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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Student finance

22 replies

stardust101 · 15/04/2022 08:57

To supplement my sons student loan we have paid him 300 per month. He'll be home from mid June to mid Sept (3 months). Just wondered if others in same situation stop paying over summer, when they return home? Thanks.

OP posts:
whereshalligo · 15/04/2022 09:00

Depends if you can afford it but seems a lot especially as I assume you will be feeding him !
I would stop personally don't want to make life too easy.
He could get a summer job if he needs money

GeneLovesJezebel · 15/04/2022 09:01

Does he not have a job ?
He could earn £300pm.

Original poster
stardust101 · 15/04/2022 09:21

He referees youth football and has planned to do some summer tournaments. I also want him to look for a summer job that earns a bit more. We can't really afford it and I'd like to save some up to go towards next academic year. If he doesn't find work I dont want him stuck in house without money to socialise either. I could give him a smaller amount each month if needed. I just wondered what others do in this situation x

OP posts:
GeneLovesJezebel · 15/04/2022 09:25

My DD worked the summer before she left for Uni and saved up. She got a job at Uni, works two shifts a week, and works summers to pay for the next year.

DentonsFringeArnottsWaistcoat · 15/04/2022 09:25

Hmmm good question. DDs both start Uni this year so not thought about that yet. I imagine what we’ll do is out it to one side as it’s budgeted for already and tell them they need to get a summer job. The money out to one side may or may not get used on them over the next academic year depending on what crops up.

VanCleefArpels · 15/04/2022 09:27

Definitely should work for no other reason than to fill up a CV for post graduate times. It’s such a long holiday - plenty of time for the footie and earning a bit of money. I’d stop the allowance

GeneLovesJezebel · 15/04/2022 09:27

For my DD we paid her accommodation, she then lived off the loan and her wages.
It’s an expensive time.

titchy · 15/04/2022 09:27

We paid ours for 10 months. July and Aug they had to either work or have saved.

Edmontosaurus · 15/04/2022 09:28

My student DC have always worked in the summer holidays. Because they live at home rent free and are not charged for food etc they usually earn and save enough to finance them through the following academic year. We live in a city though so there are many jobs available.

CiderWithLizzie · 15/04/2022 09:33

We are also paying Accomodation and dd is living off her loan. She has got savings too from when she worked at Amazon during her covid gap year.

Skyeheather · 15/04/2022 09:40

He should get a summer job surely? I used to work in retail and hospitality and both should be flexible about arranging shifts around his football if he tells his Manager the dates in advance.

mrziggycoco · 15/04/2022 09:50

@whereshalligo

Depends if you can afford it but seems a lot especially as I assume you will be feeding him ! I would stop personally don't want to make life too easy. He could get a summer job if he needs money
When I was at university I worked the entire time, student loan wasn't enough to cover rent and my dad was not well off.

I had a few jobs, and my degree was academic so when I graduated I was qualified for nothing but had solid years of work experience.

Meanwhile those whose parents paid their way (not vocational students of course going into professions or trades) the politics, philosophy graduates had no work experience and were laughed out of interviews. They were very confused and all working in cafes while I went into a local government job with my transferable work skills and politics degree.

My prospects were much better than those who did not have to work. They were now entering a world they were unprepared for.

bevelino · 15/04/2022 10:53

My dds work in the long summer break and I only supplement if they are genuinely short of money for something specific.

When applying for graduate roles (depending on the company), some students will be expected to succeed at an assessment centre as well as interviews, both of which a student can prepare for.

I interview huge numbers of graduates and none have been rejected or laughed out of the interview for not having work experience.

user1487194234 · 15/04/2022 10:55

For our DC the rent is 52 weeks a year so we just continue to pay them
They tend to do intern type jobs in the summer and go on holiday a lot

Comefromaway · 15/04/2022 10:56

I give them the choice.

I calculate our annual contribution (basically making the minimum loan up to maximum) then ask them if they prefer it paid over 10 months or 12.

Comefromaway · 15/04/2022 10:58

Dd worked but lost her job during covid, (she was a 2021 graduate) so we did help out more during the summer than originally planned.

Original poster
stardust101 · 15/04/2022 14:30

Thanks, We will have already paid the equivalent of the top up to full grant by end of June and so am temped to stop then as it will encourage him to work and gain skills over summer. I don't mind supplementing the odd thing over summer. Thanks for replies etc xx

OP posts:
Comefromaway · 15/04/2022 15:44

Yes, you will be feeding and housing him so anything more he needs to work for.

Another reason we helped Dd out more than that was that it suited us for her not to be working as she could be available to help care for mil with dementia.

sammyjoanne · 16/04/2022 03:54

When dd was at home first year , for December Easter and summer we didn’t give her the 300 per month as she was eating at home and money was coming out of our shopping bill. But about 60 quid a month covered the phone and she saw her friends a few times. This second year is similar but if she gets the summer internship it’s paid so she will be able to support herself with that.

Original poster
stardust101 · 16/04/2022 22:36

@sammyjoanne
Thanks, that's a good idea re a smaller amount over holidays.

OP posts:
11plusNewbie · 17/04/2022 23:05

@bevelino please can I ask when you recruit graduate how much weight do you give to the topic studied versus having a first versus the university reputation/ranking versus internship/work experience ?
Do you sometimes review blind CVS a where the university/degree have been blanked out as not to be identified and skew the process ?
Thank you

bevelino · 18/04/2022 08:57

[quote 11plusNewbie]@bevelino please can I ask when you recruit graduate how much weight do you give to the topic studied versus having a first versus the university reputation/ranking versus internship/work experience ?
Do you sometimes review blind CVS a where the university/degree have been blanked out as not to be identified and skew the process ?
Thank you[/quote]
@11plusNewbie any student can apply for our graduate scheme and many students apply for roles that are completely unrelated to what they have studied and that is especially true of non-vocational subjects like English literature, philosophy. Therefore, the actual subject studied is irrelevant.

We use blind recruitment to promote diversity and to overcome unconscious bias. Therefore all details of the candidate’s gender, ethnic background, age and educational attainment are removed. This has led to our graduates arriving from over 40 different universities from across the U.K. We teach and support our students from day one and in my experience most students are able to cope no matter where they have previously studied.

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