Offered a place at uni, have loads of stupid questions!

[QuestionableMouse]

The maintenance loan has come out that I'll get about £8k. Does that mean I get £8k per term, or is it £8k overall and split up per term?

How do classes work at uni? Typically how much time will I be there a week?

I'm almost 32 and never dreamed I'd be going to uni so I'm having a bit of a flap! Thank you!

How many classes you have will depend a lot on the course you are doing and to some extent which uni you are going to.

Well done on getting into Uni.

It will be £8k split into 3 termly payments!
What course are you doing?

Thank you! Im waiting for the last of my choices to get back to me which is nerve-wracking. I'm really excited though because I'm hoping this will be the start of a better life for me. Torn between English and History at the moment so really need to decide.

Congratulations! If it's anything like the experience my DS and DD are having you'll have a ball! I agree that study time varies enormously not only by course but by term too. It's usually split into lectures, seminars, presentations and workshops so each week ends up being a mixture. My DS had one term (archaeology and history) where he had three completely free days per week! But the following term he only had one so he had to be quite disciplined with the workload. It also varies on the year. He's now in year 3 and it's quite manic especially with job hunting too!
DD is in year 1 and she has followed a similar pattern (philosophy) but it has less exams so she has more work during the breaks. Hope this helps a bit. I'm sure you'll love it

Thank you! I'm really excited but not sure what to expect lol

DH has just started a history degree at 58! He is loving it. His timetable is something like Monday 9-1, Tuesday 11-3, alt Wed 10-1, Thurs 3-4. Lots of reading and work at home around that, but very manageable. Good luck!

Arts degrees can be anything from 8 to 20 contact hours per week, with lots of independent study and reading on top of that. If you get into good study habits at the start it will really help you as you go through.

Holidays tend to be longer than the school year so you will only have lectures for about 36-38 weeks a year.

Many students work part time or seasonal jobs to top up their loans. Jobs on campus can be a good option as it cuts down travel time.

Congratulations on your place

That's brilliant thank you! I'm living at home (I'm almost 32, I can't face student accommodation again). I'm doing an access course now which is teaching me good habits.

Lots of the very best universities have the least contact time in History. Self study is key so time in the library has to be factored in - hours and hours! Employers know you will have done this. It is exciting - good luck. What is your linger term aim? (Other than a better life?)

Congratulations, OP. I went to university at the age you are now, also after an access course. It's the best thing I ever did, and it changed my life completely. It was hard going at times, especially the first semester when I felt like everyone except me knew what they were doing (they didn't) but once I got the hang of things I had a fantastic time, learned loads, and ended up getting a better job than anything I'd've thought was possible in my 20s. Like people have said, you need to factor in library time - lots of it! I found at the start that everything took longer than I imagined it would, and it really wasn't until the second semester that I was able to get into a comfortable routine that worked for me. If you're on a full-time course, think of it as full-time hours (though you might not organise it 9-5 depending on whether you have children or any other commitments).

If you're still deciding which course to do, have a look at some of the details on the university websites, down to the level of module titles, to see which ones appeal most to you. Even look at reading lists if they're available.

Whatever you decide, I hope you have a wonderful time.

Thank you so much. I'm really drawn towards history but I'm not sure yet what I'd do with a history degree. I'd really like to go into some kind of research but I'm tied to my current town so I'm not sure if I'd be able to.