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Original poster

scottish student finance q

23 replies

RaspberryCoulis · 08/06/2021 20:57

S6 DS has a place at uni confirmed for next year. He will be living at home. Over dinner he announces -all pleased with himself - that he's organised his fees with the SAAS. Submitted the application.

We had told him that we would discuss as a family the financing of Uni. We are of the opinion that we are happy to cover living costs, food, basic living expenses. Bur just as his dad and I did, he's going to need to sort out money for going out on the piss or other social stuff by himself. This hadn't crossed his mind. Hmm Bank of mum and dad will provide....

So if we decide that the best option is for him to apply for a maintenance loan, can he go back and apply for that separately??

OP posts:
ssd · 08/06/2021 21:05

Yes, applying to get his fees paid is separate from applying for a loan

ssd · 08/06/2021 21:06

See if he can get a couple of shifts in tesco etc, might not need the loan in first year

ssd · 08/06/2021 21:06

Well done him getting his fees application in though

Original poster
RaspberryCoulis · 08/06/2021 21:09

We have been suggesting jobs, ssd but he's your typical lazy teen.

OP posts:
Indiana2021 · 08/06/2021 22:15

He's done the right thing by submitting his fee application now as the recommendation is on or before 30th June to ensure course fees are in place on time.

In addition to the SAAS website this is also useful www.studentinformation.gov.scot for calculating additional costs, finding out about wider funding/loans etc

ssd · 08/06/2021 23:16

Mmm, dont know if teens are typically lazy. Does he think he doesnt need the money?

user1487194234 · 09/06/2021 06:34

Ours are away from home we pay them both £1100 a month to recver rent and living expenses.But yes they get their fees paid,that's not a loan as it is 'free' as we are in Scotland.

If they wanted to apply for additional funding there is nothing we could or would do to stop them.

We don't want them working in term time,*or last summer due to Covid) they will work this summer

ElephantOfRisk · 09/06/2021 12:25

Wow that's generous @user1487194234.

I thought we were fairly generous with ours but not to that level.

Fees are paid and we've been paying rent plus £250 a month to DS2 living away and £250 for travel expenses for DS1 living at home. Both have taken the maintenance loan every year so far but the intention was to save that and then at the end they could decide to pay it back or use it for another purpose e.g travel or house deposit or whatever.
I'm pretty sure DS2 hasn't been doing this. I've asked him to keep a track of his expenses with a view to giving him a bit more since DS1 hasn't really spent much as he hasn't been travelling so effectively has £250 plus his loan to pocket every month and we house and feed him. He hasn't done this so I have no clue.

He's about to move into a new flat with his girlfriend, rent is £450 a month so I'm thinking that if i give him £300 to cover his half of the rent plus bills and then his £250 on top that should be fine. Then thinking of saving a bit for him so he has something at the end.

I think you can apply for the maintenance loan even after you've started and up until about the March after the beginning of the academic year. Then they close applications and start again for the coming year.

user1487194234 · 09/06/2021 12:29

I was a very poor student and didn’t want that for them !
Their hall fees were on the high side in first year
A bit cheaper in second year flats

ElephantOfRisk · 09/06/2021 12:44

I was never a student. I've worked full time since I was 17 and part time before that.

I suppose I just want them to be in the middle, not struggling but not splash cash either. They also get their mobile phones paid for and we pay for a car that they technically share and at the moment DS2 has this while he is away as DS1 wasn't really using it and he's now on my insurance so can use that if he wants. I used to give DS2 money for his train fare to come home but now just fill up the car when he's home. I also buy him the occasional grocery delivery and pop a bit extra in his account if we go out for a meal or get a takeway since DS1 is getting those for free. I'll also treat both to clothes etc.

If he was struggling he has an easy route to extra money by just asking me/telling me what he is actually spending.

Original poster
RaspberryCoulis · 09/06/2021 12:48

I'm not expecting him to work full time. Or perhaps not even during term time. But it's really more about realising that at 18, he really should be thinking about picking up some work over the summer so get some cash rather than expecting mum and dad to pick up the tab, as per.

OP posts:
ElephantOfRisk · 09/06/2021 12:52

That was my view Raspberry, however whilst I think it would help him, DS1 has crippling social anxiety and I can't make him apply. He is going to end up with a brilliant degree but be unemployable. DS2 has attempted to get a job but with covid was struggling to find anything, his GF now has a part time one but relies on DS2 to get her there and back as it's about 10 minute drive but over an hour on the bus.

user1487194234 · 09/06/2021 13:08

That sounds like a lot of support Elephant of Risk
Mine will both work this summer,but in things relevant to their course rather than just for cash

ssd · 09/06/2021 13:10

It really just depends on what you can afford to give them. It must be hard if you have lots of disposable income to limit giving them loads, it must just feel normal to you when to others its a fortune.

Einszwei · 09/06/2021 13:12

How will you know what is spent on food and what is spent on booze? Surely just give him an allowance for food and rent. If he wants to eat beans all week do he can get pissed then so be it. If he finds he needs any extra money he can earn through a part time job.

latissimusdorsi · 09/06/2021 13:34

I'm in same situation with one of mine @RaspberryCoulis but will be living away in halls. Loan will pay rent, we will give an allowance for food/travel/essential clothes. She's just about to start job in hospitality for the summer as we said she needs to earn her own money for socialising etc

Original poster
RaspberryCoulis · 09/06/2021 14:12

@Einszwei

How will you know what is spent on food and what is spent on booze? Surely just give him an allowance for food and rent. If he wants to eat beans all week do he can get pissed then so be it. If he finds he needs any extra money he can earn through a part time job.
He'll be living at home. So we won't be giving him money for rent, and his food will be provided at home.
OP posts:
ElephantOfRisk · 09/06/2021 14:21

@RaspberryCoulis for my one living at home he gets bed and board and money for the train but should be funding socialising himself, in practice he doesn't socialise and currently isn't travelling so rarely spends anything. He takes the loan but is putting it into one of those homebuyer type ISAs so when he graduates he has the money there and could in theory just pay it all back and be debt free or use it for other purposes. Just thought it was easier to have it in case required rather than not. None of us know what the future holds and we may not be able to provide the same level of support until they complete.

titchy · 09/06/2021 14:28

If he's living at home his basic loan will pay for any spending money. So he doesn't actually need a job at all!

user1487194234 · 09/06/2021 15:05

Like most things about Uni,finances when living at home against living away bear no comparison

Original poster
RaspberryCoulis · 09/06/2021 17:21

If he's living at home his basic loan will pay for any spending money. So he doesn't actually need a job at all!

But that's the whole point, @titchy. He's not applied for a loan. Just for his fees.

But anyway, I have potentially been unfair to the lad as he is speaking to someone tomorrow about working in a Covid test centre on a temporary, casual basis which would be perfect for over the summer.

OP posts:
ssd · 09/06/2021 19:07

Good on him, hope he's successful. Its a difficult time for them just now and jobs are hard to come by. But at least he's out trying.

guessmyusername · 11/06/2021 20:57

Dd lived at home while attending uni. She worked during summer holidays and a few hours during term time. I covered her bus pass and she got food WiFi etc all the perks of living at home. She didn't need any student loan and fees were paid (Scotland)

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