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I don't think I can afford uni

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Minimum wage for 18-21 is £5.30, over 21 it's £6.70. Not generous, but you need to get your facts straight. And maybe check whether you're being underpaid.

https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates

He's still at school and planning for uni, what makes you think he's over 21? Nothing he's said is wrong - it's £5.30 for 18-20 year olds.
I was paid the over-21 NMW when I was 18, but I have a feeling that's because the owners of the care home I worked in didn't realise I was younger. They were certainly within their rights to pay me less had they wanted to.

Reply 41

Howard

Original post by opalesecent

Hi, so this is the situation. I have applied for Psychology BSc at Bristol, Sussex, UCL, Southampton and Goldsmiths. I have an offer from Goldsmiths and am waiting for the others; as I am predicted three A's, I am hoping I will get a few more.

Basically, the main problem is not whether I get offers, but how I will fund going to university. I am aware I can get a student loan to cover tuition fees, I have no problem with this, I understand that many people will need to do this, and I only have to start paying it off when I can afford to. But the maintenance cost is my main concern.

I am not eligible for any grant or loans as my parents earn over the maximum amount to get a loan from the government. They earn roughly 70K a year, which as far as I am aware means I do not qualify to a maintenance loan. However, though they earn a fair amount of money, they cannot afford to pay any of my maintenance fees; they cannot help me financially in any way, mainly due to the fact I have two younger siblings. I have a job but am paid badly, I currently have only £500 in my bank account.

In other words, as far as I can see, it looks like I can't afford uni. I can't live at home, and I don't get any financial support because the loans are means-tested and my household's income is too high. I think this system is incredibly unfair; it does not take into account the fact that though people's parents earn a good amount of money, it does not mean they can afford to fund their children going to university.

So anyway, my question is: is there any hope for me? Is there any way I can get financial support, are there any loans I am unaware of? I am determined to go to uni, if I possibly can! I have no learning difficulties so I cannot get support for that, and it is unlikely I'd get a scholarship, and I do not qualify for bursaries, and just for reference, I am a UK student. My only chance would be getting an 'Excellence Scholarship' if I get three A's and put Sussex as my first choice, as this offers £2,000 and free first year accommodation. Failing this, and planning for the next two year, what can I do? Any help is very much appreciated - thanks in advance!

Work a second job then.

Reply 42

TeeEm

Original post by opalesecent

i want to get on with it and go to uni. i don't see how just because my parents can't afford to pay for me to go to uni, it means i can't.

I wish I could think of some useful advice ...

Reply 43

opalesecent

Original post by Howard

Work a second job then.

you do realise i have studying to do? i am aiming to get 3 A's this year - i need to work for it. my college says they will not allow students to work more than 8 hours a week, and i'm already doing 10. of course, at uni if i have the time i will get a second job, but for now, that advice is very unrealistic. i don't know many 17 year olds who have 2 jobs, many don't even have one...

Reply 44

opalesecent

Original post by Klix88

Given that accommodation is the major expenditure for a student, I'm sure your parents would be delighted to hear that you think of their contribution as "nothing".

New clothes and holidays are luxuries and you've already said you earn your own money. I haven't had a holiday in about ten years, and that was a long weekend away with friends.

If you think you're hard up now, you'll need to brace yourself when you leave uni.

yes, accommodation for a STUDENT, not a 17 year old, still at college, who legally has to live with their parents, unless otherwise arranged. why, do you think they should just throw me out?

same here, i'm not saying you're privileged over me, i'm just trying to get this idea out of your head that i'm some spoilt brat with rich parents who is whining about not being able to afford to go to uni. i haven't had holidays, but i go to festivals, which i pay for myself. i'll be in the same boat as you if i go to uni, there's no point attacking me for it.

Reply 45

opalesecent

Original post by Klix88

but i'm not over 18. i do have my facts straight, word for word from the website you provided.

Reply 46

Tiger Rag

I seem to remember (and I'm sure someone will correct me on this - I lived in halls) that it can sometimes be cheaper to live in a student flat / house than it can be to live in halls.

Reply 47

goldenshades

Have you thought about commuting? This would save you a lot of money

Reply 48

Howard

Original post by opalesecent

I'm not talking about now. I'm talking about when you actually get to university. Take a couple of jobs and work your way through it.

I work 70 hours a week (yes, 10 hours a day, 7 days a week - 3 weeks on, 1 week off) and travel too and from work another 2 hours a day so I'm putting in a 84 hour week. I'm still managing to knock off a Masters degree in my "spare" time so don't tell me it can't be done.

Reply 49

opalesecent

Original post by Howard

well i applaud you, and i know full well it can be done - i know people who've had to put in even more hours than you. yes, i probably will have to work my way through it.

Reply 50

Justmoll28

Original post by opalesecent

i have a job - and a part time job at uni wouldn't earn me £4,000 in a year, which i need even in addition to part of a maintenance loan

move to a cheaper uni or accommodation? sometimes you can't have everything you want

Reply 51

opalesecent

Original post by goldenshades

Have you thought about commuting? This would save you a lot of money

i have, i live in brighton so if i got into sussex, i could commute. however, my parents want to move and downsize, so i probably couldn't live at home if they did that, there wouldn't be space. it is a possibility though, but if at all possible, i want to live in halls. at sussex, 98% live in halls, its what they prefer you to do so you are fully integrated into university life. then, in the second year, you get kicked out to make room for the new set of 1st years.

Reply 52

opalesecent

Original post by Justmoll28

move to a cheaper uni or accommodation? sometimes you can't have everything you want

there's practically no such thing as a 'cheap' uni, they all rip you off, and even though i applied to 2, i don't really plan on living in london, so it wouldn't be too expensive. i'm not asking for the world here, i don't want accomodation, i NEED it.

Reply 53

opalesecent

Original post by Tiger Rag

I seem to remember (and I'm sure someone will correct me on this - I lived in halls) that it can sometimes be cheaper to live in a student flat / house than it can be to live in halls.

that is largely true - but it still costs! most likely i will live in a student flat, unless i go to sussex, where they pretty much expect you to stay in halls.

Reply 54

Tiger Rag

Original post by opalesecent

that is largely true - but it still costs! most likely i will live in a student flat, unless i go to sussex, where they pretty much expect you to stay in halls.

And like every other student, you're entitled to get a loan. Is there any reason why you can't work full time over the summer?

Reply 55

opalesecent

Original post by Tiger Rag

And like every other student, you're entitled to get a loan. Is there any reason why you can't work full time over the summer?

a loan that covers less than half of it. nope - still not convinced that would cover it, and it couldn't be completely full time, i have work experience planned.

Reply 56

Klix88

Original post by Tiger Rag

I seem to remember (and I'm sure someone will correct me on this - I lived in halls) that it can sometimes be cheaper to live in a student flat / house than it can be to live in halls.

Definitely worth considering. Bear in mind that private renting can have additional variables like power, water etc, where Halls rent tends to be all-inclusive. Don't look at a cheap private rent and automatically think that's the sum total of what you'll pay.

Reply 57

Klix88

There's always the option of delaying going to uni until you can be assessed as an independent student. When you reach 25, you will automatically be considered independent of your parents' income by SF. Plus if you go into full-time study, for the purposes of assessment they will assume that you are leaving work and will have zero income - you will automatically get the maximum Maintenance Loan.

It's a delay which can be used to build valuable work and life experience, which is likely to be very useful for the types of career which might lead directly from a Psychology delay. You may also be able to build up some savings - on top of a maximum Maintenance Loan, you'd potentially be living very comfortably during your degree study.

As an above poster says, sometimes in life we can't have exactly what we want, right when we want it. But with a bit of patience, in this situation you could get significant financial and practical advantages by being patient and playing a longer game.

Reply 58

redferry

Original post by opalesecent

Just checked this earlier today and I found that out too, the loan rules have changed since last time i looked. I am entitled to about £3,400 as I'll be living outside of London, this loan however still only covers of half of what I'd need to live.

Defer your place and work for a year, then get a part time job at uni and work in the holidays. That's what I did and I earned so much that I managed to save up thousands of pounds so I'm sure you'll be fine. You could also reapply to unis with lower living costs. Unis in the Midlands or north will have rents about half of those on the cities you've applied to, if not less.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 59

littlemissmidget123

Original post by GeologyMaths

I'll be getting £8200 maintenance loan + £3000 free bursary every year
, since I lied saying I live with my Grandparents. I'm going to avoid paying the student loan back by working in another country(: