Im 27 and got mine for free? With my college, it's dependent on how much you earn. I even got £600 from the college for 85%+ attendance.

Thats in Manchester btw.

P.S. I wasn't on benefits either.

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Hi

I do know from a friend in a similar position her uni had accommodation specifically for mature students you could ask if they this, also you can ask the accommodation office at the uni to put you in with other mature students as they should have accommodation like this they can recommend to you.

Hi everyone.

I just registered my interest in Gateshead College's full-time HEFC to start in September.

I wasn't even aware of Access courses until I hit a wall last year when applying to Uni - it had been just over 5 years since I received my HND and so I was told this would be required if I wanted to go back to study...

I was hoping to hear from any of you who've already done the course or are starting in September...

I've gathered from reading around that the course can get quite intensive as it's essentially like doing A-Levels in the space of one year, but do you know what the general weekly hours are you spend at college? I ask because I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to manage for a year financially - I know student loans etc. aren't applicable for this, so I'll need to work part-time while studying... How did you/will you manage?!

On a less serious note, what do you guys find the general ages are on this course? I'm going to be 27 when I start and as silly as it sounds, it's a little daunting to think I'll be the oldest on the course!!!

Any advice appreciated.

Andrew.

POSTED IN ANOTHER THREAD, THEN FOUND THIS ONE, SORRY FOR THE RE-POST

Hello.

I have a few questions, that if anyone can answer I would be very Grateful!

Abit of a read, but i need to get it clear.

So I have lived on my own since I was 16 (now 23) and with my partner for the last 5 years.

When applying for student loans/grants will this mean anything?

I am willing to work part time for money, but I need to know if im going to be able to get enough loans and grants to cover my basics (rent/living) etc.

My partner does work, but only 15 hours a week, so not enough to support us.

I will be applying at stoke but live in wolverhampton.

I left school with nothing, literally nothing. But since, I have had lots of jobs, current job im in. i have been here for 2+ years and its in the same area as the course im applying for. I have my english and maths GCSE's at C - and level 2's that are equvilant also. I have multitude of other grades for specific courses - branches of IT - Like Design, Office etc...

I have 2 level 2 Btech qualifications - Lots of units in each, passed with either a merit or distinction. I am just finishing on my Level 3 course - So Uni is level4.

Do I stand a chance at actually achieveing this? Im going to the open day tomorrow, So will hopefully get to speak to the tutor, but its not 100%.

They said on the phone everyone is assessed on there experience/background, Being a Mature student would my work background and personal statement be my best shot?

Thanks!

Quick update - I've found this course, but unless I'm being blind it doesnt say how many credits it is?

http://www.themanchestercollege.ac.u...er-programme-0

Does it look ok??

Ha this actually me last yr, mature student leaving a customer officer role to become an early years teacher, well done, you will really love it...can't believe I've finished my first year, last assignment due on Tues...hope it all works out, if you want to know anything about it..just ask

Hi, I'm 39 and hoping to get on to Access to Health in September as I want to change careers from teaching and get into health! I don't have any science in my background so am excited and nervous ha ha about that!! :$ Re tuition fee funding for mature students... - I slip through the gap in that I don't qualify for a tuition fee loan as did a degree after school which is tough as there's a degree locally that would give me practical experience into working in health. So am applying for the 24+ advanced learning loan for the access and maybe go further afield/look at NHS funded degrees in future...I have two kids so will be a tough but gotta make the change! Anyone else in the same boat re career change/kids/funding?? x

Was just wondering if I was gonna be interested in other areas of subjects e.g. Business and administration or IT but already have a level 3 qualification in Media production (this is equivalent to 3 A levels apparently) would I still be able to do an access course or would it be worth it??

I'm 19 years old and did go to uni for a bit but thought the course wasn't for me and this was specialising in media.. I decided to take a gap year out but am confident that in future sometime I would want to go back to uni. My question is if want to specialise in business or IT, would an access course be best so am more acceptable to do a course like this for uni?? Or does my level 3 course that I did (got an equivalent of AAB) be alright?? I also got 13 A*-C grades in gcses too...


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Hey, thank you for your reply.

Just wondering what sort of online english and maths questions would it be for example is it going to be timed? However, I do make slight mistakes on grammar but I am attending key skills work shop to improve my grammar and writing skills where as my maths, it is average. Is the exam hard, easy or moderate, how will the test be? so I can prepare in advance. Once again thank you in advance.

Bakar :)

do you know if their access course is accepted as an alternative to Access to HE?

Hi Mel,
Sorry for the slow reply, snowed under with work at the moment so haven't really had time to check this :(
I'm finding the course Okay, just a few weeks left now. Lectures have pretty much subsided now though so classes aren't really happening which is a pain. Only thing available is support classes if requested, not sure if it works that way everywhere though.

Hows you application going? Did you find out if you will be accepted for the course? :)


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Forgive my ignorance, but what does the Humanities course entail?

I.e what are it's basic principles

Well my mind changes by the hour regarding accom, but I keep coming back to three places, Hawthorns, Winkworth and Richmond Terrace. I know halls have their disadvantages but at least you know to expect them (loud music, people not keeping the kitchen clean etc), plus I can sleep through anything! I can see where your coming from with houses for mature students, my only fear would be that it takes just one person to make the whole house an uncomfortable living environment. I think I would prefer to get to know people first.

Just got the email. Damnnnn. I think I know what glitch they're on about, I spoke to Jon about it around a week after I made my application I went onto the site and it gave me the option to 'Continue with incomplete application' as if I hadn't applied already. But I did because I got the confirmation email through instantly after I clicked 'apply'. I emailed the Accommodation Office and they said it'd been flagged as a problem and then asked me to FWD the confirmation email just to show I wasn't making it up I assume. And thats the last I heard. So I assume it may have something to do with that?

Lauren, I recommend applying ASAP to make sure you get the accommodation you want. :)

Hi all,

I am starting an Access Humanities course in September and was just wondering if anyone knows of any books I could purchase over the summer to give me a heads up when the course starts?

Thanks

Jason

What sort of career are you looking get into - and what degree do you have?

Hello,

I am 21 years of age and I am hoping to get into University for 2014. From then till now I want to do an access course to be able to do it.

Has anyone done an access course to gain entry for computer science at a University? If so, could you let me know on what course you took and were any universities reluctant on giving you a place.

Thank you!

However as far as I know Glasgow only teaches Arch as part of its Civil Engineering with Architecture degree. So I guess this doesn't apply to you!

It may be something to do with the fact that scottish nationals don't have to be tuition fees. I don't know how this works with you having dual nationality, but having lived outside of the UK for 3+ years I would guess the same rules would apply there.

If you take out the loan for the Access course, and then go to university, the loan from the Access is cleared.

Can you still apply for Access to higher education courses if you're currently doing A-Levels? I'm currently 19 and finishing my A2 year.

the biology modules on extended science have been awful this year, it's put lots of people off doing a bio degree, the chemistry department is **** hot and you won't go wrong doing a chem degree. I wouldn't worry just yet, we only had to give our final decisions last week and lots of people changed their minds during the course. Just wait and see what you prefer after the first term.

This was a very old thread, you probably should have started a new one to get more replies.

Your Access Course is classed as full time, I don't think you'll be eligible to claim JSA. As you have a dependent under the age of 16 you'll be able to claim for Income Support and Housing Benefit.

Hi not sure if anyone can help, I have been accepted to my access course to do a law degree when I pass. However I'm in full time employment and I'm hoping to hand in my resignation at the end of July but I'm not sure if I'm entitled to any help I'm a single parent and been saving some money each month for my tuition fees but as it happens cos I'm over 24 I actually get them free iv been looking for part time work over the last few days around 16hrs but I'm getting a bit jittery as il be quoting work on my own accord iv heard a few stories that if I claim JSA then I could have to give up the course and look for full time work again.. But I'm doing this to better myself as currently on minimum wage and can't live on that forever! In five years iv not has a pay rise but I know I can triple my wages when I pass the degree can anyone help any advice would help...

I thought you could apply to do an access course under 19? But I thought you had to send a letter to the uni/college? However that could be just the London school of arts, so in that case ignore me :P
I'm applying to do a access course this September - so nervous about applying cause all I keep thinking is that I won't get in.
Good luck with looking for a course though :)

Thanks again, I was just wondering really because it's definitely something I am interested in and want to pursue. I understand age could be an issue but I will try and make up for that in my personal statement.

I've received an unconditional offer to a local college on a HND course, and as far as I know the latest I can accept their offer will be June 6th, I'm not sure however on my future :(

I might be offered a job with a new company possibly end of August time that would offer similar training and a strong future for me, so not sure where to go currently!

If I accept the college course offer, when is the latest I can politely decline to attend? Would this also play havoc with applying for the course tuition fees to be paid as well as my maintenance grant? (I'm not exactly sure currently on that process either)

Many thanks for the help :)

Hi,

I'm thinking of going back to university after making some pretty bad decisions about where to study the first time around. I'll be nearly 24 by the time I'd enrolled - and would love to hear from any younger 'mature' students (early to mid twenties) who've gone to university and really enjoyed it. I feel like I could still go and get a great education out of it, no doubt about that, but I'm not so sure about the social side of it. I still really want a proper university experience and would like to meet people - I've never enjoyed the fancy dress/pub golf thing so I don't feel like I missed out there but it'd be nice to find people who like going to gigs and stuff. What is anyone's experience of socialising with younger students? Did you find it difficult or not? I've actually got friends ranging from 20-mid thirties so I know it's possible, but in real life you obviously encounter a wider range of people in different situations and contexts - the thought of being surrounded by teenagers makes me a bit nervous.

Depending on what I decide to study and where, I won't necessarily be starting completely from scratch - I've got the option of beginning in the third year if I carry on with the course I was doing, so I'd be there one year at an English university, two at a Scottish or Irish university.

I think it's my own problem and something I'll have to get over myself, I definitely don't want it to hold me back and I know it's probably just my own paranoia and shyness.

I want to hear from people who have first-hand experience of it, or anyone who has slightly older friends at university - anyone...?

Thanks!

This is purely my opinion, but I think that a university would be far more interested in your recent achievements in the Access course over the GCSEs you did 20 years ago.

its not too hard but can get your brain going as you don't come across much maths day to day, like percentages and stuff! On a lot of questions you have a calculator and there's a space for working out so you should be fine!

i have just enrolled at Gateshead to do human biology, health studies & English language. I originally enquired at newcastle, went to to enrolment evening to find the course leader off sick and no one there to fill in so got put in a room with a load of 16 year olds (I'm 26) and their parents, choosing which course to do once they pass their gcse's!! Got told to fill in an application and they would be in touch, apart from the evening being a complete waste of time I then got in touch about 3-4 weeks later to be told there was no application form in my name but here's another just post it back!! Ermm no thanks - so went to Gateshead college, sat through a presentation for the course with the course leader, did the test, had a one on one and now I'm enrolled :D

newcastle might have a 'good reputation' but the staff are a joke, Gateshead have been nothing but helpful and happy, a far cry from newcastle! Yeah Gateshead might not be as convenient to get to but having previously studied at both I don't know why I bothered with newcastle this time to be honest, I 100% recommend Gateshead :D

I have been told that even though this wasn't a student loan, it will class as a whole years funding that I have received so that will affect my funding for student finance. Just hope I can get enough to cover my course or I will not be able to study.

It's personal experience.

I was doing an AS Level part-time when I started thinking about going to uni - a sort of introduction back to study, to see if I liked it. I'd planned to study it across two years (finishing it just before I started uni), which was acceptable to the place I was studying with when I started out. However, eight months in, the exam board notified a series of major changes to the subject's curriculum which would start the following academic year - effectively half way through my planned study. I was told that I'd have to complete my AS Level within a year or start again from scratch with the new syllabus. The new syllabus was so different, that what I'd studied would no longer be relevant. There wasn't time for me to complete in the remaining four months of that academic year, so I had to abandon it. AS Levels were designed to be taken in a single year and I was told that no allowance was made for part-time students who might need to take longer.

That was with the same exam board, so I think it would be more likely to happen if you're swapping to a different exam board, four years down the road. You'll only know for sure by asking the colleges.

I cannot find any similar cases or advice on our situation:

I currently receive DLA at middle care & lower mobility. I'm studying an access course part time & depend on my partner to help care for me (we decided not to to apply for carers) throughout the day & he takes care of our one year old & primary aged children by doing school runs, cleaning house, bathing them etc. He DOES NOT work.

We currently receive income related ESA (WRAG - couple), DLA, Child Tax Credit, Child Benefit, Housing Benefit & Council Tax benefit.

I am planning on becoming a full-time student next year.

I assume that ESA will stop once I go to Uni full-time & I'm unsure about DLA; I'm yet to look into that. I do realise that I can get a lot of support throughout uni with having a disability, hence the decision.

Anyway, I'm unsure of what we will be entitled to once I'm a student. I have read that, as a student, we will not be entitled to Housing Benefit and a little worried about that with having the children. This is assuming DLA stops which, if it does, will not mean I won't still need the help to some degree & we will definitely need my partner at home to care for the children.

I think I remember, a few years back, someone saying that it may be possible to change the way our claim works & get my partner to claim for me & the children rather than me doing it & then, with him unemployed & caring for the children, he will be able to claim housing benefits. Once I have completed my degree & our youngest is in school, my partner plans on returning to education or begin an apprenticeship.

There is very little advice for couples with one not working and one a student & I'm utterly baffled by it all. Is there anyone there in a similar situation or anyone who knows what the process is in these circumstances?

Thank you x

What you said is completely correct, even if you study part-time you will still only be eligible for the equivalent of 2 years, and the latter 2 years (or 4 years if you are doing 50% intensity).

You might also want to consider how you are going to get into Uni to do this. I like you started a degree in Biology and left after year 1 to pursue a career in retail management. I applied this year to go back to Uni in September only to be told by all 5 choices that I wasnt eligible to come back to study as I had no formal study within last 5 years, so now I am going back to do an Access course full time in September, then to hopefully get into a full time degree in 2014. I seriously regret the choices I made, now that I will be 28 this summer, I wish I had never left.

I currently work with Student Loans and I am surprised you are so informed already with this, most people I speak to daily are confused as soon as they think about finance.

Hope this helps a bit.

I know how A levels work, and I realise they’re not easy. I am already self-studying a Geography A level and it hasn't been too bad. I plan to do a History and Modern Languages degree so I don't think doing a History and French A level in years 1 and 2 would be too difficult, especially if I pick an exam board which has no coursework.

I can't give you much specific advice on unis, except to say that I've heard of all of them as being fairly good for science/ engineering subjects. I personally would put Durham, and probably Nottingham, Manchester, and Loughborough as being particularly good, but I don't have any particularly good knowledge so don't take my word for it!
It's a VERY good idea to get an accredited degree as this will allow you to go directly into related employment, whereas without it you may need a little extra training or may get slightly less related jobs. Also, it means that the course is probably very focussed actually on engineering rather than going in depth on possibly less relevant or interesting subjects, but then you may prefer a course which is a bit broader... If in doubt, stick with the accredited ones.
I've also heard that about Nottingham as a city. The uni is actually more on the outskirts, and was very nice when I visited - it is very green and would definitely have a good environment to work and live in. If you're likely to go into the city more, then maybe you should be very slightly concerned about it's reputation, although to be honest you should be fine as long as you stick to sensible areas. I'm sure you're old enough to be sensible and look after yourself!
My cousin went to Brunel, which doesn't say a lot of good about it... however, I don't really know a lot about it. A good place for info on employment prospects specifically for the course at the uni is UniStats - google it.

oh that's wonderful! it looks like i can get £255 a week to cover childcare, i *think* that should be enough! there is a parents' learning allowance as well, i am going to apply for both of these. many thanks :) xx

You posted a question. I answered it.

Thanks again. Good luck with the Masters.