Mature students 2021 entry

[BillStickersIsInnocent]

I’m applying for a BSc starting next Sept, just wondering if any other mature students around in the same position who might value a support thread on this?

It got a lot tougher on Monday tbf! Last semester the online stuff was brilliant. I'm a bit stressed atm because got an essay and a maths assessment to have in by 20th January, ds to homeschool plus life but am just plodding on and if I get to next week and think I'm not going to hit it will ask for an extension which they will give cos covid.

But bizarrely as a single parent I think I'd find it easier as would work at night when dcs in bed if necessary, dh is a lovely distraction to studying.

I think contact time (so time in uni) is usually around 12-15 hours for a full time course, then independent study of twice that so a full on experience but I've found it fits into family life fine, we have quite a lot of other stuff going on as well.

Definitely look into what your finances would be, Ive done ou before and although it's good there is a lot more support from an actual university.

That’s good they’re being flexible re deadlines because of Covid.

Re finances, how did you go about that? I can get a full student loan for fees and living costs, plus an NHS grant. Was there other support available for your course?

Is anyone working around their studies? I currently work full time and was hoping might be able to still work 2/3 days once I start foundation year in Sept. it's really hard to understand the actual time required in uni before you start.

Have just taken the first step and applied for a foundation programme at my local university. I have put it off for ages because the degree I wanted to do isn't vocational, so I was scared about getting a job at the end, and my Ex-H always said no, but I need to be brave and take the chance. I will still need to work a couple of days a week but I know where I work now I can do bank work so I am not too worried.

Have to attend an information event and so waiting to see when that might be. Hope its soon as I am impatient.

@BillStickersIsInnocent

That’s good they’re being flexible re deadlines because of Covid.

Re finances, how did you go about that? I can get a full student loan for fees and living costs, plus an NHS grant. Was there other support available for your course?

I get an extra £2450 as bursaries, £1200 pa for studying as a mature student then 1250 for 3 years as an extra bursary, mainly based on where I live, first gen to study at uni etc. I applied for the second via information from uni and the first is automatically awarded.

@TravellingSpoon that’s really exciting! Best of luck.

Thanks @Frouby that’s really useful to know.

@frouby I'd be interested to know about the second grant for mature student does it have a specific name?

It does but its specific to my uni so a little outing, but am told most unis do similar things. It's a bursary for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and funding by local companies and previous alumni. If you search your unis funding pages you will find it, or whichever uni you are interested in applying to. Hope that helps, if it's a northern uni drop me a pm.

Had a confirmation that they have recieved my application and have been told that the course leader will be looking at my application next week. Keeping my fingers crossed that I am accepted.

Got an Unconditional offer this morning so I am very excited.

Now to work out if I can actually do it financially and logistically. I was so wrapped up in applying I never stopped to think if I could do it.

@TravellingSpoon

Got an Unconditional offer this morning so I am very excited.

Now to work out if I can actually do it financially and logistically. I was so wrapped up in applying I never stopped to think if I could do it.

That's what stopped me last year in the end.

This year my life has completely changed so I have no excuse.

Well done on your unconditional!

My mature student experience was many years ago (in the 1980s) but I was given one useful piece of advice by a tutor on an intro course I did for mature students. I was applying for a highly contested course at a RG university. There were 300+ applicants and 10 places!

My tutor advised me to find out the name of the interviewers and to send some examples of my writing to them up front of the interview. It did not matter that the examples were a slightly different subject. For example I was applying for a psychology course and one piece of writing was sociological. They want to know that you can write, research and put together a decent report.

Do plenty of research about the course and possibly about academics in the department you may want to work with. When I was asked why I had chosen this course at this university I was able to give a good account that I was interested in working with Prof X and had read a great many of his works. Although the interviewer was not Prof X it showed that I had a special interest in the course and the department. Academics have different specialisms and just because you may have different leanings to the one who is interviewing you thats not a disadvantage. It shows an interest in their colleagues and the teaching community in the department.

You will be surprised at the number of applicants who have not done this groundwork and have nothing interesting to say.

And as for the course with 10 places and 300 applicants - they asked me to step out of the room for 5 minutes then called me back and made me an offer there and then. I went on to do my masters and doctorate in the department.

Good luck!

Congrats @TravellingSpoon!

I’ve applied for an Adult Nursing BSC starting this April. Put the application in last Friday and the University got it Monday so I’m in the waiting game. I only applied for one course and stupidly named the university in my personal statement so if they knock me back I can’t just send it to others slightly further away. If anyone has gone down the nursing route with fairly young kids (mine are just 4 and 6) I’d love to hear your experiences. Congrats to all of you who are already sorted . Exciting times!

Good luck @Mont1e!
April start - fantastic.

@BillStickersIsInnocent could I be very nosy and ask where you are going to be doing your Occupational Therapy degree? My daughter, also a mature student has recently applied to do Occupational Therapy at our local uni. She has been living in another city for many years. A complete career change which she desperately wants to do. She knows her application is late but they say they are still accepting applications so fingers crossed. I think Covid will have focused many people’s minds on what really matters in life and for her, it is time to change.

Congratulations on getting your place!

Argh - my interview is not until next week but someone just sent me the three year timetable and no holidays in the 6 week holidays for all three years. My kids are 4 and 6 and I don’t know if I could do this to them or what we would do during the whole summer hols let alone how we’d pay for it. Considering trying to defer to a Sept start if offered a place but my local hospital trust only takes placement from the April intake. Any thoughts welcome as hubby is being useless while trying to be supportive. Has anyone managed this? Feels wildly mature student unfriendly. All it says on the website is that you get 7 weeks of holiday and they try to align some with school holidays (Christmas and a week at Easter - the rest are at random points in the year when my husband will be at work and kids will be at school). Just sat with tears rolling down my face as can’t see how it can work but still want to do it more than ever.

I applied as a mature student back in the 1980s having put a career on hold because lack of a degree was holding me back. Before I applied I was on a social sciences course for mature students which gave me some excellent advice.

When interviewing younger students there are grades and projected grades to go on. However with someone who has been out of education for some years it is harder for interviewers to make an assessment on their capability. The ability to write well is half the battle at university. So if you have a couple of good well planned pieces of writing send them ahead of the interview. The subject does not really matter.

Also prepare a strong argument as to why you have chosen that particular course at that university.

I did this and I got offers for every choice on my UCAS form. My first choice (Manchester) made me an offer at the actual interview because I had really done my homework.

I later became an academic myself and when interviewing mature students I was looking for the same qualities. Someone who could write, was committed, well organised and had done their research

Hi, hope you don't mind me joining the thread. I have just started on my UCAS application to study for BA in Early Childhood Studies at my local uni. I realise that I have missed the January UCAS deadline, but having contacted the course lead, they tell me that it is still open for applications.

This is a complete career change for me, I've spent 20 years working in small charities in admin and later communications roles. During the pandemic I've taken on voluntary work working with parents and young children and would really like to pursue paid work in this area. Plus I am interested in how lockdown is impacting young children and their development, and what the implications might be longer term.

My children are 12 and 14, so I think I'm finally in a position to spend some time on my own studies.