Help! What am i entitled to?

Kayleigh1986

Im new here this is my first post so go easy on me,

Im about to send off my UCAS application for 2012, im just trying to get a clearer picture on what id be entitled to.

Im 26, a single parent to a 4yr old, i currently work but would be giving up work to study full time on a foundation degree course at UCLAN. My previous years income was £5000, i live away from home ie on my own with my boy

Can anyone help? :confused:

Reply 1

Shani

Your own personal income will not be taken into account when applying for student finance. as you are over 25 and a parent you are an independent student.

Off the top of my head you should be applying for:
Tuition fee loan
Max maintenance loan
Max maintenance grant
Childcare grant (if you will be paying out for qualifying childcare)
Parental learning allowance

As well as child benefit and tax credits which Im sure you will already be getting.

As a student you will not have to pay council tax and as a single parent you should be able to claim some housing benefit (although some of your loans/grants will be taken as income when assessing how much).

That's just off the top of my head.

Reply 2

Kayleigh1986

Original post by Shani

Thank you, I need to get my application in asap as I have to take the figures into the council for them to calculate my housing benefit, Im just worried that I will have alot of rent to pay out. I do think my funding will be similar amounts to whati currently get financially so maybe there wont be much difference.

I need to ring student finance to get my customer number tomorrow so I can apply.

Thanks again

Reply 3

Origami Bullets

Don't forget the university bursary - it's £338 per year at UCLan, but it can be much higher at other universitites.

http://www.uclan.ac.uk/study/fees_and_finance/bursaries_scholarships.php

Reply 4

Kayleigh1986

Original post by Origami Bullets

Don't forget the university bursary - it's £338 per year at UCLan, but it can be much higher at other universitites.

http://www.uclan.ac.uk/study/fees_and_finance/bursaries_scholarships.php

Thank you but what does this mean....

The student must be on full-time HEFCE funded Undergraduate course paying the full fee of £3375

Im doing foundation entry care community and citizenship, fee is £9000

Reply 5

Origami Bullets

My notifications say OP quoted me, but there's nothing here :iiam:

Reply 6

hush hunni x

hi, I am studying in my first year at the mo, and in the same situation... believe it or not I am actually better off with student finance than before when I worked part time.
I still have to pay some rent , but not that much

well worth it to get ur degreee... good luck x

Reply 7

Kayleigh1986

Original post by Origami Bullets

My notifications say OP quoted me, but there's nothing here :iiam:

I did, not sure where it went, i just thanked you for the info but when i looked at that link i found this....

The student must be on full-time HEFCE funded Undergraduate course paying the full fee of £3375

what does that mean? Im doing foundation entry care community and citizenship costing £9000

Original post by hush hunni x

Thank you, ive checked it all out now and im also better off i think. I rang the council with my figures earlier and he told me i would only get £56 a week housing benefit but he took my special support grant into consideration in his calculations and ive realsied that is wrong, it shouldnt be included

x

Reply 8

Origami Bullets

Original post by Kayleigh1986

It just means that it hasn't been updated from this year - you're the first cohort to pay £9000 fees rather than £3375 fees, so for you, £9000 is the full fee.

Reply 9

Tiger Rag

You may get some income support too. If you claim the childcare grant, you can't claim the childcare element of tax credits.

Reply 10

Kayleigh1986

Original post by Origami Bullets

It just means that it hasn't been updated from this year - you're the first cohort to pay £9000 fees rather than £3375 fees, so for you, £9000 is the full fee.

ooh okies thanks for clearing that up for me, well thats an added bonus :-)

Original post by OU Student

You may get some income support too. If you claim the childcare grant, you can't claim the childcare element of tax credits.

Thanks, to be honest now ive worked it all out, im actually getting more money than if i was working so dont think id be entitled to income support. I wont be working so wont be entitled to working tax anyway, and fingers crossed between me and my friends we've got each others childcare covered

x

Reply 11

leanne-h87

I'd apply for the special support grant rather than the maintenance grant, that'll mean you'll get the full maintenance loan instead of some of it being taken off when you get the maintenance grant. Also I would still apply for the income support, you may get something and if you arn't then no harm done. This is what they take into consideration:

"Types of student support which are counted as income:

The majority of any Maintenance Loan you are entitled to, even if you choose not to take it out.
Adult Dependants' Grant
Access to Learning Fund payments meant to help with general living costs (though in some circumstances, all or part of the payment may be disregarded)
Maintenance Grant (available to full-time students who started their course in September 2006 or later)
Bursaries (available to full-time students who started their course in September 2006 or later) that are not for course-related costs, or childcare"

So you may just be able to get something? It's all worth applying for anyway, you never know! Good luck with everything x