What if you can't find a job at university?

Oh, you're in the same boat. I am starting to think a lot of people are this government finance thing is a mess! They take no account of how big your family is or how much your family will give you.

I'm lucky enough that my loan will cover my accomidation and probably buy me enough food to live off if I go about food shopping sensibly so I'm lucky enough to be in a better position than some. however food isn't going to be the only things I need I have no idea how I'm supposed to pay for things like toiletries transport and books never mind the idea of actually having some money to enjoy myself with. I work in a local pub at the moment so theres no chance of me being transferred, people keep telling me that if I have worked on a bar I will be able to get a job at the student union but it just sounds like something that they are saying to make me feel better since it doesn't seem to be backed up by anything. I've just firmed keele and after visiting it doesn't look like somewhere where there would be lots of opportunities for employment unless I looked in the neighboring towns, which would then decrease the amount of money I would bring home since it would cost so much traveling to work. :frown:

I have no problem with the idea of working for the money student finance won't cover if I can I just worry whether or not that will actually be an option

Reply 21

ChopinNocturne

15

Original post by Silent-Varjoisa

Oh, you're in the same boat. I am starting to think a lot of people are this government finance thing is a mess! They take no account of how big your family is or how much your family will give you.

I agree with the whole how much your family will give you thing - was talking to one of my friends about this, his household income means he'll get the lowest maintenance loan and no grant and yet his parents are saying they're not going to help him financially at all, whereas people in the middle of the scale who are getting a loan and a small grant may be getting more support from their parents and therefore have a lot more money. I have no idea how they could improve that as a system though - they can't ask how much money your parents are likely to give you as a determining factor in how much you get, it'd be far too easy to lie and just get extra from it.

Reply 22

kerily

15

Original post by Silent-Varjoisa

Durham quotes £5505 + £339 college joining fee and that was only last year and doesn't include all your meals!

http://www.dur.ac.uk/st-aidans.college/undergraduate/fees/

Also the fact I am from northern Ireland makes travel even harder and I have to pay extra for my Archeology course :frown:

Oh dear Lord. No wonder I'm not going to Durham - no way in hell could I afford it! I think Cambridge also make you make a one-off payment at the beginning of term, but their living costs sound quite reasonable - I think it's about £3k a year. £5.5k on accommodation alone :eek4:

Reply 23

Silent-Varjoisa

OP

Original post by kerily

Oh dear Lord. No wonder I'm not going to Durham - no way in hell could I afford it! I think Cambridge also make you make a one-off payment at the beginning of term, but their living costs sound quite reasonable - I think it's about £3k a year. £5.5k on accommodation alone :eek4:

They also charge for the use of the sporting equipment and I believe it's an extra £500 fo my course plus I have to pay for field trips!

Reply 24

kerily

15

Original post by Silent-Varjoisa

They also charge for the use of the sporting equipment and I believe it's an extra £500 fo my course plus I have to pay for field trips!

Charging for use of sporting equipment is fair enough to be honest - it's not exactly necessary. It would be more unfair if they spread the cost of it into fees instead, so you had no choice about paying it but didn't pay anything extra upfront.

Having to pay for field trips sucks though :frown:

I don't see why they can't just loan you more money if you have a large family/etc. I know someone who is one of three triplets who are all off to uni this year, and their income means they only just get a little bit of loan and grant, but because there's three of them going at once, there's no way their parents can afford to help them... I don't know why people like that can't be leant more money to live on.

Reply 25

Lack of Creativity

12

Original post by boba

I'm lucky enough that my loan will cover my accomidation and probably buy me enough food to live off if I go about food shopping sensibly so I'm lucky enough to be in a better position than some. however food isn't going to be the only things I need I have no idea how I'm supposed to pay for things like toiletries transport and books never mind the idea of actually having some money to enjoy myself with. I work in a local pub at the moment so theres no chance of me being transferred, people keep telling me that if I have worked on a bar I will be able to get a job at the student union but it just sounds like something that they are saying to make me feel better since it doesn't seem to be backed up by anything. I've just firmed keele and after visiting it doesn't look like somewhere where there would be lots of opportunities for employment unless I looked in the neighboring towns, which would then decrease the amount of money I would bring home since it would cost so much traveling to work. :frown:

I have no problem with the idea of working for the money student finance won't cover if I can I just worry whether or not that will actually be an option

You probably don't want to hear this, but part-time jobs in Stoke and Newcastle are very, very few and far between.

Reply 26

aarora

18

Just keep looking talk to store managers directly and explain your situation they normally empathize with uni students ...

Reply 27

boba

Original post by Lack of Creativity

You probably don't want to hear this, but part-time jobs in Stoke and Newcastle are very, very few and far between.

no I didn't particularly but the truth is always better and more helpful. I guess I'm just going to have to try and get as many hours as I can during the holidays.. and steal soap from home

Reply 28

BlueJoker

12

Original post by Silent-Varjoisa

Durham quotes £5505 + £339 college joining fee and that was only last year and doesn't include all your meals!

http://www.dur.ac.uk/st-aidans.college/undergraduate/fees/

Also the fact I am from northern Ireland makes travel even harder and I have to pay extra for my Archeology course :frown:

Where are you getting all this budgeting info from? :confused:

I'm going to Durham (Castle college) to study archaeology and anthropology and I haven't found anything like £8000.

Reply 29

Smophy

Original post by Silent-Varjoisa

I get the lowest maintenance loan, no grants and my parents won't help me financially. So I'll need to find a job; however what if I can't find one, or if I can't earn enough money? Is there anything I can do to remain in education?

I'm in the same boat as you except I get even less of a loan as I will be staying at home. After my travel expenses I worked out that I will have less than £50 a week and on top of that I will have to pay for extra transport to where ever my placement will be, plus I should be paying board. To top it off I have to sit other qualifications in my first year at the expense of around £1000.

I have been looking for work for just short of six months in my area and no luck so far. :frown:

I can see me having to get out an extra loan but want to avoid it at all cost.

Reply 30

Silent-Varjoisa

OP

Original post by BlueJoker

Where are you getting all this budgeting info from? :confused:

I'm going to Durham (Castle college) to study archaeology and anthropology and I haven't found anything like £8000.

well if accommodation is £6000 then it probably adds up to more than £8000! Also if you lookat the website says there's extra costs fro Archaeology.

Reply 31

Silent-Varjoisa

OP

Original post by Smophy

I'm in the same boat as you except I get even less of a loan as I will be staying at home. After my travel expenses I worked out that I will have less than £50 a week and on top of that I will have to pay for extra transport to where ever my placement will be, plus I should be paying board. To top it off I have to sit other qualifications in my first year at the expense of around £1000.

I have been looking for work for just short of six months in my area and no luck so far. :frown:

I can see me having to get out an extra loan but want to avoid it at all cost.

Good luck!

Reply 32

Golly-Gosh

Original post by Silent-Varjoisa

I get the lowest maintenance loan, no grants and my parents won't help me financially. So I'll need to find a job; however what if I can't find one, or if I can't earn enough money? Is there anything I can do to remain in education?

bless. i on the other hand got the highest maintenance loan, and grants. my parents didn't help me financially because they couldn't. but i also had two part time jobs.

dont mean to brag lol. but yh just go for any job that will pay. weekends are very good to work. good luck. :wink:

Reply 33

Silent-Varjoisa

OP

Original post by Golly-Gosh

bless. i on the other hand got the highest maintenance loan, and grants. my parents didn't help me financially because they couldn't. but i also had two part time jobs.

dont mean to brag lol. but yh just go for any job that will pay. weekends are very good to work. good luck. :wink:

Why do you need to work two part time jobs if you get the loan and grants?

Reply 34

Golly-Gosh

Original post by Silent-Varjoisa

Why do you need to work two part time jobs if you get the loan and grants?

because i wanted to buy a car, go on holiday, shopping etc :wink:

Reply 35

AidyD

10

Original post by Golly-Gosh

bless. i on the other hand got the highest maintenance loan, and grants. my parents didn't help me financially because they couldn't. but i also had two part time jobs.

dont mean to brag lol. but yh just go for any job that will pay. weekends are very good to work. good luck. :wink:

How did you find the workload?

Working two jobs and earning a degree, plus actually... Living alittle? Im planning to do the same but am unsure of what sort of hours I will have to just switch off and relax!

Reply 36

Golly-Gosh

oh it was hard. one of the jobs was in uni. so i spend more time in uni than at home.
ps: did i tell you i had no social life in that three yrs? hmmm yh :frown:

Reply 37

angelbones

13

I think there's a way of applying for loans where you specify that your parents won't support you at all? Ring up Student Finance and ask them?

Reply 38

ilickbatteries

15

Original post by Silent-Varjoisa

Thanks for the advice, but I am going to Durham and have been told there's a shortage of jobs, and my parents refuse to help me.

Yeah, if you're coming to Durham the job market isn't brilliant.

The North-East is somewhat reliant on the public sector for jobs and quite a few of them jobs have already gone and are going.

I work in Durham (well, I do until March 26th since my job is going too) and my current employer isn't taking any new staff on, we just don't have the money. We're not a small shop either, we're a huge retailer with stores across the country and in the US.

Fortunately, Durham is extremely well-connected to Newcastle via train (20 minutes, tops) which will hopefully open something up for you.

If you need to know anything else about the local area just ask.