Applying for Uni 2019 Part 5: UCAS, offers and exam season looming

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

New thread started. Here's the previous one

juicy0 student bank account requires a confirmation of a place at Uni so needs to be after results day unless you have an unconditional offer. You/child will need to go into a branch to do the admin which is a pain, and may need to make an appointment to do this.

juicy0
VanCleefArpels is correct. For your DD student account she will need proof of her place on her course and her student id number. Some like to know your DD finance details as they want their loans paid into the account.
Martin Lewis usually does a list of best student accounts. You do need to go into the branch and they only open them in a short 6 week period in late July time.

One thing to check is that the student account automatically converts to a graduate account on completion of her studies. Because that allows them to manage their debts better and usually reduces any interest/account charges compared to an usual personal account.

Basically they fall into ones with
Good cheap overdraft facilities or ones which offer slightly less overdraft but give free rail cards or amazon discounts.

Thank you for the advice regarding bank accounts. DD does have an unconditional offer so we should have the information we need to get one set up in July.

This is going to sound a bit thick. When you say 'go into the branch' do you mean in the uni town, or can it be in the home town? DS already has two Nationwide accounts, so I was assuming he could just upgrade the current account.

We haven't decided yet. Bath on Saturday, although I think the chances of dd making the offer are slim as she's still hobbling around thinking about when she can ride again and not concentrating. Hopefully Bath will focus her. So if not Bath then Swansea which she's quite keen on so it won't be too much of a disappointment for her anyway

Bangor university to shut chemistry department. Physics and maths gone already

www.northwaleschronicle.co.uk/news/17564701.shock-announcement-as-bangor-university-announces-decision-to-axe-chemistry-degrees/

Exeter is also axing chemistry. Too expensive apparently.

Bangor university has debts to service having built two halls of residence. The city used to be busy now it is struggling with businesses going under.

piggy any branch will do!

He can go into his home branch Piggy.

My son has a Nationwide account too, but will probably open a student one elsewhere nearer the time.

He seems to be working well this week, not 6 hours worth, but that's just not him, lol. He's aiming for 3 things a day, and his older sister has made him and dd3 (GCSEs this year) sticker charts which are being filled in

I was under the impression most on here had already opened student accounts? but just saw upthread a poster shared that banks usually do this end of July in a short 6 week period , can anyone clarify please? if it's not until July it's meant to be happen, that will be a relief.

I think one can tell which unis may be struggling a little by the emails and mailshots still being received courting applications. DS gets regular emails from Derby and today got post from Bangor.

I think there must be some 'always the bridesmaid' unis which are common for insurance offers, but not so often firms. From this thread, and others, Bangor seems often to fall into that category.

Shimy ds and I had a look when he did his finance and they seemed to say you could do it when you had a firm acceptance, i.e.after results day. One said within two months either side of the course starting. So no, there's no rush I don't think. My older girls certainly did theirs at the end of the summer.

Piggy I feel sorry for the underdog universities too.

Atia Thank you, That's great, one less thing to worry about and at least we will know DS is going to uni for sure by the time he does open one

I think its the application for student finance that i'm conflating with opening an account.

DD has made uni choices, applied for finance and accommodation herself, although, she did ask me whether to put the £5,000 odd or £9,000 as her fourth choice - you can guess what I said!!

She really wants her firm, so is far more focussed on revision this time around than she was for her GCSEs (although open to distractions!). Her exams are fairly well spread out 8 May - 16 June, the worst week is after half term when she has three.

I have another question about bank account. They will need bank details to apply for student finance won't they? application for SF has a deadline of 24th of May, so how does this work?

Shimy I think what dd did was put down the bank details for the current account she already had. She then opened a student bank account and transfers money into that when her loan comes through each term. Or I guess if you convert your under 18 account to a student account later, ie stay with the same bank, the account number may not change anyway?

With my two we opened bank accounts at their chosen bank so that there were account details to quote on the finance application . DS1 then made an appointment at the branch to convert it to a student account once he had his results in August. Fingers crossed we will be doing the same with DS2 this year. However, for the life of me I cannot remember whether or not the bank account number changed

piggy
Ds with nationwide too. We just went into local branch and they advised us about dates we could open the account.
I think he opened a new student account and just left his current account as it was.

Last year nationwide account was free £1000 overdraft in year 1, upto 2000 in year 2 and upto 3000 by year 3. It then automatically swaps to graduate account. But they need to reduce the overdraft to £1800 in 1st 12 months.
In the couple weeks before leaving for uni he got a big box from nationwide for going to uni. Including teabags biscuits, doorstop all to help make friends in 1st days.
Plus vouchers and playing cards.

By the way nationwide is about 10 mins away from Lincoln campus on high street.

Shimy
Yes give student finance any current ac your DC has. Then tell them once their student ac opens.
We also found that Lincoln needed an account for accomdation fees. We give ours as we topped up his fees, but as soon as he opened his student ac they just transferred payments to his account.

We knew nothing. But to be fair to student finance, nationwide and Lincoln they really know their stuff and are happy to answer any questions via email/phone

Thanks 2Boys : all most helpful.

Decorhate, Sluj, 2boys - Thanks very much for taking time explaining. There's so much to get ones head around.

Actually to be fair I believe Lincoln needed a desposit of £250 for his accomadation to be kept. It was before his finance arrived, so we paid via card.
He just rang them to change details to student ac. Plus £250 came off his first bill.