My maintenance loan isn't enough?

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That's why it is means tested, they expected your parents to contribute and/or you to get a job to pay for anything that goes over what you get. It happens to hundreds if not thousands of students every year.

Reply 21

Glenn,

Original post by lozzielizzie

Stop moaning, my loan for this year doesn't come close to my accommodation. But i have to get on with it. Next year I will be in a better position as I'll be over 25. So will get grant and loan. This year I just got to get on with £3575 loan. Am just lucky that I been working this past year. I Started putting money away for uni from October. It will keep me going covering rest of accommodation and other things. At end of day everyone else works to pay there way. So stop moaning about it, your not the only person in this postion.

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So once 25 u can automatically get a grant also? this interests me. I did work and pay my own education (while sick) with the OU and now want to return to do the course i originally intended and it is so annoying to see ur accomodation cost and loan almost match in figure. Personally i feel students shouldnt really be expected to work to live, it should be study focused. I would rather end my years of working for a couple, and just get my degree done than worry where im gonna find money to live while trying to mess around with a powerpoint presentation like it matters when i dont know where im getting money for dinner tomorrow. Just seems uni should be more comfortable is all. My parents are ok for jobs but i highly doubt Ill persuade them to pay my accomodation like my friends parents did for them. god that would be way too easy lol.

Reply 22

Klix88

Original post by Glenn,

So once 25 u can automatically get a grant also?

Not quite.

Once you're 25, you're assessed on your own household income and not that of your parents. That happens even if you still live with them.

If you will be giving up work to study full-time, you will have zero income. That will give you the maximum Maintenance Grant/Loan combo.

However if you're 25 or over and live with a partner, their income will be used to calculate your entitlement and you will get a lower grant element (or none, if your partner's very well paid).

Reply 23

balotelli12

Original post by Glenn,

How far did you get with the OU?
If you got a degree you won't get any funding at all from SFE unless you are doing a medical or teaching degree.
The fact you paid your fees yourself us irrelevant.

Reply 24

Glenn,

Original post by balotelli12

How far did you get with the OU?
If you got a degree you won't get any funding at all from SFE unless you are doing a medical or teaching degree.
The fact you paid your fees yourself us irrelevant.

Just halfway and have accepted no award yet, u dont get anything until u finish it and i used my OU credits to get to uni. hopefully i knew enough and havnt made some blunder but 3x 60 credit modules is what i have

Reply 25

Glenn,

Original post by Klix88

Thanks for the reply, appreciate it. thats great cus my parents have very good income so i would get £0 if im assessed but they dont help me out at all where friends parents pay for their accomodation for them! So i need them to not be taken into account so i have a decent chance

Reply 26

daisyfx

Im in exactly the same situation!!! My parents earn over £60,000 but they struggle like hell! I have five siblings! And two sick grandparents that need paid care! We live in the middle of nowhere so cars and morgage are expensive, the only reason my parenrs earn more is because they work at night , which they had to do so they could watch the children in the day! There is no chance i will afford to goto uni because im only getting £3,000 maintance loan! My friend is getting like £7,000 something which means she gets the nicest accomdation and she doesnt have to work! Stupid system. Im a smart girl as well,so me not going to uni would be such a waste of all my studies. How is this fair at all?

Reply 27

Klix88

Original post by daisyfx

Under the current rules, you'll be eligible to be assessed on your own income once you hit 25. I know this sounds like a lifetime away at the moment, but it does mean that you'll eventually be able to go to uni. It's an unfortunate delay, not a complete block.

In the meantime, you can work and save. You will have valuable work experience, which may help with uni entry - especially if you can get something related to your chosen degree subject. You may also be able to build up savings, meaning that your eventual uni experience will potentially be much more financially comfortable than that of many of your fellow students.

Patience - and good luck x