Access to higher education or foundation degree?
Hello, I'm not sure if I'm posting in the right place but I really need some advice on this. I'm 24 with no higher education qualifications, though I've tried and failed. I have dropped out of college once but returned and finished my a levels at a poor (B-electronics C-computing and AS level Music technology-D) which brings my UCAS tariff to 210. I managed to get into a uni with these grades to study computer science but I failed the first year, retook and dropped out.
Now that is 2 years of student loan down the drain for me. I had been put off education at this point, thinking this must not be it for me. I've been working various jobs since then, all in the service industry and I'm currently working at an electronics store. I really want to put my life together and get a degree in electrical engineering. Now with my grades, there is no way I can start an undergraduate degree without first either doing a foundation degree or an access course.
I am not sure what will be best for me. Most of the foundation degrees ask for 200 UCAS points but some sort of Maths A level or background which I do not have. Also being out of education for some time they might think I am not ready for it and refer me to an access course.
From what I've tried looking up, foundation degrees I am able to get government funding as I still do not have a higher education qualification, though maybe not as much as I've dropped out of uni before.
Applying for an access course is like giving me a fresh start with my entry to university. Some universities do not allow access courses though and I think I cannot receive full funding because I'm 24. I don't have any money saved up but I will work part-time during my studies to cover.
PLEASE, if anyone can give me some advice and share their opinion on this then please do.
Now that is 2 years of student loan down the drain for me. I had been put off education at this point, thinking this must not be it for me. I've been working various jobs since then, all in the service industry and I'm currently working at an electronics store. I really want to put my life together and get a degree in electrical engineering. Now with my grades, there is no way I can start an undergraduate degree without first either doing a foundation degree or an access course.
I am not sure what will be best for me. Most of the foundation degrees ask for 200 UCAS points but some sort of Maths A level or background which I do not have. Also being out of education for some time they might think I am not ready for it and refer me to an access course.
From what I've tried looking up, foundation degrees I am able to get government funding as I still do not have a higher education qualification, though maybe not as much as I've dropped out of uni before.
Applying for an access course is like giving me a fresh start with my entry to university. Some universities do not allow access courses though and I think I cannot receive full funding because I'm 24. I don't have any money saved up but I will work part-time during my studies to cover.
PLEASE, if anyone can give me some advice and share their opinion on this then please do.
Thinking ahead to uni, you don't have enough Student Finance entitlement to do a new degree from scratch as you've already done two years at uni. The calculation in your situation is:
Number of years of your new degree (minus) Number of years previously spent at uni (plus) One year = Remaining SF entitlement
- With a Foundation year this gives you 4-2+1=3 years of entitlement for a 4 year degree course.
- Without a Foundation year this gives you 3-2+1=2 years of entitlement for a 3 year degree course.
The fact that you didn't get a qualification from your previous uni attempt, isn't a factor. It's purely the number of years you went there.
You wouldn't get any funding for the first year apart from a small Maintenance Loan. You have to fund the majority of that year yourself - including paying your own tuition fees. You would only get your full SF entitlement from your second year on.
Being realistic, do you think uni is really for you? I know it's flogged as a universal aspiration for all school leavers, but that's simply not sensible for everyone. You struggled at A Level and struggled at uni (twice). What has changed between then and now? Would you be better served by looking at vocational training? Whatever you do now is going to cost tens of thousands of pounds, landing you in even more massive student debt. You need to be positive that it will bring you some kind of benefit.
In the short term, the good news is that you can get the 24+ Advanced Learning Loan, which would pay your Access course fees - although there's nothing available for living costs. If you go on to graduate from uni, the 24+ loan is wiped out and you won't have to repay it.
Number of years of your new degree (minus) Number of years previously spent at uni (plus) One year = Remaining SF entitlement
- With a Foundation year this gives you 4-2+1=3 years of entitlement for a 4 year degree course.
- Without a Foundation year this gives you 3-2+1=2 years of entitlement for a 3 year degree course.
The fact that you didn't get a qualification from your previous uni attempt, isn't a factor. It's purely the number of years you went there.
You wouldn't get any funding for the first year apart from a small Maintenance Loan. You have to fund the majority of that year yourself - including paying your own tuition fees. You would only get your full SF entitlement from your second year on.
Being realistic, do you think uni is really for you? I know it's flogged as a universal aspiration for all school leavers, but that's simply not sensible for everyone. You struggled at A Level and struggled at uni (twice). What has changed between then and now? Would you be better served by looking at vocational training? Whatever you do now is going to cost tens of thousands of pounds, landing you in even more massive student debt. You need to be positive that it will bring you some kind of benefit.
In the short term, the good news is that you can get the 24+ Advanced Learning Loan, which would pay your Access course fees - although there's nothing available for living costs. If you go on to graduate from uni, the 24+ loan is wiped out and you won't have to repay it.
Original post by danman1991
Hello, I'm not sure if I'm posting in the right place but I really need some advice on this. I'm 24 with no higher education qualifications, though I've tried and failed. I have dropped out of college once but returned and finished my a levels at a poor (B-electronics C-computing and AS level Music technology-D) which brings my UCAS tariff to 210. I managed to get into a uni with these grades to study computer science but I failed the first year, retook and dropped out.
Now that is 2 years of student loan down the drain for me. I had been put off education at this point, thinking this must not be it for me. I've been working various jobs since then, all in the service industry and I'm currently working at an electronics store. I really want to put my life together and get a degree in electrical engineering. Now with my grades, there is no way I can start an undergraduate degree without first either doing a foundation degree or an access course.
I am not sure what will be best for me. Most of the foundation degrees ask for 200 UCAS points but some sort of Maths A level or background which I do not have. Also being out of education for some time they might think I am not ready for it and refer me to an access course.
From what I've tried looking up, foundation degrees I am able to get government funding as I still do not have a higher education qualification, though maybe not as much as I've dropped out of uni before.
Applying for an access course is like giving me a fresh start with my entry to university. Some universities do not allow access courses though and I think I cannot receive full funding because I'm 24. I don't have any money saved up but I will work part-time during my studies to cover.
PLEASE, if anyone can give me some advice and share their opinion on this then please do.
Now that is 2 years of student loan down the drain for me. I had been put off education at this point, thinking this must not be it for me. I've been working various jobs since then, all in the service industry and I'm currently working at an electronics store. I really want to put my life together and get a degree in electrical engineering. Now with my grades, there is no way I can start an undergraduate degree without first either doing a foundation degree or an access course.
I am not sure what will be best for me. Most of the foundation degrees ask for 200 UCAS points but some sort of Maths A level or background which I do not have. Also being out of education for some time they might think I am not ready for it and refer me to an access course.
From what I've tried looking up, foundation degrees I am able to get government funding as I still do not have a higher education qualification, though maybe not as much as I've dropped out of uni before.
Applying for an access course is like giving me a fresh start with my entry to university. Some universities do not allow access courses though and I think I cannot receive full funding because I'm 24. I don't have any money saved up but I will work part-time during my studies to cover.
PLEASE, if anyone can give me some advice and share their opinion on this then please do.
Get in touch with some universities and ask their admissions department, then you'll know for sure.
You won't get funding for the first year of a new course of 4 years length, (4+1 = 5 - 2 = 3 years funding), or the first of a 3 year course (3+1 = 4 - 2 = 2), but you will get some support towards living costs. So that's something to be aware of. There's talk of changing the funding rules for STEM subjects so there may be more funding available from 2017. But no definitions of STEM or funding available have been proposed yet.
Have you considered the OU? They do computer science, you could probably get funding to cover your part time degree, and you could work as well.
Original post by Klix88
Thinking ahead to uni, you don't have enough Student Finance entitlement to do a new degree from scratch as you've already done two years at uni. The calculation in your situation is:
Number of years of your new degree (minus) Number of years previously spent at uni (plus) One year = Remaining SF entitlement
- With a Foundation year this gives you 4-2+1=3 years of entitlement for a 4 year degree course.
- Without a Foundation year this gives you 3-2+1=2 years of entitlement for a 3 year degree course.
The fact that you didn't get a qualification from your previous uni attempt, isn't a factor. It's purely the number of years you went there.
You wouldn't get any funding for the first year apart from a small Maintenance Loan. You have to fund the majority of that year yourself - including paying your own tuition fees. You would only get your full SF entitlement from your second year on.
Being realistic, do you think uni is really for you? I know it's flogged as a universal aspiration for all school leavers, but that's simply not sensible for everyone. You struggled at A Level and struggled at uni (twice). What has changed between then and now? Would you be better served by looking at vocational training? Whatever you do now is going to cost tens of thousands of pounds, landing you in even more massive student debt. You need to be positive that it will bring you some kind of benefit.
In the short term, the good news is that you can get the 24+ Advanced Learning Loan, which would pay your Access course fees - although there's nothing available for living costs. If you go on to graduate from uni, the 24+ loan is wiped out and you won't have to repay it.
Number of years of your new degree (minus) Number of years previously spent at uni (plus) One year = Remaining SF entitlement
- With a Foundation year this gives you 4-2+1=3 years of entitlement for a 4 year degree course.
- Without a Foundation year this gives you 3-2+1=2 years of entitlement for a 3 year degree course.
The fact that you didn't get a qualification from your previous uni attempt, isn't a factor. It's purely the number of years you went there.
You wouldn't get any funding for the first year apart from a small Maintenance Loan. You have to fund the majority of that year yourself - including paying your own tuition fees. You would only get your full SF entitlement from your second year on.
Being realistic, do you think uni is really for you? I know it's flogged as a universal aspiration for all school leavers, but that's simply not sensible for everyone. You struggled at A Level and struggled at uni (twice). What has changed between then and now? Would you be better served by looking at vocational training? Whatever you do now is going to cost tens of thousands of pounds, landing you in even more massive student debt. You need to be positive that it will bring you some kind of benefit.
In the short term, the good news is that you can get the 24+ Advanced Learning Loan, which would pay your Access course fees - although there's nothing available for living costs. If you go on to graduate from uni, the 24+ loan is wiped out and you won't have to repay it.
Thank you so much for your insight Klix88.
I thought as much with the funding. I think I will be able to manage on my first year at uni.
I've asked myself many times if uni is right for me and I've been working full time for the last 4 years discontent with where my life is going. I do feel like it is time for me to get back into education and put my all into it.
With vocational training I hear the cut off date is 25 years of age which I am turning in April. I do not know if I will still be able to apply for one or if I will be happy with the qualifications presented to me at the end. With a degree I do feel like it will be more flexible for me in the future when applying for jobs.
I saw that I am able to get that 24+ loan but that is only for an access to education course and not a foundation degree. Is my only option to do an access to education course?
Original post by danman1991
I saw that I am able to get that 24+ loan but that is only for an access to education course and not a foundation degree. Is my only option to do an access to education course?
Every uni can set its own Foundation entry requirements - some unis may even have different requirements for different Foundation years/degrees. The only way to find out is to find maybe half a dozen you like the look of, then email the Admissions Offices to ask.
Beware that a Foundation Degree isn't the same as a Foundation Year. A Foundation Degree is a stand-alone qualification. It can be topped up to a full degree wherever it is accepted as an entry qualification and is usually transferrable between unis. A Foundation Year will be attached to a specific degree course and you'll normally be expected to transfer into that degree after the Foundation Year. They aren't necessarily transferrable to other unis/courses.
Hope that helps.
Original post by Klix88
Every uni can set its own Foundation entry requirements - some unis may even have different requirements for different Foundation years/degrees. The only way to find out is to find maybe half a dozen you like the look of, then email the Admissions Offices to ask.
Beware that a Foundation Degree isn't the same as a Foundation Year. A Foundation Degree is a stand-alone qualification. It can be topped up to a full degree wherever it is accepted as an entry qualification and is usually transferrable between unis. A Foundation Year will be attached to a specific degree course and you'll normally be expected to transfer into that degree after the Foundation Year. They aren't necessarily transferrable to other unis/courses.
Hope that helps.
Beware that a Foundation Degree isn't the same as a Foundation Year. A Foundation Degree is a stand-alone qualification. It can be topped up to a full degree wherever it is accepted as an entry qualification and is usually transferrable between unis. A Foundation Year will be attached to a specific degree course and you'll normally be expected to transfer into that degree after the Foundation Year. They aren't necessarily transferrable to other unis/courses.
Hope that helps.
You have been VERY helpful thank you!
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- How do I do a level chemistry privately from year 12?
- Access course for Pharmacy
- Starting Foundation Year.
- Getting into Uni with low grades
- Does anyone need any Social Work help?
- HELP!!!
- Access course to science
- Mature student considering my options, feeling lost
- Computing w/ Foundation - Where?
- What on earth should I do after 2 resits?
- Access to HE midwifery
- Student Finance
- Applying to a brick university as a mature student
- Dietetics and Nutrition ( 4 years ) switched to Human nutrition ( with foundation )
- Waiting for uni of Leeds Decision for Interdisciplinary Science Foundation Year
- We've topped the list for social mobility!
- Advice (Vet Med)
- Low grades but want to study a degree in Engineering
- Can I get into a course needing 32 ucas points when I have 16 points?
- Mature student considering options.
