[eelnais]

The tuition fees are fine, £9000 a year for the three years and I pay them back later a little bit at a time when in a full time job paying over £21,000.

It's the living costs I am worried about. I get no bursaries or grants because my parents' income is JUST above £42,600 (I think it's about £45,000) so will have to rely on something like £3,500 a year in living cost loans, right? My parents (believe it or not) can't afford to help me besides the occasional £20 here and there or some food.

Well, I want to apply to Oxford and I couldn't help but notice in their prospectus they said the average living costs for SIX MONTHS was £7,600. I was completely dumbfounded. How am I supposed to be able to go to Oxford if it is like that? They discourage you from getting a part-time job also. :/ Should I basically give up on Oxford?

What universities are actually affordable for someone like me? I'm so worried I won't be able to go to university.

[eelnais]

(Original post by tammy:))
don't worry, just keep ur nose up im sure ull get there

I'm not worried about actually getting to university, because I work really hard, it's actually being able to complete the course because of money issues.

[A.J10]

Look at what other bursaries and grants the university can offer.

This figure seems a little strange, £7,600 for a year. I get the max grants and loans, which comes to £7,125, even with scholarships and all the other support I might be eligible for, I'm still short of that massive sum you've quoted by a large margin. I very much doubt that £15,200 is a sensible estimate to base your costs on.

I know this is generalising, but oxford does have a reputation for having more well off students, which is gonna be bumping it up a lot. Remember that the 7 grand grant/loan combo is supposed to be enough for a student to live on for a year.

EDIT: Found this link here: http://www.ox.ac.uk/feesandfunding/f...ndergraduates/

Go look at how much accomodation costs, and build yourself a spreadsheet that'll tell you how much you'll have left and so on. I made one you can see here

EDIT 2: AND BOOOM! Negged. At least it was offset

[eelnais]

(Original post by A.J10)
Look at what other bursaries and grants the university can offer.

This figure seems a little strange, £7,600 for a year. I get the max grants and loans, which comes to £7,125, even with scholarships and all the other support I might be eligible for, I'm still short of that massive sum you've quoted by a large margin. I very much doubt that £15,200 is a sensible estimate to base your costs on.

I know this is generalising, but oxford does have a reputation for having more well off students, which is gonna be bumping it up a lot. Remember that the 7 grand grant/loan combo is supposed to be enough for a student to live on for a year.

EDIT: Found this link here: http://www.ox.ac.uk/feesandfunding/f...ndergraduates/

Go look at how much accomodation costs, and build yourself a spreadsheet that'll tell you how much you'll have left and so on. I made one you can see here

Thank you very much. This seems a little more achievable now, even if it does mean I'll live on baked beans from a tin for three years with barely any new clothes. xD And thanks for the Bristol accomodation table you've made - I actually am also applying to Bristol so this helps a lot too. I'll start making spreadsheets myself.

[LadyBunion]

Actually if you go to Oxford - you are actually only there about 6 months of each year. the terms are about 8 weeks or so each and there are 3 a year .. so a bit less than 26 weeks.

[TheCount.]

(Original post by tammy:))
don't worry, just keep ur nose up im sure ull get there

Sound advice...

OP: Get an offer, get your place, defer and take a year out to save some money. That's what I did and countless others no doubt.

[Donald Duck]

Quite a few colleges have their own bursaries for situations like this.

[funsongfactory]

At Oxford and Cambridge undergraduates cant have a job during term time, but in the holidays you could get one. At other unis get a part time job? London is particularly expensive obviously

[canŵio]

i'm not sure if i'm right on this... but is the barrier for maintenance grant stop at £42,000? because i think my parents earn about £50,000 combined but I came out with a £4,600 maintenance loan + grant!

oxford have a really good system of loans and grants and things, so you should look into that. organise jobs for the summer if you can.

your parents should be able to help you out somewhat - not having you living at home will save them a fair amount of money, which they should be able to give you. you should probably sit down with your parents and have an adult conversation with them, so all of you understand the costs.

[LadyBunion]

(Original post by canŵio)
your parents should be able to help you out somewhat - not having you living at home will save them a fair amount of money, which they should be able to give you.

I'm nots ure that this is true - I will be paying for DS's accommodation at university but we certainly won't save much on him not being at home - there are 4 of us here now - we won't switch the heating in main rooms on for 25% .. and the oven won't be 25% cooler.

The council tax will be the same, the fuel and food bills will still be much the same... all to do with marginal costs and only his parents drink the wine anyway

[Saddiq]

you are lucky guy, I'm not supported by my parents and still seeking for some cheap university. I have only around 10k$ those I banked.

[eelnais]

(Original post by LadyBunion)
Actually if you go to Oxford - you are actually only there about 6 months of each year. the terms are about 8 weeks or so each and there are 3 a year .. so a bit less than 26 weeks.

Thanks...I actually rather stupidly forgot that accommodations are rented for 30 weeks, 33 weeks, etc. I'll definitely do the minimum amount of weeks to be able to afford this.

[eelnais]

(Original post by Donald Duck)
Quite a few colleges have their own bursaries for situations like this.

Is this true even though I am above the usual bursary payment situation?

[AverageExcellence]

To be honest its not really a problem, it seems a lot but its more like an additional tax than a loan, itll never effect your credit rating or put u into any serious problems. Its all pivotal on how much you earn to a small amount. It only becomes notable amounts you pay if you earn above 50k + and if your earning that then its not really a problem. If you were to suddenly lose your job then they freeze the debt and reductions in wages the amount reduces. After 30 years it gets written off.

So in short dont worry because itll never have a direct adverse impact on you.

[eelnais]

(Original post by canŵio)
i'm not sure if i'm right on this... but is the barrier for maintenance grant stop at £42,000? because i think my parents earn about £50,000 combined but I came out with a £4,600 maintenance loan + grant!

oxford have a really good system of loans and grants and things, so you should look into that. organise jobs for the summer if you can.

your parents should be able to help you out somewhat - not having you living at home will save them a fair amount of money, which they should be able to give you. you should probably sit down with your parents and have an adult conversation with them, so all of you understand the costs.

I actually went on the website yesterday and found that I get £4,888 a year if I study History at Oxford. No grants or bursaries.

I will be trying to get a part-time job in the summer now to try and earn at least £1000 by next year.

[eelnais]

(Original post by AverageExcellence)
To be honest its not really a problem, it seems a lot but its more like an additional tax than a loan, itll never effect your credit rating or put u into any serious problems. Its all pivotal on how much you earn to a small amount. It only becomes notable amounts you pay if you earn above 50k + and if your earning that then its not really a problem. If you were to suddenly lose your job then they freeze the debt and reductions in wages the amount reduces. After 30 years it gets written off.

So in short dont worry because itll never have a direct adverse impact on you.

I'm not worried about the aftermath - I'm aware of this, but thanks for the advice anyway. It's actually being able to afford living at university.

[canŵio]

(Original post by eelnais)
I actually went on the website yesterday and found that I get £4,888 a year if I study History at Oxford. No grants or bursaries.

I will be trying to get a part-time job in the summer now to try and earn at least £1000 by next year.

£4,888 means £3575 loan + £1313 grant.

[AverageExcellence]

(Original post by eelnais)
I'm not worried about the aftermath - I'm aware of this, but thanks for the advice anyway. It's actually being able to afford living at university.

Oh right, good point, i worked out purely on my government loans and the like ill get like 30 quid a week, which is like peanuts to buy food not alone clothes and tolietries, getting a part time job or parental help is a must id say. I see your problem now. But maybe if your mean with your money ull get by

[Donald Duck]

(Original post by eelnais)
Is this true even though I am above the usual bursary payment situation?

Call up the college. I think this would qualify you for such a bursary in Trinity (oxford), but I'm not 100% certain.

[Sean9001]

You'll be fine. Your parents will find money to give to you, and eitherway, regardless of what people say, universities aren't keen to let good students slip through the net because they can't afford to go.