Bursaries and Scholarships for A*A*A+ Students

Original post by M3WIZARD

Hello

I've had a little hunt online and to no hope - found nothing I was looking for. I would like to study Computer Science at King's and my expected grades on results day will be A*A*A in Maths, Further Maths and Computer Science respectively. On the kings website there are no bursaries that I can apply for :frown:

They're all for medical, law and such. I will live from home (Just on the border of north London, however outside London) and will commute to UNI via trains/tube.

I did apply and get accepted for the first year of student finance - but did NOT apply for the maintenance loan, my parents will fortunately supply the difference for this.

Costs:

I calculated that my train fares will total about £2000 a year and have no clue about how expensive books and such will cost. Uni fees are £9000 a year for 3 years and 1 Year in placements which will cost less than £9000 I believe (I think I read somewhere it would be £2500) and finally, I would need to buy pieces of tech such as computer components etc for my home PC for projects and the like (Ill say £1000 a year for this)

In all I'm looking at £41,000+ for going to UNI at Kings. However, I will be working part time and will be getting subsidised by my parents (or at least for the first year I will be, I may end up taking a maintenance loan if I deem necessary)

My parents between them earn just a little under £30,000 a year - with my father being self employed and my mother a nurse. This is the household income too. If it helps, I went to a public mixed school with 1 or 2 students a year reaching russell group UNI's.

So let me explain, the whole point of this post: Can someone help me find/show me some bursaries and scholarships I could potentially apply to based on results on results day? Things to cover train fares, book costs, maybe even my hardware for my PC. Or even potentially scholarships, which could cover some/all of my UNI fees? About 6 months ago I found a few bursaries that are for students who achieve excellent results, however since then, cannot find any!

Thankyou for your help,
M3WIZARD

Some universities do offer scholarships for A* students (eg £2k at Surrey).

But why not just apply for the maintenance loan? You don't repay anything until you start earning enough to do so.

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Reply 4

monkyvirus

13

Just wondering why you didn't apply for maintenance?

It's the easiest option and many bursaries are for people who've already exhausted the available options (i.e. applied for maintenance).

Reply 5

OP

Original post by jneill

Some universities do offer scholarships for A* students (eg £2k at Surrey).

But why not just apply for the maintenance loan? You don't repay anything until you start earning enough to do so.

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The reason behind not applying for the maintenance loan was that my parents believed they could fund that sort of money and therefore stop me from having to repay it back/add it onto my student debt. It's all fair saying now that we won't have to pay these loans back until x time and it gets all paid off after y amount of years, but I'm a big believer that we ALL will pay these loans back one way or another, even if we end up dying, and our assets get sold off to pay them after we pass. My primary goal for UNI is to come out of it as little in debt as possible. These loans do pick up a fair amount of interest, and although not considered anywhere near as harsh as a traditional loan that you would get from a bank, it will be on your shoulders for the entirety of your working life. That's not something I would like to have, especially seeing how politics like to shaft student's/ anyone to get their money back - if the government want their money back, they will just shuffle the rules to make it fit, either you start paying back at £15000 instead of £21000 or it doesn't get wiped after 30 years, but like inheritance tax, whereby your house will get sold and you student debt is paid off. I'm not saying this will happen or even that these are the only two methods, but I wouldn't rule it out, and bare it in mind. £50,000 to go to UNI is a lot of money, and I pity the people who are going these for a good time and party racking up even more debt than that, while I'm sure these will be the best years of your life, you'll be spending the rest of your entire life paying it off.

Anyway, it does seem that Kings doesn't have any bursaries I am eligible for. This is sad news. I may end up trying to adjust my student loan (if I can) to get at least the first year maintenance loan, as I have seen a few 'top up' bursaries that are free, based on the maintenance loan you have.

I must say, I will be working while I'm at UNI and my parents and I have agreed that I should put away *half* of those earnings into a high interest bank account so that when I leave UNI I can hopefully either pay the entire thing off (with the help of my parents) or at least have a large pool of money to get started in life.

Thanks for your help so far,
M3WIZARD

Reply 6

OP

Forgot to mention:

I emailed Kings about this too. Their reply to me was that the only bursaries and grants they offer are detailed on their website. They do not offer grants/bursaries to students who achieve well above their grade requirements. Nor am I eligible for any par 1. However this is a top up loan of £1500 for students who hold a maintenance loan and have a household income of £25000 - which due to my father being out of work for nearly a year for a kidney transplant, and my mother being paid a nurse's wage, am eligible, providing I can get a maintenance loan this late.

Reply 7

Original post by M3WIZARD

The reason behind not applying for the maintenance loan was that my parents believed they could fund that sort of money and therefore stop me from having to repay it back/add it onto my student debt. It's all fair saying now that we won't have to pay these loans back until x time and it gets all paid off after y amount of years, but I'm a big believer that we ALL will pay these loans back one way or another, even if we end up dying, and our assets get sold off to pay them after we pass.

No. If you die, or are permanently disabled, it's written off.
http://www.slc.co.uk/services/loan-repayment/loan-cancellation.aspx

If you earn enough you will pay it off. If you don't you won't. It's quite simple.

And if your parents are earning a relatively low amount then it seems odd to put extra pressure on them to support you more than they are expected to.

Also, be careful that doing part-time work doesn't affect your academic studies. Keep the right balance...

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Reply 8

OP

Original post by jneill

No. If you die, or are permanently disabled, it's written off.
http://www.slc.co.uk/services/loan-repayment/loan-cancellation.aspx

If you earn enough you will pay it off. If you don't you won't. It's quite simple.

And if your parents are earning a relatively low amount then it seems odd to put extra pressure on them to support you more than they are expected to.

Also, be careful that doing part-time work doesn't affect your academic studies. Keep the right balance...

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I'm well aware of the rules as they stand now. But it only takes parliament to pass a bill that says otherwise. All manner of reasons why, leaving the EU could cause this change alone. A war, country in dire need of money - you name it. Now I may get through my entire life and not even pay off the interest, and no matter how much people tell me otherwise, it will always trouble me while it exists.

I understand the difficulties of a part time job, I'll try my best to not over do it :smile:

As for the parents thing, yes that does trouble me too. In my entire life, we have never gone on holiday and they have always put their children first. I couldn't ask for a more supportive upbringing - and you are right, I mustn't put too much strain on them.

All the best,
M3WIZARD

Reply 9

mliela

14

Original post by M3WIZARD

I'm well aware of the rules as they stand now. But it only takes parliament to pass a bill that says otherwise. All manner of reasons why, leaving the EU could cause this change alone. A war, country in dire need of money - you name it. Now I may get through my entire life and not even pay off the interest, and no matter how much people tell me otherwise, it will always trouble me while it exists.

I understand the difficulties of a part time job, I'll try my best to not over do it :smile:

As for the parents thing, yes that does trouble me too. In my entire life, we have never gone on holiday and they have always put their children first. I couldn't ask for a more supportive upbringing - and you are right, I mustn't put too much strain on them.

All the best,
M3WIZARD

You do realise all the information you have about student loans is completely incorrect. They won't make you pay it back if you're unable to. They can't just change loan agreements half way through. You pay a small percentage of the difference between your wage and £21,000. It's really not as bad as you think. It's written off after 30. And if anything paying it regularly (a very small percentage of your earnings) looks good for your credit.

Reply 10

Original post by M3WIZARD

I'm well aware of the rules as they stand now. But it only takes parliament to pass a bill that says otherwise. All manner of reasons why, leaving the EU could cause this change alone. A war, country in dire need of money - you name it. Now I may get through my entire life and not even pay off the interest, and no matter how much people tell me otherwise, it will always trouble me while it exists.

I understand the difficulties of a part time job, I'll try my best to not over do it :smile:

As for the parents thing, yes that does trouble me too. In my entire life, we have never gone on holiday and they have always put their children first. I couldn't ask for a more supportive upbringing - and you are right, I mustn't put too much strain on them.

All the best,
M3WIZARD

They might change the interest rate, or the number of years after which it will be written off, but they definitely won't retrospectively change the death liability.

And in any case, is it right for you to be putting pressure on your relatively* cash-straped parents (whether intentionally or not) to support you beyond their normal obligations. They have already brought you up well, ensuring your stand up for yourself and getting you to go above and beyond your normal dues to society - but now is the time to give them a break and accept the assistance that the government offers in these cases.

Most people complain the government doesn't give them enough, but you are effectively complaining they give you too much (and by rejecting the government's help you expect your parents to make up the shortfall...).

*You mention your family is your parents plus "children". So the average gross household income for a family with 2 parents and 2 children is currently £44,200. Your family income is quite far below that. I really think you should accept all the help the government offers, get a good degree, then get a good job and work to pay off the government loan as an upstanding citizen, and you will make your parents proud.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 11

Tiger Rag

22

I'm really confused as to why you wouldn't get a maintenance loan. It has one of the best repayment terms around. Also, if you were to apply to the access to learning fund, you would be expected to have taken out the maintenance loan. There's nothing to say that you'd be able to get a part time job either.

Reply 12

OP

Yes, looking back on it now, I have made a mistake in not taking the maintenance loan - When this was decided about 2/3 months ago, my parents, beyond reasonable doubt, believed they could support me financially - and they still do - just seems that many bursaries rely on my maintenance loan in the first place. Loans aside, lets keep to the matter of the thread - finding bursaries that I can meet the criteria for :smile:

Thankyou for all your advise so far,

M3WIZARD

Reply 13