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Can I afford to go to university?

Hello Everyone,

I'd appreciate any advice or direction on how I can afford to go to university.

I've got a place at Plymouth studying paramedicine, starting this year, which is a BA Hons. I've never had a student loan before but, because I have a BA degree from Australia I can't get a full student loan. Each adviser I speak to seems to say something different, but the last person I spoke to said that I should be eligible for a full tuition fee loan of £9000 for the 3rd year and a maintenance grant/loan for every year.

To complicate things, I have a 5 month old daughter and my wife is pregnant so child care and child care costs make things even more difficult. (I'll be applying for a child care grant).

So, in summary, I need to find £9000 for each of the first two years of study + more to make my wife's child care/work juggling act practical. It's not looking possible...

Does anyone have any information on any grants/bursaries that might help? Perhaps ones that are specific to mature students/paramedicine or any way of borrowing more money from the student loan company?

Cheers,

Adam