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When are you officially considered a mature student?

My birthday is in May, if i go to uni when i am twenty will i be considered a mature student as i turn 21 before the end of the year

Are you classed as a mature student if you are 21 or over at the start of the course or can you be considered a mature student if you turn 21 before the end of the first year?

thanks,
Reply 1
Don't think so, I think it's if you're 21 when you start. Not that it makes much difference.
Reply 2
Think mature students are over 21 when they start. Doesn't matter if you turn 21 during the course I did and I was just a regular student.
Original post by LiveToSki
My birthday is in May, if i go to uni when i am twenty will i be considered a mature student as i turn 21 before the end of the year

Are you classed as a mature student if you are 21 or over at the start of the course or can you be considered a mature student if you turn 21 before the end of the first year?

thanks,


You need to be 21 when the course starts.

Do you think being classed as mature does not automatically bring independent student status.
Reply 4
Officially, it's 21 at the start of the course.

But at that age it doesn't count for anything - unis won't usually lower entry requirements until you're a lot older.
Reply 5
You're a mature student if you're 21 when the course starts.
Im not sure about it being 21+ anymore, whats your source?


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Original post by Leicestergrad11
Im not sure about it being 21+ anymore, whats your source?


http://www.ucas.com/about_us/publicationservices/news

See at the bottom. There's actually quite hard to find somewhere on UCAS that explicitly says "you're a mature student if you're over 21 when your course starts" (though that link basically does). What made you think it's changed?
Original post by Potally_Tissed
http://www.ucas.com/about_us/publicationservices/news

See at the bottom. There's actually quite hard to find somewhere on UCAS that explicitly says "you're a mature student if you're over 21 when your course starts" (though that link basically does). What made you think it's changed?


Thought I had seen something on the leicester Uni website about it... Was obviously wrong though!


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Original post by Leicestergrad11
Thought I had seen something on the leicester Uni website about it... Was obviously wrong though!


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App


They say things like they "welcome applications from people aged 19+" for some reason :s-smilie: That's a bit misleading, UCAS definitely say it's 21.
I'm 19 this Saturday, and I'll be 21 in July 2014 which is the year I'll be starting uni. I emailed several universities within England and they said I would be a mature student when starting.
Reply 11
I might be leaving university and reapplying later this year. I'll be 20 when applying, but i'll turn 21 before the course starts. So does that mean I apply as a mature student?
Reply 12
Original post by Cll_ws
I might be leaving university and reapplying later this year. I'll be 20 when applying, but i'll turn 21 before the course starts. So does that mean I apply as a mature student?


As far as I know, yes. I applied at 20 but have turned 21 before I start and I've been told I'm classed as mature. :smile:
Reply 13
Original post by Bromine
As far as I know, yes. I applied at 20 but have turned 21 before I start and I've been told I'm classed as mature. :smile:


Thanks!

Are there any differences between the normal and mature application process?
I've already been through a regular application once so know everyone that that involves.
Reply 14
Original post by Cll_ws
Thanks!

Are there any differences between the normal and mature application process?
I've already been through a regular application once so know everyone that that involves.


Depends on the situation entirely, I suppose. Mature students come in many flavours - 21+ covers a very broad range of people with different situations.

You'll be applying through UCAS again. I completed my A-Levels later than most people so I applied through college using the buzzword; I assume you'll be applying as an individual and will need to get hold of a reference. It may or may not be relevant to you, but if you plan on applying to one of the mature colleges at Cambridge, I'm told they require you to provide a second reference on top of the one provided on the UCAS form.

Sometimes universities interview mature candidates when they would not normally interview a school leaver to assess suitability, but to my knowledge that's usually when the student has been out of education for a long time. Also, relevant experience within your chosen field or non-standard qualifications may be considered when making you an offer, but again, I've mostly seen this happen with people who have been out of education for a long time. For example, one of my friends has an accounting qualification and another has OU credits; both were only given offers based on 2 A-Levels rather than 3.

In all honesty I don't think your situation (i.e. dropping out of uni and restarting another course) is too uncommon so I don't think they'll treat you much differently to a regular applicant. Use your time wisely (as in, if you drop out this year, don't doss about next year!), and make sure you're able to justify your choice of course on your UCAS form and explain how you've prepared yourself for it.

Best of luck. :smile:
Reply 15
But at that age it doesn't count for anything - unis won't usually lower entry requirements until you're a lot older.



That is not why i asked the question.. that is not a concern.

I didn't think it had changed.. i was just unsure about what it was to begin with.

When it says things like "we welcome people 19+" it confuses me because i think "yes of course you do, everyone knows that"

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