2 kids at uni at same time … help!!!

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Eldest is already at university in Leeds and got minimal loan so we top up accommodation and give him living expenses each month. He deferred for a year.

Dd is applying for September… I really don’t think we can afford to fund them both at same time and will be for 2 years. Anyone any idea how it works. I don’t know what to do, how do I tell dd she can’t go

This is the MSE ready reckoner. There is a very slight reduction per child in the parental contribution. The wording on the website usually means they will spread the loan allocated equally between the two children.

EDIT - IGNORE THAT TABLE ITS OUT OF DATE

I can't see anything on the gov website about different rules applying for students with student siblings starting after 2018. That paragraph seems to be for those who started many years ago. Maybe having two children at university reduces the amount you pay if on the threshold for minimum loan but very much doubt there is much impact even then.

At what age can you go to Uni where your parents income does not matter?

I think 25 you are counted as independent

Deleted as realised this was a zombie thread

For some reason I thought it was 21

Thanks. I find it so odd as in every other aspect of your life you are an independent adult at 18.

the fees on university education still make my blood boil

Since my grandchildren were born I have put money into their bank account for birthdays and Christmas and they are not allowed to touch it until they are 18. It is their university / driving lessons fund. It equates to about £300 a year but the other grandparents do the same as do some aunts and uncles. It has soon mounted up. They do also get small gifts.

Haven't read thread. But what I did (single mum) was tell both they each needed a year out beforehand, and to earn/save (as well as travel some of the time). In the end younger had 2 (Covid), which helped space things out.
I get what you mean about costs rising unexpectedly. Youngest is now about to go into final year, and costs (accommodation in Bristol) have risen monumentally, so student finance + my contribution are still at least £4K short of what he could possibly manage on. But a year off for the younger one would give you all more time to save.

Just come out the other side. I went full time as I was O.8 before (teaching). Cleared our savings (we didn't have much) and with just 2 of us at home we cut right back. Both girls worked but one couldn't work at uni so had a local job in the hols.

It's easy to say save when they're little but if you're at the start of your career and trying to buy a house, pay childcare etc. it's not that easy.

Like many, ours got minimum loans but we are at the bottom end of the salary scale where this happens. Thresholds haven't changed for a very long time.

My two work all summer to save up and have jobs while at uni.

When I went (13 years ago!) it was 25, or you had to prove you’d been ‘self supporting’ for 3 tax years, ie earning or claiming benefits totalling more than a certain amount each year (can’t remember the amount). I had 2 years between my UG degree and PGCE during which time I had a relatively well paid job and the 2 academic years spanned 3 tax years. Therefore I had enough evidence to be counted as self supporting despite being only 23 and got the maximum loan, bursary etc.

No idea if the situation is still the same now.