Becoming a mature student & finance worries

[ilovethecold]

Whilst I've been on maternity leave i have completed an access course to hopefully apply for University in November , I've been on the government website and looked at maintenance loans which based on my partners earning they will lend me just under 8k and because I have children an another 2k and another 5k bursary type thing ( I was hoping to borrow more )

I'm hoping to become a midwife but how do you go from a full time job to living of loans , I currently earn 42k and my partner earns the same, he's very supportive in my doing this but how do I quit my job 🥺

Can anyone share their experience?

I went back to uni at 38. Before that we were on a lowish income anyway. I worked in a supermarket and DH earned about 23k per year. I did continue to work whilst I studied, but I was only on a 16 hour week contract. We had 2 DC and we managed for the 3 years, in fact looking back, we were probably better off than we'd even been up to that point. 11 years on and I now earn more than DH. I guess working at the same time as studying isn't an option with midwifery?

Have you looked at the possibility of being able to pick up HCA shifts? Long time ago, but when my sister was studying, she and a lot of her course worked shifts for cash.

See if your university of choice offers bursaries for mature students? That could easily be another few thousand.

Otherwise I’m afraid it’s saving up in advance, budgeting and making very good use of student discounts (things like doing your shop at the co-op where you can get 20%) can make a big difference

You will get the NHS training grant which is 5k a year, and the dependent children element which I think is another 7k - that one is paid in three lumps in around late November, late April and late July, and then student loans come in around early October, and then for the start of the other two terms - so Jan/and just after whenever Easter lands. They try to alternate them so you're not completely out of money waiting for the next instalment of one or the other.

Nope you won't be swimming in cash and the bulk of mine goes into childcare costs in a normal year and travel - but you're also so bloody busy you've got bog all chance to spend it either!

Thanks for replying.

@Hettylala I don't think it's recommended because of placements etc and it's a intense course , would be worried about the amount I see my kids too but I think I will actually have too just seeing if there's a way round it

@CoffeeWithCheese is there anyway I can get more on the maintenance loan?

I can cut out the luxury's etc , I'm just about to buy a car outright we will need to give back a company car next august before I leave my job , I need about 14k a year just to be able to pay mortgage , bills etc childcare is fine as other half does his own schedule and have a big family that's near by.

Most students suppliment their income with working, even the student nurses. We have a couple where I work who pick up relief shifts and loads more when I worked for NHS Professionals.

If your DH earns £41k there is no way you are going to get £14k a year in support, even with the bursaries.

Is it worth your giving up a £42k a year job to become a midwife though?

Agree with Xenia here, the starting salary for a midwife is half of what you currently earn. It’s a high stress job including nights, weekends, bank holiday (including Xmas). Yes you will earn more than the basic salary because of your unsocial hours element of pay but not £42k!