Does anyone know if I’d get a tuition fees student loan for a 2nd degree?

[NuclearDH]

I already have a degree but it was in the early 90s prior to tuition fees. So I’ve never had a student loan/never had tuition fees paid.

Google isn’t helping.

You only get funding for your first degree, so if you already have a degree you can’t have funding for another - even if you haven’t previously accessed funding.

There is an exception for some healthcare courses - what is the second degree you’re thinking of?

www.gov.uk/student-finance/who-qualifies

Scroll down to "if you already have a degree": there are quite a lot of exceptions in the sciences.

You did have your tuition fees paid for your first degree; in those days the government paid for all your tuition, but direct to the universities.

Might be simpler to find a postgrad degree in the subject you're interested in, and get a postgrad loan.

It does not matter that your first degree was in a previous century.

And your reasons and (presumed) suitability will be the same as they would be for an undergrad degree, surely? You just have to make your recent paid or voluntary activities look relevant to the course.

(Perhaps not helpful if a specifically needful vocational first degree - but I can't think of many, off-hand.)

Thanks. I was planning on retiring in a few years and just wanted to do another degree for my own interest. So didn’t want to /can’t afford to take a post grad loan out. Never mind.

You could get a loan if you did a STEM degree part time. But the maximum age to get one is 60 which could affect you if you'll be retired?

U3A, WEA, local adult education centre, coursera might be worth a look?

Really fancied studying history and kind of wanted the structure of a full time degree but yes will look at U3A, etc. Thanks.

So didn’t want to /can’t afford to take a post grad loan out. Never mind.

What are you talking about? Government postgraduate loans are available to anyone up to 60 years old. It's not like a bank loan. You would only begin to repay if you reached the income threshold ...

There is surely nothing to stop you enquiring further?

(Sorry. Am probably older than you and unreasonably vexed by your giving up so instantaneously. I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't know how brilliant this possibility can be. Loads of people close to 'retirement age' do postgrad degrees - for work or purely for interest.)

@PursuingProxemicExactitude

So didn’t want to /can’t afford to take a post grad loan out. Never mind.

What are you talking about? Government postgraduate loans are available to anyone up to 60 years old. It's not like a bank loan. You would only begin to repay if you reached the income threshold ...

There is surely nothing to stop you enquiring further?

(Sorry. Am probably older than you and unreasonably vexed by your giving up so instantaneously. I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't know how brilliant this possibility can be. Loads of people close to 'retirement age' do postgrad degrees - for work or purely for interest.)

Maybe OP is 60 and planning on retiring at state retirement age, like most people

True.

(But I wouldn't want anyone not yet 60 to think that these loans are not meant for them.)

Yes, I’d be over 60 when I was looking at doing it. Shame.

www.ice.cam.ac.uk/courses

www.conted.ox.ac.uk/public-courses

These are short courses offered by Oxford and Cambridge which may help to scratch the intellectual itch? Far more affordable

Maybe OP is 60 and planning on retiring at state retirement age, like most people

State retirement age is now 66.

The Open University is great if you are good at organising yourself. It is also more affordable than most universities.

You only need to be under 60 on the first day of the academic year of the course. So assuming you’re not already 60 (it’s not clear) just sign up before. The first day of the academic year is usually September 1st. If you do it part time it should be manageable.

Op said she would be over 60 when doing it. One huge advantage springs to mind: repayments would be low and she might never get to repay it or get it written off after 30 years. Much better value than for an 18 year old!

@NuclearDH
I have both a loan for my undergrad and one, recently, for my masters so don't give up just yet!

For the undergraduate student loans, there is no age limit for the tuition fees loan (but there are different conditions for the maintenance loan). So if the course is one of the exceptions to the rules on second undergraduate degrees, age is not necessarily a problem.

Have a look at Futurelearn courses - I think there are some free ones.

www.futurelearn.com/