So, how the hell do you afford uni for your kids?

[F0XCUB88]

Just been looking at prices for accommodation, £200 per week!

So looked at Money Saving Expert to see how much we need to contribute on top of loans. It says we need to save £358 per month.

We earn £50,000 between us, mortgage payment just went up by £££ and now can't actually get to the end of the month so how do we save £358?

Do we just say no she can't go? What do other people do?

I know it's a first world problem but she's really bright. Neither of us went to uni and finding it all a bit confusing. I just can't see that everyone else can afford it?

Some folk get round it by choosing a uni near home. I think thats a shame as they miss out on the experience of living away. A lot of students get jobs.

Does anyone stop to think : are universities operating ethically?

In what way are unemployed operating unethically? Decisions around fees and loans are driven by government policy.

They make young people get into severe debt.

This is a government decision. Don't blame universities!

Working while a student is certainly the norm amongst DS's friends who are all first year students. Examples are McDonalds, waitressing, sports shop, lifeguarding, bar staff, kitchen staff, Tesco, Costa. I would suggest you help her find a first job now so that she has it under her belt. DS started with a paper round which doesn't involve social interaction. He doesn't work in term time but does in the holidays.

Clearly I meant universities not unemployed 🤷🏼‍♀️

Don’t panic. You have loads of options.

Degree apprenticeships - yes, they are competitive but someone has to get them and at least there are plenty in her field.

Local uni?? - not always an option but maybe you have one.

Take a year out to work and save while living with you

She should look for a part time job now in a national chain. This will make it easier to try and transfer her job to wherever she ends up. Aldi and McDonalds are often quite tough to get into because they are thought to be good employers but definitely worth a shot. Restaurant chains have kitchen porter jobs where there is no customer interaction so that might be an option. Supermarkets and discount retailers like home bargains and B&M are a really good option. Get a friend or someone from college to help with interview prep and be prepared for it to take a while.

Accept that she may not have the same options as richer people. When she shortlists courses she wants to apply for then have a look at the accommodation costs in halls (uni owned and private) and private rentals for years 2/3. Also factor in transport costs if y2/3 accommodation is typically quite far from her teaching buildings. If they are unaffordable and there is no extra funding in the form of bursaries etc then she can’t go (unless she wants to take a year out to save - my dd is doing this as she wants a London uni). A pp mentioned Warwick as having cheap halls accommodation, Newcastle also has some rooms for under £100 and very reasonable walking distance private rents after that. In general, northern cities are cheaper (but not always - York is quite an expensive city) and big places have more options/less competition for accommodation so prices may be lower. Some places are surprisingly expensive (Keele!) so you do need to actually look them all up.

This is sort of ironic

They need to get a part time job at uni to cover the costs. Or work solidly in the holidays, I used to work Christmassy, Easter and summer holidays to save as much money as I could.

I haven't read all replies but what about the Armed Forces?
My friends daughter has joined as didn't want to get into tons of debt with university fees but wanted to continue learning. She joined the Army with good A levels and has ADHD and Dyslexia.
She could have gone down the Officers route but wanted to start at the bottom due to her confidence levels. She is already gaining qualifications and has picked a specialty that can be transferred into a job outside the Army if she decides to leave after a few years.

My friend works as an administration officer for a Uni, and she has told me that she was very disappointed in some of their practices. That is all about making money for the Uni. That making money is all they care about , and they are not really checked on their money making practices. That some of these practices are pretty unethical

If your friend's university didn't make money then she would have a job. Administration staff are the first to go when redundancies are announced.

What specifically does she think is unethical? It's a highly regulated sector and pretty much everything is audited and subject to regulation.

But yes, it's all about income generation because without money they can't operate. Government funding has been slashed significantly so universities have to figure out ways to make money unfortunately.

I:m speaking as someone who regularly recruits graduates into professional roles. I definitely prefer to see experience in things like customer service roles etc.

I didn't know anyone who worked during uni and I would worry that it would take up too much of my child's time that she could use for studying, societies and socialising

Universities expect students to work and even have job shops to help them find a job!!

The vast majority of students work , it's completely normal.

Tech firms do summer internship schemes, which often pay quite well and may suit your daughter for summer after first and second year. Which will help with costs when in private accommodation.

You are absolutely right. UNIs ARE A MONEY MAKING RACKET. The fees they charge are exhorbitant too. Most graduates are then indebted and earn less than if they had just got a decent apprenticeship from school.
My daughter's school "pushed" everyone to uni without explaining the other options available.
Some occupations need uni, some kids benefit from the social development side of uni, but many kids (and their families) would be far better off not going.

You are absolutely right. UNIs ARE A MONEY MAKING RACKET. The fees they charge are exhorbitant too.

Yeah you're right. We have so much cash I print my resources on £50 notes...... oh wait no, we can't even afford printing anymore and half my staff have just been made redundant.

If you have a issue with fees then take it up with the government as it's all on them.

Most graduates are then indebted and earn less than if they had just got a decent apprenticeship from school.

Also a myth .....

Hi OP, you mention your family income but not working hours; are both you and DH working full time? If not, could you increase your hours or take a second job?

One of mine had term time only halls, they used the halls for courses they ran in the holidays I think. Bit of a pain as it meant we had to drive up and remove everything and then return it each term but it saved a lot of money.

Don't know if all universities offer that but might be worth looking at.

I haven't read all replies but what about the Armed Forces?

Yes I thought this too and what my son wants to do (he wants to do something around engineering or computer science).

I could work another job. Current one is 302 hours.

Uni's even employ them. One of mine worked doing weekly tours of the uni for prospective students, one did summer schemes where they worked on scheme for children from under represented groups at uni through the summer holiday and also worked taking notes for a student with certain problems (think they might have had hearing problems so found the note taking hard.)

From what I remember the uni tended to pay well.

I’m 23, me and my sibling are very close in age so had 2 years where we were both at uni at the same time. My parents gave us both an amount for the year to help a little bit but everything else, Inc for accommodation / food / social etc. we had to use student loan and work 🤷‍♀️ didn’t impact my grades, left a Russel group with a 1st.

Our DD is just coming to the end of Yr 1.
Due to her SEN and other issues she picked a private university as it was small and quiet. This costs more. About £4000 top up for tuition fees. Her accommodation is just about covered by her maintaince loan.
As we paid for boarding school it appeared cheap by comparison. Her halls are £155 per week and we pay for food at around £30 per week. She has a car but doesn't take it to uni. She is low maintaince like your daughter.
My DD doesn't smoke or drink but due to her SEMH hasn't been offered any job she has applied for. She also found she is one of very few people in halls in her cohort. She comes home most weekends. She has made friends and is enjoying her course. She makes pocket money by buying second hand clothes and tech, cleaning/reprogramming it and selling it on. She had worked locally for our hospice and learnt a lot by working in the local shop. Waitressing would not suit her but there are no vacancies around us anyway.
She initially applied for DSA but didn't have the right paperwork. I have asked her to apply again as we will not be able to give her so much financial help going forward due to a dramatic change in our family income (I am retiring due to ill health). ASD and they may pay for the computer and printer for your daughter.
Now the good bits.
University has been life changing for our DD. She is super bright and reading a medical based subject. She has had top marks bar one which didn't offer adjustment for disability. However I see a new maturity which is wonderful. You will manage OP. Your DD won't be eating at home so that's a £20/30 saving. Plus your hot water and toiletries!
Companies are more aware of ASD. Seek out job opportunities at Marks and Spencer, Waitrose etc. Many of their staff wear sunflower lanyards. They currently have huge pride banners in store. They are trying to be more inclusive. Depending on the location your daughter could get a job at a charity HQ in the admin section.
I went to Oxford and worked at Oxam but as a volunteer. I don't remember jobs being banned but times change. In the holidays I worked in the London department stores. I actually made a lot of money as a student. More than my typist school cohort. I believe my daughter's uni has an excellent computer science degree.

@Mooshamoo Universities should operate within the parameters and current legislation set by HE policies. Blair’s policies were a massive issue. As much as it seems good that it expanded HE, many people have not had better lives because they have a degree. It’s far more complex overall. Standing ion that admissions stall and giving talks towards the end of my admissions career I felt as if I was lying to prospective students. My discipline that my DH teaches has a definite well paid career path, my discipline didn’t.

Uni's even employ them. One of mine worked doing weekly tours of the uni for prospective students, one did summer schemes where they worked on scheme for children from under represented groups at uni through the summer holiday and also worked taking notes for a student with certain problems (think they might have had hearing problems so found the note taking hard.)

There are loads of jobs. I use students to work on events and open days as well as admin support. Some work in catering, in IT, the library etc....

From what I remember the uni tended to pay well.

They do!

Simply put they can live on full maintenance loan so need topping up to that by whatever means.
If they get minimum loan they need a top up of 5-6k.

If you can cover £1k of that, she will need another £4k or so. Some people's GP help plus savings but most via earnings.

Holidays are long, DS has just started 3m off so he can earn enough in the holidays that means he doesn't need to work in term time but many do both.

Kids on the full maintenance loan are in a better position at this point (but obviously have a larger debt to repay).

Finally, encourage her to think carefully about where to study. Avoid Bath, Durham, St Andrews, London.
Oxbridge is surprisingly cheap if she is v academic because accomodation is subsidised throughout the degree and definitely worth looking at.