The Student Room Group

Can I progress to postgraduate study if undergraduate loan is not paid off?

I am not actually in Higher Education at present, but can't find any information on this. If I want to progress to postgraduate straight after undergraduate can I do so if none of my loan has been repaid? Would I get funding for postgraduate which would also need to be paid back later?

Someone please help me.

I am so sorry if this is in the wrong place, I couldn't find the right place. I really would like to know, even though it is not urgent as I am not currently studying, it is upsetting me that I can't find an answer.

Additionally, what can student loans be used for? Is it checked? Can it be spent on anything or just study costs and living costs?

Please help. Thank you.
Reply 1
Original post by KH94
I am not actually in Higher Education at present, but can't find any information on this. If I want to progress to postgraduate straight after undergraduate can I do so if none of my loan has been repaid? Would I get funding for postgraduate which would also need to be paid back later?

Someone please help me.

I am so sorry if this is in the wrong place, I couldn't find the right place. I really would like to know, even though it is not urgent as I am not currently studying, it is upsetting me that I can't find an answer.

Additionally, what can student loans be used for? Is it checked? Can it be spent on anything or just study costs and living costs?

Please help. Thank you.


Of course you can... :O
Reply 2
Original post by jelmes96
Of course you can... :O


I'm sorry if it is a stupid question. I wasn't sure if I could progress if my loan was not paid off. I was aware it didn't have to be repaid in full, but I thought I would need to start making repayments before I could progress?

Thanks.
You can.
Reply 4
Original post by KH94
I'm sorry if it is a stupid question. I wasn't sure if I could progress if my loan was not paid off. I was aware it didn't have to be repaid in full, but I thought I would need to start making repayments before I could progress?

Thanks.


Nope, you can go straight from undergrad to Masters/PhD without making any repayments.

I made my first student loan repayment last month, and I started my undergrad degree in 2008. I did a Masters and two years of a PhD without making any repayments,
Very few undergraduates will have paid off their student loan before commencing postgraduate study. Your repayments are unlikely to be triggered either while you are in full time education, even as a postgraduate.

Now funding your postgraduate education is a different matter as student loans are not available in the same way as for undergraduate courses. Most people use some combination of part-time work, bursaries/scholarships, savings, and career development loans (i.e. from a bank...).
Reply 6
Original post by Klix88
Nope, you can go straight from undergrad to Masters/PhD without making any repayments.

I made my first student loan repayment last month, and I started my undergrad degree in 2008. I did a Masters and two years of a PhD without making any repayments,



Thank you for your reply.

Do you know anything about student finance? When is the living costs loan paid? Can it be spent on anything? Does evidence have to be presented?

Thanks.
Reply 7
Original post by KH94
Thank you for your reply.

Do you know anything about student finance? When is the living costs loan paid? Can it be spent on anything? Does evidence have to be presented?

Thanks.


Student finance doesn't need to be paid back until you have a job and you're earning over x amount, so don't worry about the money you owe for now.

If you're talking about postgrad, there isn't any student finance available. You have to see if your university offers any kind of bursaries/scholarships. Most people get a job to fund postgrad studies, or take out a loan such as the PCDL.
Reply 8
Original post by k3ro
Student finance doesn't need to be paid back until you have a job and you're earning over x amount, so don't worry about the money you owe for now.

If you're talking about postgrad, there isn't any student finance available. You have to see if your university offers any kind of bursaries/scholarships. Most people get a job to fund postgrad studies, or take out a loan such as the PCDL.


Sorry I meant paid to me, not paid back. I am starting undergraduate in September 2016. Can the loan be spent on anything, and do I need to show how/where it is being spent?

Thank you.
Reply 9
Original post by KH94
Sorry I meant paid to me, not paid back. I am starting undergraduate in September 2016. Can the loan be spent on anything, and do I need to show how/where it is being spent?

Thank you.


You can spend it on whatever you like. Your spending isn't monitored. Most people spend the majority (if not all) of it, on rent.
Reply 10
Original post by Klix88
You can spend it on whatever you like. Your spending isn't monitored. Most people spend the majority (if not all) of it, on rent.


I just thought because it is called a living costs loan. I thought it would be checked that it was being spent sensibly for living costs.

Thank you for your help.
Reply 11
Original post by KH94
I just thought because it is called a living costs loan. I thought it would be checked that it was being spent sensibly for living costs.

Thank you for your help.


It's called the "Maintenance Loan", to be strictly accurate.

You're taking out the loan as an adult and you're expected to manage the money as an adult. You need to be sensible with it, as there's no other source of student funding unless you can get a part-time job or your parents can afford to bail you out. Many people do blow it to begin with, as they're unused to having such a large sum of money or managing a budget. Someone in my undergrad year spent his entire first term's loan on booze and partying during Freshers' Week! It's a harsh lesson, but most people learn it very fast if they have to. You catch on quite quickly if you can't afford to eat anything but baked potatoes for several weeks.
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 12
Original post by k3ro
Student finance doesn't need to be paid back until you have a job and you're earning over x amount, so don't worry about the money you owe for now.

If you're talking about postgrad, there isn't any student finance available. You have to see if your university offers any kind of bursaries/scholarships. Most people get a job to fund postgrad studies, or take out a loan such as the PCDL.


Sorry to trouble you. Is it true that if the threshold goes down I would begin repayments? I don't start undergraduate until September 2016, so if the threshold drops within 30 years of graduation would I begin repayments?

How easy is it to get a PCDL loan?

Thank you.
Reply 13
Original post by KH94
Sorry to trouble you. Is it true that if the threshold goes down I would begin repayments? I don't start undergraduate until September 2016, so if the threshold drops within 30 years of graduation would I begin repayments?

How easy is it to get a PCDL loan?

Thank you.


Dude, I have no idea what you're worrying about. If you go from undergrad to postgrad study you will not have to make repayments, because you're not in a job and you're not earning money.

The PCDL is essentially a bank loan, so they will run a credit check on you and it will depend on that. There is a huge thread here if you want to read people's experiences. You can apply through either co-op or barclays (not at same time) no more than 2-3 months before the course starts, for a maximum of £10k. As long as you don't have missed payments/unarranged overdraft etc, and you have some kind of credit history (e.g. phone contract, credit card) I think you have an OK chance of getting approved.

Quick Reply

Latest