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Any mature students doing the part time route

on here? Just looking for a little advice really.
I've been meaning to go back to university for years but for some reason or another it's just never happened. I'm fed up of my future career prospects being minimum wage jobs with no career so I'm seriously wanting to apply for university this time round.
The problem? I don't think I can afford it. I live with my partner and jointly we earn around 35k, obviously this isn't a bad amount but we have a house and bills to pay for. We don't struggle too much now but if I were to go to university we'd lose around 10k in our income, which would be a problem.
I am looking at attending university part time but struggling to see if it will financially make a difference. Very few universities offer my course on a part time basis so would have to travel atleast 2 hours each way, which is fine but I don't think I am going to be able to fund it. I don't want to focus all my time on working (if I'm at uni two days a few I need to have time to study too) as I want to do good at my degree but I seriously don't see how we will cope.

Any other mature students done uni the part time way? What was your experience? Was it worth it? Or am I better off going full time to be entitled to loans at the very least?

Thanks
What about the OU? I did that part time it fitted in around other commitments. And it allowed me to get into a full time course at a brick built university.
Original post by IonaBubble
What about the OU? I did that part time it fitted in around other commitments. And it allowed me to get into a full time course at a brick built university.


OU is awesome (they don't pay me enough for their endorsements...). While you're burning cash (£30k?) at a red brick, OU is cheaper but it has more to do with you being SELF TAUGHT, you get SOME tutor support, and you can spread the course over many years. In other words, you could continue with your minimum wage job whilst studying at your own pace. I have to warn you though, OU degree classifications are pretty harsh, if you get C on one module, even if the others were A, you'll end up with a 3rd class degree.

Example cost:
Bachelor's degree total cost: ~£17,000
Time limit for completion: ~15 years
Yearly payment when doing course in x years:
15: £1,133
10: £1,700
8: £2,125
6: £2,833
3: £5,666
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 3
Avatar for Tw1x
Tw1x
OP
21
Original post by IonaBubble
What about the OU? I did that part time it fitted in around other commitments. And it allowed me to get into a full time course at a brick built university.


I self-taught some a levels a while back, I learn so much better in a learning face to face environment
Reply 4
Avatar for aimlou83
aimlou83
6
Original post by Tw1x
on here? Just looking for a little advice really.
I've been meaning to go back to university for years but for some reason or another it's just never happened. I'm fed up of my future career prospects being minimum wage jobs with no career so I'm seriously wanting to apply for university this time round.
The problem? I don't think I can afford it. I live with my partner and jointly we earn around 35k, obviously this isn't a bad amount but we have a house and bills to pay for. We don't struggle too much now but if I were to go to university we'd lose around 10k in our income, which would be a problem.
I am looking at attending university part time but struggling to see if it will financially make a difference. Very few universities offer my course on a part time basis so would have to travel atleast 2 hours each way, which is fine but I don't think I am going to be able to fund it. I don't want to focus all my time on working (if I'm at uni two days a few I need to have time to study too) as I want to do good at my degree but I seriously don't see how we will cope.

Any other mature students done uni the part time way? What was your experience? Was it worth it? Or am I better off going full time to be entitled to loans at the very least?

Thanks

I am currently on an MA part time abd its a tough juggling act and i only live 40 minutes away. I have children though and couldn't afford childcare on top of fees etc for full time so this works out better all around. If your household income dropped to £25k you woukd probably be eligible for sone help financially if you went full time but i am not sure about part time. What about OU? Or distance learning? Are they an option?

Plus, you dont say what you want to study. Uni isn't tge be all and end all. Is there a vocational course or an evening course at your local college that you coukd get an advanced learning loan for? Look into all the options for what you want to do. A more vocational approach may yield more. Good luck.

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