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Returning to uni- Will I be able to get funding?

I'm planning to return to uni after withdrawing from my course a year ago. I did the first year of 2 different degrees, but found that neither were for me and was unable to complete my studies in both cases due to mental illness. Eventually had to drop out altogether without any qualifications or marks in any modules.

I'm hoping to be accepted onto a nursing course and understand that I will receive an NHS bursary, but will I be able to receive the capped maintenance loan as well?

It's my understanding that you are eligible for funding for the length of your course, in this case 3 years, plus 1 year, minus any years funding you already received, so I'm guessing I should be eligible for at least 2 years. However, I just tried to start a new application on the student finance website for 2015/16 and if said I had received all the finance available to me.

Any ideas?

Reply 1

Klix88

Original post by MolluscBaby

It's my understanding that you are eligible for funding for the length of your course, in this case 3 years, plus 1 year, minus any years funding you already received, so I'm guessing I should be eligible for at least 2 years. However, I just tried to start a new application on the student finance website for 2015/16 and if said I had received all the finance available to me.

Any ideas?

That calculation is the right one. If you've only done two first years, then you should be eligible for SF in your second and third years of a new course. Did you start the second year of either of your previous degrees? If you leave part way through a year, that counts as a full year for the purpose of that calculation.

As you dropped out twice due to illness, you may be able to claim Compelling Personal Reasons and claim back those years of entitlement. You would need to provide proof from a third party e.g. A letter from a GP, consultant, therapist etc., describing your symptoms and diagnosis (if you got one) and - most importantly - stating why this would have prevented you from studying and continuing in your course.

I think your best bet is to phone SF and try to understand why they think that you have no entitlement left. You can ask about the CPR process at the same time.

Reply 2

Tiger Rag

If this was me, I'd also get what Kilx said in writing. Because there's a chance that one adviser will tell you one thing and another is going to say something else.

Reply 3

Mish Lilly

The other thing to consider is that with Nursing you get the majority of your funding from the NHS and not Student Finance England. You might not be eligible for the top up from Student Finance for all three years but it shouldn't affect your ability to get funding from the NHS Bursary scheme. I know a colleague who completed an undergrad degree and got finance from SFE and is now doing Nursing as an undergrad and has the NHS funding towards fee's and monthly bursary. The two systems are quite seperate for the most part.

Try the following link and see what information they can give you :smile:

http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore-by-career/nursing/training-to-be-a-nurse/financial-support-for-pre-registration-nursing-students/

Mish

Reply 4

MolluscBaby

Original post by Mish Lilly

http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore-by-career/nursing/training-to-be-a-nurse/financial-support-for-pre-registration-nursing-students/

Mish

I gave SFE a call yesterday, and they said that if you are studying an NHS funded course then you are eligible for the reduced student loan regardless of whether or not you've used up your entitlement- apparently they're trying to incentivise more people into studying certain vocational courses!

I also spoke to them about writing off my previous years of debt through the compelling personal reasons process, and they said that I would be able to as long as I provided evidence from my GP and a cover letter from myself. So relieved!! I felt like the past two years had been such a huge waste of money, but now I have the opportunity to make it like they never happened :smile:

Reply 5

Mish Lilly

Hey thats great news - I am pleased for you. Don't think of the last two years as a waste of time though as it helped you realise where you want to be and what you want to be doing - which isn't bad!!

Best of luck

Mish :smile: