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Higher education

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

Original poster

Preparing for Uni in 2015

998 replies

circular · 22/06/2015 09:01

Carrying on from yr13 thread, here thought we could share our ideas for Uni preparation.

All welcome, not just those in above thread. Would especially appreciate contributions from those who have 'been there'

Topics that spring to mind, and a few recent threads on them are :

What to take What to take , What NOT to take, Shared accommodation

Clearing out rooms

How much to contribute What does it cost, How much needed weekly, How much are you subbing

Budgeting, cooking, and other life skills to learn Easy recipes for teens

Leaving friends, family, boy/girlfriends behind

Us coping without them - noted series of 'Empty Nest' threads.

Hope all the links correct!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
12
MiffyMyKitty · 09/09/2015 19:13

I'm suprised dd 's photo for free rail card was accepted. She has this silly duck face pose on hers??Confused the youth of today!

PUGaLUGS · 09/09/2015 20:10

DS didn't have to do anything with his u19's account, we got back from holiday and he had a letter waiting for him to say it had changed to a student account.

He had his jab on the 3rd Sept. No after affects so all good.

However he is "still filling in" the form for free prescriptions/dental and he has yet to do the online registration for the GP that the uni sent details on.

MiffyMyKitty · 09/09/2015 20:19

Does anybody know if we get dd a "Now TV box" plug into TV and she only uses bbc I player that's on there, will she still have to pay the tv licence??. Her Lap tops too small to watch programmes on. Yet seems a bit extortionate them having to pay same amount of tv licence when they are poor students.

bigbluebus · 09/09/2015 20:20

PugaLugs Which form do they need for the free prescriptions/dental treatment. Is there a form number? DS doesn't need it for Uni as he is going to NI and prescriptions are free there but he has a dental appointment booked for the Christmas holidays so will need to sort out free/NHS treatment for that.

AtiaoftheJulii · 09/09/2015 20:30

You can order the form at apps.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/LISWebAppStaticData/begin.do (hope that works, looks weird!)

Dd decided on an HSBC account and applied online. Not sure she's heard anything yet, but last week she got a letter from Lloyds saying that her account with them will be automatically changed to a student account, effective 3 September - the day it arrived. Suggested she go into Lloyds to say no thank you, but she hasn't ... I guess we'll see what happens!

vodkaredbullgirl · 09/09/2015 20:33

My dd can get free prescriptions when she registers with GP in Wales, where she is going.

hellsbells99 · 09/09/2015 23:13

Do they still get free prescriptions and dental treatment in England until they turn 19?

Horsemad · 09/09/2015 23:17

Yes and eye tests also I think.

Original poster
circular · 09/09/2015 23:36

I thought the free prescriptions and dental treatment stoppd at 18 in England?

OP posts:
Original poster
circular · 09/09/2015 23:40

DD was hoping to keep U19 as is to use to transfer weekly/monthly spends to.
But got letter to say automatically converted to student account. Which inconveniently puts her in breach of their T&Cs as already has student account elsewhere.
And when she called to ask to change it back to U19 for another year (only just turned 18) was told she needs to make an appointment in a branch. Grrr.

OP posts:
Horsemad · 09/09/2015 23:41

DS had a checkup last month and they said free upto 19 if at Uni. Off to Google now!!

Horsemad · 10/09/2015 00:11

NHS Choices say under 19 and in f/t education.

stonecircle · 10/09/2015 00:25

Drat - DS is 19 in a couple of weeks and the dentist is one thing we haven't got round to - was going to make him an appointment for a check up at xmas. Would have pulled my finger out if I'd known he'll have to pay!

GypsyFl0ss · 10/09/2015 06:04

We can't find anything on student finance saying dates of payments. I'm assuming that they have to fully enrol in the uni to trigger the payments?

For those whose DC have dates showing please can you tell me what the first payment date is? I'm trying to work out how much we need to sub DD.

PUGaLUGS · 10/09/2015 06:19

Gypsy First payment date states the 14th on the schedule DS received (he got this ages ago btw)

Original poster
circular · 10/09/2015 06:25

Gypsy DD told me first payment date shows as 24 Sep, I'm sure someone up thread said 21 Sep, and Pug is 14th so not all the same. She goes on 19th, lectures start 28th.
Also shows an October date for course fees.
Didn't show up properly when logged in on phone, needed to log in on PC - is that the problem?

OP posts:
GypsyFl0ss · 10/09/2015 08:03

Thankyou. It's definitely not showing online but having checked the paper schedule, thanks Pug, it says that it's due on the 5th or within 4-5 days of that date.

bigbluebus · 10/09/2015 09:17

Re free dental treatment/prescriptions, DS was told by the dental receptionist when he went in July that he was eligible for free treatment until the end of August, which was his official school leaving date I suppose. His Child Benefit is paid up to the 1st week in September, so I don't necessarily think they get it free up until their 19 birthday (DS is 19 in Nov). I think the age 19 comes in because some people (including my DD, who was in SN education) do 3 years in 6th form.

stonecircle · 10/09/2015 09:42

As with everyone I assume, DS's loan is paid in on the first day of term, not the first day of Freshers' week. Am wondering how much to sub him so he has enough to enjoy himself but not so much that I'm funding expensive nights out every night. Any suggestions as to what would be reasonable?

Horrified to discover that DS's accommodation is next door to a nightclub!

Original poster
circular · 10/09/2015 10:54

Stonecircle DD not into clubbing, but I intend to pay for any event tickets she is ordering in advance. Will orobably give her an extra ??100 and buy her starter food too.
Her weekly budget amount starts from when she arrives (calculated amount allows for number of weeks in accommodation, not term weeks).
She has a savings float in her account which will get replaced when SFE funds arrive a few days later.

OP posts:
hellsbells99 · 10/09/2015 13:54

They will also needs funds to join societies. The society that is associated to DD's subject is ??25 and the music society will be another ??25. I am assuming she want to join a couple more too. Then there is a 2nd book sale in the 2nd week......

stonecircle · 10/09/2015 14:23

Now into full scale packing (me not ds) as he goes on Saturday. I've taken a couple of days off work thinking that would give us plenty of time and I could take things easy, but it's like moving house!

Have now gathered all the bits I've been buying over recent weeks and am piling them up at the end of the living room. There's so much! And that's before he adds in all his clothes, coats, boots and sports gear ....(yes ds, the sun is shining and it's 20 degrees today, but in December you might just need warmer stuff ...)

I thought I was being really clever buying his bedding half price in BHS but when I washed it yesterday I realised it was 100% cotton and took for ever to iron (and would look horrid if you didn't). So we'll keep that and I've now replaced with 'non-iron' bedding from Dunelm - which was great and actually had some 3/4 fitted bed sheets. Also just bought as much shopping as is possible in advance (toiletries, laundry stuff, pasta, rice etc) and we'll top him up with fresh stuff - milk, eggs, fruit and veg etc before we leave him ....

Can't believe it's almost time.

itmustbeglove · 10/09/2015 16:37

DS seems to an awful lot of stuff to fit in a tiny room.
I have helpfully bought him some bathroom cleaning wipes that I can't imagine him ever opening.

I'm feeling a bit wobbly today. DH gave me a stern talking to about holding it together on Saturday until we've dropped him off. Someone told me that extra strong mints stop you crying so I might try that. Sad

MossAgate · 10/09/2015 16:41

I hope she has been allocated the Tardis as that is the only way all the stuff will fit.

Or we could buy a tent. Stuff goes into room, she goes into tent.

hellsbells99 · 10/09/2015 16:54

MossAgate Grin

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