Not too late for you to get a degree...

[maturestudentsbristol]

I work for the University of Bristol as the Mature Student Recruitment Officer, and I wanted to put the word out there as widely as possible, it is NEVER too late to return to education.

About 5% of our undergraduate population are mature students, that's roughly 250 per year.

I am travelling around the country delivering talks on returning to higher education as a mature learner, and giving advice on how to start thinking about, whether you currently have the entry qualifications or not. You can book a place here for Newcastle, London, Manchester, or come talk to us at our Open Days.

So I'm here to answer questions, assuage anxiety and generally help out! We have lots of student parents who use our nursery or You can also contact me privately on [email protected].

I'm 37 and would like to do a history degree, I spent my last few high school years abroad and although passed a fair few of my exams I unfortunately lost the certificates in a fire. I am thinking about doing an Open University degree but like the idea of attending an actual university. I currently claim working family tax credits. Is it a possibility for me to attain a degree? Thanks

Hi MinnyMountain,

Firstly regarding your lost certificates, you can probably contact the exam boards to get your results certificates, but there may be a cost associated with this. Your school should have record of who the exams were with.

Secondly, depending on where you plan on studying (i.e. not the OU), you may need to have evidence of recent study - often in the last 5 or 3 years. Most mature students do an Access to Higher Education diploma either at a local college or online. These are equivalent to doing 2 years of A Levels in 1 year - so quite intense.

Being in full-time education can affect some benefits, but I believe you still get child tax credit - you can find out more here: www.gov.uk/student-finance/extra-help. That website also has lots of information on other allowances for working parents.

This is all a long way of saying that yes, it is possible, but it is up to you to be proactive about it! Look at local universities, online courses or the OU. If you are near Bristol or considering moving here (I highly recommend it as a place to live!) we offer a Foundation Year in Arts and Humanities which is full time but only has contact time on 2 days per week so you can continue working/caring responsibilities.

Feel free to email me if you want any more info! [email protected]

Anna x

I'm 40 and just finished my first year. Did access, yes, very intense. But I'd been out of education for 20 odd years and managed distinctions.

Go for it.

I'm 55 and doing a Masters.

I'm 37 and just about to finish year 5 of a 6 year part time degree. I also found out that my auntie's counsellor did an OU degree at 60 after being a SAHM and now has a cracking career. Never too late

My mother did a degree as a mature student at Bristol. She was in her late 60s and really enjoyed it.

I went back to uni as a mature student and the learning was so different to when I was young. No hangovers. Sitting at the front of the class. No work in late. Etc.

I got so much more out of it.

If you already have a degree - can you do another in a shortened time frame?

It's so great to hear that you all have such positive experiences of returning to study! University really is not just for 18 year olds, and with the rise in tuition fees even the younger students are tending to take it a lot more seriously than it has been presented in the past.

another20 - it depends what degree you are interested in. There is rarely funding for second degrees which may be problematic. Some courses such as Medicine or Veterinary Science have graduate entry routes which take a year off the total length of training - but this can still be 4 years.

If you have any more questions, please feel free to get in touch!

Best wishes,

Anna

I am 30 and I want to get MBA. I started to look for schools to apply to. I also attended MBA fair this year. I know that with MBA I have more chances to get a higher position. And of course a higher salary. So I agree with you, it's never too late to learn something new.

I'm not your target market, OP, as I'm a happy graduate, but I just wanted to agree with your post. I did my degree in my 30s and it was the best thing I ever did. I was an SP with primary-school-aged children at the time so it was a big decision, and keeping up with the course was hugely difficult at times. But it opened loads of doors to me, and gave me back the self-respect that I'd lost from a) being unsuccessful at school in the first place and b) spending several years in an abusive relationship. And it gave me lots of new interests as well as enabling me to build a career.

So I agree, it's never too late to study, and it's good to hear that you're doing roadshows on that theme!!

Hi, sometimes seeing posts like this seems like fate
Last night sitting with my daughter talking about the fact we are moving to a long way south Yeovil and that it's hard for me to find a job at a reasonable level as due to circumstances beyond my control I got very few qualifications and left home at 16, many jobs at the level I have worked at senior admin office manager now want degree or that level I said I would have loved to have done a degree but at 50 and no savings I saw no way it could happen. She said mum of course you can you could apply for a student loan and everything..... I honestly thought this wasn't possible

How do I start investigating my options and especially funding options as for me paying for the course is the issues as much as if I'd be allowed to apply

Thanks so so much for your post between you I have a little hope xxx

As it's a first degree you should be able to get a student loan. As an OU student I bowled around £2800 a year (6year part time degree). It is debt yes but the benefits far outweigh that in my eyes. If you wanted to do OU, the registration process guides you through your options. OU is never seen as full time study no matter how many hours you are doing though so bear that in mind.

*borrowed (don't know why I would bowl money!)

42, will be in third year undergraduate sociology this September. Have looked online about the pathways/qualifications required to teach in FE, but find information very confusing. Plus do I need a Maths GCSE pass

44 and I've just completed 3rd year. Am now anxiously waiting for my results now.

I know that with MBA I have more chances to get a higher position. And of course a higher salary.

Wouldn’t bet on it. In HR circles it’s known as a Masters in Bugger All.

i got my degree aged 44 and I would highly recommend it!

I must admit that it's more tiring than when I got my first degree!

I nearly spoke to your lot when I was trawling universities with dd2. Dd1 did her first degree at Bristol (Law).
I'm a frustrated student (BMus from King;s London and Cambridge PGCE plus a couple of other PG qualifications and a music diploma - LTCL). I'd love to do a full MA (have 3 half ones all out of time!!) but our local provider is ... not as good as where I went. V frustrating.

Funding is a big problem - no desire to create debt from a university I don't value. Should have done Law (or pysychology) but at 54 am far too old except to make myself happy.

You can get funding for a second degree if it's in a STEM subject (science maths engineering technology).

@Changebagsandgladrags Because those are the only useful degrees?

Not with you, Change!

I would really like to get a degree, I'm 32 work part time in a job I enjoy but is dead-end. I could do two full days of contact a week without it affecting my job at all. I did try ou about 5years ago but with my ds being younger and more demanding and working more hours I couldn't keep up.
The money side worries me as a single parent would need to be earning the same and still get housing benefit and tax credits.

I'm 38 and just finished year two of my degree but I'm failing 😢😢