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

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

New thread started. Here's the previous one

Did you work out what you should put re yours and dh's joint savings, Piggy? I'm going to have a quick google, but will assume that it's half each otherwise it would count twice.

We've just done ds's part and there is a section which asks about their own income including savings...(anticipated for this year, not based on last year.)

I left that bit dangling as he doesn't have a job. I may not have ssen the savings bit!

I googled and found something mo Money Saving Expert. Most people had halved the amount.

If you’re already expecting to hit the limit where you get bugger all, is there a quicker way to fill the forms in, or do you still have to go through everything? Sounds like a pain in the bum

And how are people working out what to contribute towards maintenance? Seems to be no official advice out there. Do you top up to what the full maintenance loan would have been, or isn’t that enough? Don’t want my son living like a king on campus but don’t want him licking the floor of the student union because he can’t afford a beer

You don't need to fill in forms if your earnings are above the limit, luckily for those people.

You are supposed to top up : it might not be enough, depending on area, actual accommodation fees, lifestyle of student etc.

Someone said to top it up to the maximum loan available which is £8,700 outside London.

I should have said: 'suggested to top it up to...'

We top up DS1s loan to the maximum and this is enough for him at UEA. We will do the same for DS2 but it starts to get expensive then 😯

DD's maintenance loan won't even cover her accommodation.

No tapas, same here. Dds accommodation is 7500. Loan is 4k

On some sites it says the maintenance loan is based on taxable income. But when you fill the forms in it asks for gross income. So that's confusing. One calculator thing told me DS would only get £4100 based on my salary and that doesn't match anything I have seen.

£7500??? Where on earth????

I know. Bath. Be careful what you wish for, right?

Yep, DDs halls last year and house this year are around 6k so 2k more than the min loan. If DS gets into his firm it will be catered and I think 7.5k. DD definitely did not and does not spend that much on food!

That includes 30 a week food.

It's actually probably more like £50 a week for 30 weeks - a lot cheaper than buying in a cafe/restaurant!

Dds includes 30 a week food credit . Her 'red lines' are an en suite though so £££

Thanks to all that answered - that gives us a reasonable starting point.

Two weeks of IB exams commence today (anyone DC's doing IB?) and also written A level papers this week - this is it and will determine where they end up. Just wanted to wish all our DCs good luck and hope it goes well for them. DD has geography on Wednesday (A level).

DD is certainly in revision mode. Her plan, lessons and revision up until 9pm and then any prep (homework) after 9pm! Studied with friends yesterday, who later went to Costa for a break - she stayed behind to revise. Just hope she doesn't burn herself out.

Took approx seven weeks to hear from SFE, DD will receive approx £200 more than the online calculator. Catered shared bathrooms will be covered by this (they're approx £6700). Self catered would have been £900 less and not so central. Much to my surprise DD has said she's willing to share a room in the hope it saves £400 pa off that sum. Glad she thinking about budgeting though.

IB exams start on a bank holiday Monday? That's a bit poor :-(. Good luck to any DC doing those and yes, indeed, to the majority starting A Levels from next week (isn't it Art and Photography in the first week?).

DS only has two exams before the half-term break, then the remaining seven in rapid succession. He says he has the two most difficult papers first though, so he's pleased about that.

I'm still not 100% convinced that DS has got his revision technique totally sussed but time will tell.

My DS has five clashes on his exam timetable!

Piggy, yikes that's dreadful and presumably will make for some very pressured days, not least with keeping him away from technology/communicating with friends?

DS does IB, but does not have an exam today.
There's Business Studies today, and certain 'A' languages - neither of which DS does. An 'A' language is your native language, so English for DS.
DS's exams start on Wednesday, and finish on the 17th May.

IB exams finish on the 24th - the final week includes Sports Science, Chem, Physics and French which all of his friends do, but he does not. As a result he is going to sleep all dayon the 18th as everyone else will still be revising!

Can't wait for it to be over, and yet a few extra days/weeks/months of revision would be good!

My DS has five clashes on his exam timetable!

I hesitate to ask, but how on earth has he managed that?

(Sorry, I do know it's not exactly his fault).

I'm v concerned about this drop in income thing and not really sure whether we should just ignore it for this years and uses savings if necessary. So many things could change. I could - eventually! After 12 years of trying!!- secure a promotion. But I might not and it might not actually bring much more money in. DH could change his mind about jacking in his job. DH could get a (albeit low paid) job which changes our estimates.

All of this could lead to DS having to give back some money, although we are claiming a bit less than my salary alone says we could.

It's actually too stressful.

marching his school would only let him do Spanish and business. Ironically, had he been ablee to do Spanish and economics, there wouldn't be clashes. Every single Spanish exam clashes with every Spanish exam. Including an overnight clash where he needs to be supervised. (By us)