalment which are not equal! For some reason, the payment after Easter is a bit more that the September and January payments.
We are in Greater London and have one other dependant DC.

Original poster
javo · 07/07/2011 11:22

Thanks say -lots of loans! I had heard that you tend to get more at Easter which is strange as you neeed more money initially for books etc.

OP posts:
larry5 · 07/07/2011 21:48

I think the money they get at Easter is meant to help with living costs for the summer. My dd has to pay rent on her house for next year from 1st July even though she won't be living there until the end of September so the extra money pays for this.

sayithowitis · 08/07/2011 00:40

It may be intended for that larry, but it does not cover the cost!

When DC1was in halls, the loans/grant was just about enough to cover expenses, however, now that DC is in a house which has to be paid during the summer, a summer job is an absolute necessity. Unfortunately, due to having a very full on lectures/labs timetable, a term time job is really not feasible, or at least, not if DC actually wants to do any study/essays/lab reports after attending uni everyday. Thankfully, both last year and this year, DC has managed to secure summer work which will ensure the rent is paid.

mumeeee · 08/07/2011 10:45

Javo your DD will get the living away from parents loan if she is in Halls. We live in Cardiff. DD1 went to Cardiff university. She lived in halls as that's what she wanted. Her Hals were only 20 minutes walk away from us:) Cardiff uni garenrees that ever first year who want a place in halls will get one no matter how far they live away from the uni.

mumeeee · 08/07/2011 10:47

Yes the money they get at Easter is to help with living costs for the Summer

Original poster
javo · 08/07/2011 17:17

thanks mumeee - that's a relief as the hall fees are about £120 a week

OP posts:
mizpah · 13/07/2011 19:33

Hi Javo,

I don't know if I'm right :S But when I was studying for my undergrad I got the tuition fee loans etc from the student loans company, but in addition to this I got a bursary which came directly from the uni as I was recieving the full Maintenance grant. This may be what the college are talking about if so the amount varies from uni to uni and you get it every year... you should be able to find more details directly from their website, it usually comes under bursaries and scholarships
.
Hope this helps x

mizpah · 13/07/2011 19:35

thats the uni website btw Confused

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