Thinking of uni as a mature student

[Magicra84]

Hello, I'm thinking of going to university as a mature student to do something I've always wanted to do and to make my career prospects better.

I am really keen to hear from mature students. How you got on with the younger students? Did you get a student loan? Is it easy to obtain one even with a poor credit rating?

Looking forward to hearing from you all and of your experiences.

I am studying as a mature student but it's a postgrad, not an undergraduate degree.

I didn't find I got on with the younger students. They are really unfriendly and I think it doesn't help that I contribute a lot in seminars. They don't seem to like it. I was shocked by how immature so many of them are, even though they're in their 20s!

I funded mine through a combination of savings and a scholarship. My college has lots of them. Do your research before you apply and find out what's available. As far as I know your credit rating has no bearing on student loan applications.

I guess my experience wasn't useful to you OP.

@SuckingDieselFella thanks for your reply, sorry I didn't reply yesterday. Do you find that the younger ones being unfriendly dampens your enjoyment of the course? That's good to know about the loan

I was a bit upset by it at first. Some even refused to speak to me in discussion groups - even the lecturer commented on it.

But I'm going to end up with a better degree than most of them.

I'm doing an undergraduate degree as a mature student and I have struggled during covid but previous to this it's been fine.
My class are all much younger than me but we have got on fine and they have been really welcoming
I wouldn't let age put you off at all. Make sure your financial situation is sorted and you will be good to go!

I've just finished 4 years completing and undergraduate degree (I did a year on placement) and I was 53 when I started. We had approximately 50 students in our class and I found around half weren't bothered about talking to myself and my friend who is a similar age, but the other half were absolutely fine. I think you have to make and effort and engage them, but we found that when it came to group theory work some of the students actively came to us because they knew we would just crack on and get it done. It was the first time I had lived on my own and as I chose a studio flat I found that quite lonely, but overall I don't regret doing it and it was a great opportunity, one I never thought I would get.

Thank you for all your replies. I would be funding it through a student loan and part time job to top up my income. I'll have to get a move on as the course starts in September!

I am currently a mature student doing a part time MSc. There is a real mixture of students. Some of the younger ones are very friendly, others less so. But it really doesn't bother me. Perhaps because I am doing it one weekend a month.

Mature student doing a law degree.
Mine is 2 years due graduates so I have a group of 50 doing that who are all older (but mid 20s to my mid 40s)
We are friendly, sit together in lectures, I have coffees with a few and email them regularly.
The younger first years are friendly in a say hello way, chat after exams. They know from the whats app group we are all in that I will generally know all the course admin stuff.
I don't need more friendships than that as I don't live on campus and see (or did) my normal mates.
I didn't qualify for a loan so just paid.
Some courses are probably more filled with mature students than others.
Good luck!

Academic here, and I say go for it ! Some of my favourite students over the years have been mature students. It's a pity that our HE system has been neo-liberalised almost to suffocation, and it's now so much harder for people to return to education.

Sometimes a university education, like youth, really is wasted on the young.

Good luck!