Functional Skills and Uni Applications

[GasLIghtShining]

Post a fair bit under a different name but use this one for anything that is more identifying.

My son is in his first year at college doing a Btec course. He is looking to apply for uni. He passed all of his GCSEs except for English (a whole other story!) so is now doing functional skills. He should pass it so next year will be able to take GSCE.

So this means that when he is applying for uni he will be saying that he has (presuming he passes) functional skills. He won't be applying to Russell Group unis but how much of a disadvantage is having functional skills going to be? Will the fact he is taking (again presuming this is going to happen) GCSE make a difference.

My DS is considering having a year off so that when he applied he can actually put down he has GCSE English. Seems a bit drastic. The other factor about him delaying going to uni is that DH is nearing retirement and will not be able to retire at 65 as it is so if my DS delays uni it will add another year onto his working life. He is in a stressful job so the thought of having to carry on is making him slightly panicky!

Thanks for actually managing to read all of this!

Don't you hate it when people zoom in on the incidental detail ....

I can't help on the GCSE angle, but can you explain more about DH retiring? If DH is on a pension instead of a wage - so you have lower income - then won't DS get more in the way of grant/loan? Also, if DS takes the year out - so he can apply with the GCSE under his belt - then that gives him the chance to earn some money in that year, to help see him through his student days. So isn't a gap year a good thing in your case?

Some universities will take the functional skills. DD3 did level 2 maths and level 3 English and she got into University. She did BTEC extended Diploma in IT which is equivalent to 3 A levels. She is now in her 2nd year of a computer degree.

Sorry but another one wondering what retirement has to do with it? My DH retired 5 years ago and DS1 started uni last year. Student finance is based on your income to the previous tax year unless you can show significant changes.

It will depend how high the pension is, will it not? A Doctor's pension or a highly paid banker's pension, for example, will still require high parental contributions for a student because such families would not be low earners even though their income is a pension. The pension income will be much lower than the OP's DH's earned income in that sort of case so it might be concerning to have to find extra money when someone is way into their 60s.

mumeeee that sounds encouraging. My DS is doing an extended diploma. Didn't realize there was more than one level for functional skills so will have to look into that.

Retirement is an issue as thing stand our income will change while he is at uni so we go from having our usual income to a lower income. If my DH wasn't due to retire I would have been happy for DS to wait and apply after getting his GCSE. That's why I mentioned it

Millymollymama You have explained it well. DH has a decent enough job and will retire with a works pension but it will still be less. Which is why he looking to carry on work.

Course / subject at Uni?

Just be aware that 'Uni' is academic - if he struggles with written English he may struggle, whatever Uni he is at.

I too think uni would be a struggle if he found gcse English was too much to pass

He was expected to pass the english and was entered for the higher exam - have no idea what happened and he passed his other subjects.

He is getting mainly distinctions at college now and is looking at a sports related degree possible with a view to teaching after that.