Financial help for a foundation year??

Hi,

I'm thinking of doing a business studies degree with a foundation year as a mature student. I am aware that if your hosehold income is below £25000 there are no tuition fees for the foundation year, but does anyone know what other financial help (eg loans and grants) are available? I know exactly what I would be entitled to on a normal uni course but I'm struggling to find out if the same loans and grants apply to a foundation year. If anyone knows and can help it would be hugely appreciated!

Thanks

Reply 1

iLoveMyChildren

Hi, I'm also doing a foundation year as well as the standard 3 year undergrad degree come September too. According to student finance, I'm entitled to a maintenance loan, tuition fees, parent learning allowance, long course payment (as degree is 4 years because of foundation year) and special maintenance grant :smile:

Reply 2

xxMelxx

Hi, thanks very much for that, if that is the case then I am extremely excited at th prospect of being able to afford to go! Do you know where is best for me to get this information?
What course are you doing and where will you be studying? :smile:

Reply 3

sweetiepie82

Original post by xxMelxx

Hiya

I have recently been scoping out financial support that I can receive. I found most of the information I needed from here:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/Typesoffinance/index.htm

and some from here:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/FinancialHelpForAdultLearners/index.htm

http://www.nus.org.uk/en/advice/money-and-funding/higher-education/

http://www.studentfinance.direct.gov.uk/calculator/studentfinancecalculator/1213/summary.xhtml

Assuming you are a parent (from past posts):

http://www.brightknowledge.org/knowledge-bank/money/student-finance/financial-support-for-families-and-student-parents

http://www.studentparents.org/check-list.aspx

I hope this helps :smile:

I'd start by looking at the very first link, there is a lot of information there, 99% I would say. Then look at the others. They are all very helpful & should give you a good indicator of what you are entitled to x

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 4

xxMelxx

Hi, thanks very much, I've looked into it all, I knew already what help I could get as a mature uni student, but didn't know if this counted in the foundation year, reading all the info I'm still not 100% but I think it means the financial help is the same?! :P

Reply 5

iLoveMyChildren

Hi, I will be studying BSc Biomedical Science with foundation @ University of westminster come september, 2012. I found out all the info via the student finance website and then making an online application :smile:

which then gave me a break down. Just awaiting for them to to send out the final award via post :biggrin:

edit: And because you be studying an extra year (the foundation year) you will get an extra £649 on top of the maintenance loan

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 6

xxMelxx

Wow sounds good, I haven't even applied for uni yet but I'm going in to speak to them soon.

Just a quick question, I did the online calculator on the government student finance website, are the totals of load and grants it gives you per year or for the whole four years? I'm assuming it's per year! :P

Reply 7

iLoveMyChildren

Original post by xxMelxx

It's per year :smile:

Oh and ontop of that you get a bursary from the univeristy too :biggrin:

It's currently £400 at the university I'm going too BUT I'm not sure if the bursary only applies to uni's in London

Reply 8

xxMelxx

Ah that's great, I'm basically trying to figure out if I an afford to go, I currently work part time but would have to give that up if I went to uni (don't think I could juggle a job, kids and uni at the same time!), I only earn just short of £7k a year but the majority of that would have to be replaced with grants/loans so I an afford to live still! And am just trying to get my head around it all.
I wonder if you can apply to student finance even if you haven't got a definite place at uni yet??
:smile:

Reply 9

iLoveMyChildren

Original post by xxMelxx

yes you can hun
You apply as soon as possible so they have all the information and monies ready for the start of the academic year (Have to get everything to student finance before May 31st of the year you're going to start uni). When filling out the on-line application you just put down the uni you think you maybe going and when you get confirmation if different to what you had written down, you can change it.