HND & Degree Top Up

Hi,

This September, I have been accepted on a HND in Computing at a local college. I'll be 18 when I start, and have applied for tution fee loan and a small maintenance loan. After the HND, I really want to top-up the HND to a full degree.

After reading another thread, I began to worry that student finance will not offer you loans after a certain number of years?

So, my question is that will I be able to apply for student loans throughout my HND and top-up degree?

Thanks for any advice! :smile:

Reply 1

amber2008

yes you are entitled to 4 years

Reply 2

username270458

amber2008

yes you are entitled to 4 years

Ok, cheers for that! :smile:

After the HND, does it depend on the uni, in relation to starting on the second/third year?

Reply 3

amber2008

if u pass the 2 years you will be able to go on to a third year most unis will accept you on to the 3rd year of a ba honours course of where you wish as long as you pass the course and have the grade they ask you to get x

Reply 4

username270458

amber2008

Thanks for the advice!

Feel more confident about the HND now and look forward to it!

Reply 5

RECEPTION123

What happens if you go into your 5th year?
Would Student Finance pay your £3225 and would you have to pay them back when you earn £15000 a year? Obviously you wouldnt get your other loans.. but would they pay ur £3225 for you?

Or is it that you have to pay the whole £3225 amount to the University yourself?

I just wanted to clear that.
Thank you.

Reply 6

username270458

RECEPTION123

Kinda wondering that myself as well.

I think that you have to pay it yourself somehow?

Reply 7

amber2008

if you did a 5th year you would have to find the money to fund everything from your course accomdation yourself to fund the course//student finance would give you no more money.

Reply 8

RECEPTION123

So once the 4 years are over they dont even pay you the fees £3225 which you have to pay back?

Hmmm.

Reply 9

ParadoxSocks

I thought it was x+1 with x being the length of your current course. That'd give you one year false start. I'm not sure how it'd work with HNDs though - I assume you'd be given support until you have a degree. I think this is one for student finance to work out *nods*

Reply 10

amber2008

if you applyed for student finance year 1 year 2 year 3 and year 4 you would get it if you applyed a 5th year you would not get anything and you would get a rejection letter saying your not entitled to any finance at all.

Reply 11

Taiko

Ignore Amber.

Funding is duration of the new course plus one year, minus any years of previous study. If the new course is 5 years in standard duration, but you were to complete your HND and enter at year 1, it would only be the first year you would not receive support. You'd be ok for years 2 3 4 and 5.

Reply 12

username270458

Taiko

Thanks for the advice!

Not 100% clear on your explanation though, say I completed a HND and then joined a degree from the start, making a total of five years study, would I get student finance support for the whole five years?

This is just hypothetical though, considering that after my HND I want to join a degree from year 2. This is just to help me and RECEPTION123 understand this!

Thanks for all your help! :smile:

Reply 13

Taiko

You wouldn't get any help with fees or any grants in your first year, but would be ok for the rest. It's the duration of the new course plus one year minus any previous years, so say it was a 3 year course.

3+1 - 2 (HND length) = 2 years of full support. These have to be allocated to the final year working backwards, meaning in year one you would have reduced support, namely a maintenance loan only.

Reply 14

RECEPTION123

Im still abit confused so what if I someone did a Computing Year Zero course + 2 year HND and then 1 Year for Bsc Top up how many years would he be funded for?

Thanks

Reply 15

username270458

Taiko

Cheers for that! Great help!

RECEPTION123

Im still abit confused so what if I someone did a Computing Year Zero course + 2 year HND and then 1 Year for Bsc Top up how many years would he be funded for?

Thanks

That adds up to four years to me, which you get anyways!

Reply 16

Watanjaar

is it possible for me to collect my HND degree after 3 years of completing it?

Reply 17

RomeoRyderr

did a 2 yr HND (LV4+5), now doing an 18mnth top up (LV5+6). anyone know if i'd be eligable for finance in the next year for the last few months? heard people saying no, heard people saying yes. and cant find anything relelvent on the student finance website? help?

Reply 18

Abbas78600

Original post by RomeoRyderr

Hi, I know its been a year since you have done your top-up degree but how was it compared to the HND and if you moved out did you find suitable accommodation. Reason I am asking is because I will be doing a top-up in a few weeks.