Don't know whether to go to uni - can't afford to survive on student loan?

[MummytoCSJH]

This will be a medium-long post, before you start reading

I am 19 with a 3yo DS. His father and I are not together but he goes there every other weekend as he lives about 70 miles away. I have just finished college and get my A Level results next week. The uni I want to go to has given me an place (as have others), but it is in Liverpool. This is the only university that does the course I want. I am near Leeds. I will have to commute every day because I currently rent a house and obviously my son cannot come into student accommodation with me. Due to my own health issues I need to be close to family, so renting in Liverpool isn't really an option. However student loans being classed as income, I will no longer get as much housing benefit and no income support. Even though I have sent a detailed break down of my loan, HB won't give me a 'hypothetical amount'. But I kind of need to know before I accept the loan - to know if I can afford to go. My travel is going to cost around £6,000 a year. My loan is £9,600 in total. The remainder does not cover rent in the worst scenario (no HB), bills, 15% of childcare and other essentials for both of us. Obviously I will still get Child Benefit and Tax credits for my son and the childcare grant does cover 85% of the cost of childcare I need. The university offer special support which is can apply for - ONCE I'm at the uni. If I did that and they deny me help then I am in debt for nothing. I have spoken to DWP, Student Finance and The university financial advisors and they're all clueless or telling me I definitely won't be worse off. But I've been applying and working this out for over a year and if my calculations are correct and the online HB calculator is right then I simply can't afford to go.
I really don't know what to do. The only job I've had was a family business one, I don't have much experience although I have volunteered. Because of my health issues jobs I have applied for say they can't insure me at the time being. I am on a waiting list for surgery for this issue.

My options are

• accept loan, go to uni, all goes well and I get some extra HB and therefore can just about scrape the barrel for 3 years
• accept loan, go to uni, can't afford everything and therefore have to quit leaving me in debt for a qualification I never got
• apply to a closer uni next year for a course I don't want, be miserable for 3 years (and the rest of my life) knowing it's not what I really want to do with my life, but be financially okay
• don't go to uni, keep trying to get a job with little experience and worsening health issues
• don't go to uni, stay on benefits, never do better

I don't want to be a mum who just sits on benefits because I am not like that. I went into parenthood with my eyes wide open, knowing it would be hard - but how can they expect people to do better when there is literally no way nor support to do so?!

Is anyone else a single parent on uni who gets a loan? How do you deal with this?

I think the commute would be hard work for anyone, even more so if you have poor health.

Is one of your reasons that you have a limited choice of uni because you don't have A level biology? Could you not spend this year picking up that A level and having your surgery and so next year you have more options. I just think starting a degree, with a long commute and having surgery and seeing your child might all end up being a bit much.

TripTrap - the part time 6 year option was OU. It is not something I want to do, since it's not a course I want nor can I get it fully funded. If Liverpool offered a part time option I would be completely willing to do that (because clearly I want it else I would have just taken the easy route and not bothered with college at all) but unfortunately they don't.
Yes I know about Special Support and how it is all worked out. I'm saying even with this I'm at a loss. Don't know why people have assumed I haven't already looked into these things as if I'm asking can I get any help at all, what are my options. I know my options. I just don't know what is best.
Travel is probably about the same cost as renting somewhere but I'm just not in the position to move away from where I am at the minute.
I wanted to do that (get A Level Biology) but I wouldn't get it funded because I'm 19 now and I can't afford to pay to do so.

You've said yourself that you do not want to do a foundation year that would get you on the course at a different uni. That is a (one year) longer route you are passing up. You say you wanted to get A Level Biology and go that way but can't afford it. Why not do a foundation year then?

Why are you being so rude op!
You said you could t find out how much housing benefit you were entitled to. I explained that if you deduct the special support element from the rest of the loan that would be your income do you could do an online calculation on entitled to and find out the EXACT amount of HB you would receive.

Your course is at John Moores, isn't it? It would be well worth calling them and asking them for advice. They are very good at pastoral care.

I think in your position I'd defer for a year (easily done), get your operation out of the way, then get yourself a flat i
n Liverpool. Liverpool University used to have accommodation for parents and children; it would be worth checking if LJMU have that.

Have you seen this about childcare grants?

"Even though I have sent a detailed break down of my loan, HB won't give me a 'hypothetical amount'. But I kind of need to know before I accept the loan - to know if I can afford to go."

That is what I was answering for you but clearly you know everything!

You could get an Advanced Learning Loan for A level Biology.

TripTrap, it's not the same course. It's a totally different course. Why would I do a foundation for a course that I never wanted to do when I have the qualifications to do the one I want? My 2 years of college would be redundant. Considering this is my whole future, I'm not going to go for any old thing.
Seven, sorry if I came across as rude - I have already done that. The problem is with that is shows I get no HB, but HB are telling me I'll definitely get something. If the calculator is correct I can't afford to go to uni, simple.
Yes it is Imperial. I have called them, they have told me what I'm entitled to apply for once I start but they can't confirm amounts which doesn't really help me because I need to know if I can afford to go at all before getting myself into debt. As of now I am definitely deferring, but I can only do that for a year. The problem there is that once my son is settled I'd hate to move him. It may be my only option (get operation, move to Liverpool) but I could do without throwing away the money and time I have put into my home here and unsettling my son. Plus if my surgery doesn't go to plan or the problem comes back, I'm a bit screwed so far away. LJMU definitely don't have family accommodation. I'm fine childcare cost wise.
LIZS, thanks I'll look into that. I'm just struggling to see what the point is in taking extra debt when I've studied hard for 2 years to get the qualifications I need for this specific course. This is the same reason I'm against a foundation year.
Thanks everyone for your help, Sorry if I came across as rude at all. I genuinely am not trying to be. It's turning out so hard and all I want is for my son to have what I never had when I was a kid, but seems like everything is against people like me as everything I try and do to better myself in some way leaves me worse off.

Is deferring for a year and taking on extra work/shifts to save money an option?

Probably also worth thinking about future career options and the requirements for jobs you may want to do. I can totally understand wanting to study a specific course and it sounds like a fascinating subject, but if it's something quite niche you could be backing yourself into a corner for the future. If it's forensic anthropology you want to work in are there other routes? E.g. more generalised science or anthropology degrees topped up with a specific Masters?

Thank op, sorry I got defensive was just trying to help. When you did the calculator did you put your income as if it was earned income rather than a student lian, also put your hours as 15 ( so it doesn't try and add etc) That way it should give you an accurate figure.

I don't understand how you can be too unwell to work but able to do a full time course which involves a ridiculous commute on a daily basis?

• Right now not until I've had my surgery, I can't work at all. I am deferring and hopefully if I have my surgery sooner rather than later that's what I'll try and do. Yes could do biology then anthropology later but I can't get into a biology course with the qualifications I have. That will also prolong it and I really don't want to be on benefits longer than I have to (same with foundation course, I can get onto the course so it would just be wasting time essentially. Obviously if it's my only option and it was feasible but I can't with my quals anyway).

• No it's okay I appreciate you trying to help I'm just so stressed it's like doing the same thing over and over hoping for a different answer lol. I'll try it again when I get chance with your suggestions.

• It's that I can't get a job due to employers refusing to insure me because of my medical issues rather than actually being too unwell.

(Have answered these in order so I hope it makes sense, mobile formatting is dreadful)

Why are you having to wait so long? Generally surgery should be within 18 weeks of referral.

Employers won't insure you against what? If you are fit to work there must be something you can do, even if with adjustments. Have you spoken to an agency to see what they might suggest?

I've been on the list since last October. Surgeon in question works 2 days a week for the NHS and Bupa the rest of the time so I think that's why. In case anything happens health wise because it is a fairly serious issue and they will have to pay a lot extra insurance because of the condition pre existing.
An agency as in a job agency? I was with one and got offered an amazing (wage/hours wise) job with the NHS until I told them about my health. Then the agency didn't want me on their books anymore :/ I've had several incidents like this.

What insurance? Employers don't pay insurance for you

Firstly, I admire your persistence.

In your shoes, I would be deferring for a year, taking Biology A level with a learner's loan, and making sure my health issues were sorted (then earning as much money as possible as a cushion).

My intention would then be to reevaluate which university would be my best option. In doing so, I would definitely not be ruling out moving, nor would I be attempting to stay in one place to risk unsettling a 3/4yo. Unless your son has very specific additional needs which make a change of routine difficult, I would be seeing him as entirely portable until exam years, and he is a way off that yet. I understand you are trying to do your best by him, but frankly that level of 'best' will jeopardize your own chances of success and make no difference at all to him in the long run.
Good luck with getting your health sorted, and with managing your deferred year to put you in a more flexible position to maximize your chance of success next year.

Add wtc not add etc , sorry autocorrect.

Surgery for what?
Are you eligible for disabled student grant? Pip?
I only ask as I went to uni at 19 with my son (he is now at uni himself) and yes it was hard but worth it. He slept on the floor in halls :/
I would defer and take him sorry. Depending on what's wrong with you will effect the answer I give :) I had very poor health- Crohn's disease etc and I managed.

You are putting up your own obstacles.

You can do A Level Biology and go to a closer uni.

You can do a foundation year at a closer uni.

You could defer for a year and move.

You could defer for a year and increase your costs and daily annoyance with a 2 hour commute cutting down on your time with your son.

You have options but you don't seem to want to take any. When you're a parent it's accepted that things may be different and you may have to do things a different way around than you would have wanted. That's just the way it is!

I agree with the above poster that a general degree would be better though. Specialising at Masters level is more normal and a more general degree will give you many more options than the very narrow path you are currently choosing

A brain tumour.
Thanks for your help and advice everyone

What they said... Although Chemistry is the one you'd need rather than Biology. And I assume you're aware of the swathes of redundancies of Forensics experts in the U.K.?

If you read the thread you'd see that my plan is actually to go to the US. And it depends which uni. I want to do anthropology specifically, not forensic sciences in general.

Are there no alternative Anthropology courses which could include Forensics as an optional module? Given your condition I think you might have difficulty travelling to US , including health insurance, especially with a dependent child.