Final Year of BA degree - need help with finance!

[Kyyria]

Hi
I'm 32, 24 weeks pregnant with my first child and have just completed a foundation degree in Leadership and Management.

I want to carry on and do the final year (starting September) to achieve a BA in Applied Management.

However, I've got some stumbling blocks:

1. I already have a bachelor's degree (BSc Psychology) from 2001 so apparently this classes me as ELQ (equivalent or lower qualification) status. This means it will cost me £4000 to complete the year (compared with £1800 for my classmates who don't have a previous degree) and it also means that I am not eligible for any funding (student loans etc).

2. For the majority of the final year I will be on maternity leave and bringing home less than £500 a month - that won't even cover mortgage let alone costs associated with baby or uni.

3. I can defer for a year but then it will cost £9000 to complete the final year.

I am doing this to further my work prospects (on employers recommendation) and although employers have generously paid for my first 2 years (£600 per year) they are refusing any financial help for the final year.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? It would be useful if anyone knows of any other funding I would be entitled to or any experience with budgeting for uni with newborn and minimal wage.

Husband does work but we currently need both (full time) wages to pay mortgage, bills, council tax etc and we don't have much in the way of savings.

Thanks

Sorry I can't help you much. But I would recommend that you contact the student advisers at your uni who would have knowledge of any internal funding that can help (as well as external funding)

Your only option is charity funding. Get the book of grant making trusts from the library and start sending letters.

I'd go back to your employers and ask. Has your pregnancy altered any financial arrangements with them, or did they only agree to fund the first two years?

Can you do you final year over two years? That would at least enable you to keep to the current fee level rather than the £9k fee. You could also obviously spread the fee over two years rather than 1. Ask if your uni offers any bursaries. Or leave it for a year and do a masters - they're still cheaper than a BA!