Loan from Barclays

[ComeAlongPond]

I'm hopefully going to take out a Professional and Career Development loan to help fund my MSc in September. I went to Barclays today to ask about it and they told me they were the only bank who did them (which I'm looking into, may well be true but sounds odd to me, but I don't know much about this sort of thing) and - after I waited in line for 45 minutes, grr - told me I'd have to ring up and sort it out over the phone. But it's an 0845 number and will cost me an absolute fortune on my mobile, and being a student I don't have a landline.

So my questions are

1. Do I really have to phone them? Can't I just refuse and make them talk to me in-branch? My phone bill is going to go through the roof and I can't imagine being approved for a loan will be a short conversation - frankly I can't afford to pay for a long conversation on an 0845 number at the moment.

1. Are they really the only bank who do these loans?

TIA

Can't offer any advice on the loan, but have you tried www.saynoto0870.com to see if there is an alternative to the 0845 number?

Have you seen this? www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/FinancialHelpForAdultLearners/CareerDevelopmentLoans/index.htm

Thanks, I'll check out both of those links. I've read the direct.gov site before but it was a while ago, before I applied for the course, so I'll check back. Thank you.

IIRC, the Coop do them as do RBS. I used Barclays but it was an absolute pain in the arse to set up. If you smile and beg the woman in the branch will give you a different number which costs less when you call. You don't apply over the phone, they send you out a form to fill in, you send it back to them with lots of bank statements etc. The process may differ if you bank with them though.

Natwest do them, you can't apply in most branches (although a few do offer this service) however you can apply online through Natwest.com just click on the graduate link to see the details and apply

Ah okay, thanks for the tips!