Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Flip

Original poster

Daughter 18 - uni Sept 2019

16 replies

Monica53 · 28/01/2019 16:23

Hi there
Not sure if right place for this, however our Dd hoping to attend Uni from Sept this year, attending interviews at moment? However I'm just browsing and gaining Information about finances as to how she'll survive , likely get full maintenance loan and we've said she'll have to get a job of sorts as we aren't big earners! It's daunting in respect of finance as well as moving away! Anyone in similar circumstances or just through it all. Thank you in advance xx

OP posts:

Doesabear · 28/01/2019 20:05

Yes my DD is in a similar position. I think she'll get a partial maintenance loan, but nowhere near enough to live on. I'm not really in a position to help her out as DP and I have little left over after outgoings. ExH (her Dad) earns more than me and DP put together but is a miser (he went to the trouble of printing off loads of documents to 'prove' to her that if she works 15 hours a week, she can get by without any help from him). He went to uni on a full grant and didn't work during term-time or holidays. She knows she will have to find work, I just hope she doesn't take on so much that it compromises her studies, or stops her enjoying student life.

Original poster

Monica53 · 28/01/2019 20:39

Hi Doesabear
Thank you for replying- I've just watched Martin Lewis show about student fees/maintenance loans - if you haven't I'd check it on catchup or online- omg! How We.will survive is beyond me as they have.no.idea of money ! and she's applied for universities away from.home. It's a mine field and full maintenance loan is £8500? and student finance take into account whole household income? 🙄 . Head is done in.!

OP posts:

Catsmother1 · 28/01/2019 23:32

If you have a lowing income then often universities give you a bursary. Some also give extra money for good grades. Some of these incentives can add up to thousands a year. To be honest if you get the full maintenance loan you should be ok. Halls are usually 5-7k (with the 7k being catered, so you would get food included). My son gets the minimum maintenance loan - we pay for his accommodation. He’s only spent about £600 since September, and he’s self catered. He goes out occasionally, and his spends include £80 swim team, and £100 books.

Doesabear · 29/01/2019 15:04

I just caught the end of the Martin Lewis thing - unbelievable about the poor girl who had to drop out of uni because they included income from her mum's DP from before they even lived together! What an insane system. Good point about scholarships and bursaries. DD is actually sitting exams today in the hope of getting something.

yummumto3girls · 29/01/2019 23:37

I saw this too!! DD hopefully off in September and I have no idea how we will afford it!

Original poster

Monica53 · 02/02/2019 20:55

Hi
Thank you for replying- I've been doing research and yes it will be a struggle even with full maintenance loan, we've briefly discussed and said uni bursaries will have to be applied for as a priority and get a job asap when she starts uni. I personally am trying not to worry though it is daunting!

OP posts:

KTyoupigeon · 02/02/2019 21:01

Does your daughter have a job now? My DD did some waitressing and bar work to save for her first year in uni

dingit · 02/02/2019 21:09

My dd is 2nd year. We pay her rent and she lives off her minimum loan. She does just fine. She's signed up to unitemps and does odd shifts in the cafe. She has some money saved from her summer job.

anniehm · 02/02/2019 21:36

Dd is heading in September, different financial situation as we don't qualify for much of a loan but she'll be our second at university simultaneously and there's no money left in the pot really! She will get a bursary as she's sponsored thankfully and plans to get a job

Sophiesdog11 · 02/02/2019 22:23

Op - firstly you might wish this to be moved to the Higher Education page, as you will get lots more advice from there.

Secondly - why do you think your DD will struggle on the max loan? Where does she want to go, what accommodation is she looking at?

My DS got min loan, we topped it up for his accommodation, then gave him living expenses for the 8.5mths he was at uni. All told he had less than the max loan by about £600 in Yr 1, £1k in Yr 2 but was absolutely fine - he actually said we could give him less.

He did have a job for last few months of year 1, but it was long weekend hours and he didn’t carry it on in Yr 2. He did save what he earned in Yr 1 though, still not spent it.

You need to look at choice of accommodation for her preferred uni, as that will dictate whether she can manage. But yes to bursaries etc. DC of a local friend got them, plus also a grant off a local educational charity - So maybe look at options like that too.

Jobs are ok if they can fit them in, it depends what subject they are doing.

Original poster

Monica53 · 02/02/2019 22:23

Hi
Our Dd has a part time job at hotel waitressing, though not saving anything!...spending and socialising!, this worries us as I'm aware her value of.money is lacking and she knows I don't waste money as we don't have huge income! . I do sometimes wish dd had looked at doing higher apprenticeship and then uni or at least stayed local uni, can't choose for them though she will have to work her way through uni, it is possible as I've known students who really have had no other option and are doing well in their chosen career.

OP posts:

Original poster

Monica53 · 02/02/2019 22:40

Hi sophiesdog11
Ok - yep possibly needs moving to HE thread, unsure how?

Our Dd is looking at medicine foundation at either: Nottingham, UEA, Bristol or Warwick of which she has conditional offer for biomeds. We are just concerned as she is do unorganized And money burns a hole in her pocket!! .

We've looked at various accommodation at uni she has had interviews at - waiting to see if offered place.

Also do think on a positive note it will make her grow up! Just usual worries?

OP posts:

Sophiesdog11 · 03/02/2019 18:18

I think if you report the thread then MN officials will move it.

I don’t know about medicine foundation, but certainly I think medicine itself would preclude her from working, she will have placements and a very heavy studying load (presumably she would be on foundation course for year 1, then medicine after that?)

My DS is doing a pure science, so has labs throughout the week and a reasonably heavy lecture schedule, he needs weekends to write up lab reports and ensure that he has understood all lectures, hence he knew he couldn’t carry the weekend job into second year.

However, I do think a full loan should be sufficient - she does need to budget the money termly, once halls are paid for, but that in itself will be a life lesson in itself!

mumto2teenagers · 09/02/2019 20:56

Our dd is first year at Uni and to be honest it is tougher than we expected. We should have started putting money aside earlier.

She only qualified for the basic maintenance loan which is about £4k and her accommodation is approx. £7k. She is now looking for accommodation for next year. Where she is at Uni private accommodation is quite expensive so works out about the same price as student accommodation, she has applied to see whether she can get student accommodation for next year, because all bills, etc are included we think it will work out slightly cheaper and one payment will be easier to manage than rent and bills separate.

She had a job for 2 years before she went to uni but didn't manage to save much. She started uni in September and got a job in November, but only works 8-10 hours a week unless they need her to do extra. The money she gets covers some food and socialising. She manages to go on a night out and spend very little. Once a month we do an online shop for her so she only needs to top up during the month, we also pay for her train home when she wants to come back for the odd weekend.

She did apply for a current account with an overdraft but tries not to use it. Some of her friends had jobs at home for national companies and were able to transfer when they started uni, might be worth your dd looking for a job now where she can transfer in September.

bigbluebus · 10/02/2019 22:17

I would advise your DD to start saving some of her earnings as she probably needs to put down a deposit to reserve her accomodation way before whe gets the 1st installment of her student loan! DS accepted his offer on results day, got his offer of Uni accomodation 2 days later and had to accept with a depsit of £350 within 48 hrs (all in August). 1st student loan payment isn't made until after they have registered at Uni usually mid Sept.

anniehm · 10/02/2019 22:31

We already have one and the other goes in September. We only get the basic loans but as with most people I don't have £8k around to top up the measly amount they can borrow - thankfully one decided to live at home or don't know how we could manage even on a decent income. We have set up budgets for them and set aside a little bit each month from birth to cushion it, bit im still worried - the train alone is £90 each time with a railcard and coach takes all day.

Flip