What other financial help is available that you don't repay?

Go on the website of your chosen university. They'll have information about scholarships/bursaries on offer. They'll also have an eligibility criteria so you can see if you are actually eligible.
It can sometimes be automated, so as soon as you start in the first term, they'd send you a letter informing you that you're eligible for a bursary. They don't always inform you so it would be best for you to check yourself. They didn't tell me that I was eligible for a 2k bursary until I did the research.

I did go on the website but it was confusing. Only talked about certain courses and a scheme where you have to do certain activities to continue the payments or something

Posted from TSR Mobile

That's a bit personal isn't it? I'm not talking about myself here you know, I'm just offering a general type scenario. Let's hope the government doesn't start coming out with the same thing as you any time soon!

Please explain how having a child straight after taking out a £36,000+ loan is logical.

Please explain how having a child straight after taking out a £36,000+ loan is logical.

What uni?

BCU

Posted from TSR Mobile

So people shouldn't have sex until they've paid back 36k?

Well, although it's good to be rational where possible I don't think one's personal life is - or even should be - entirely logical!

As having children (it seems to me anyway) can be such a central part of a human life imposing heavy limitations on this natural process would be draconian.

For instance, let me give you an actual personal reflection: if I were in a relationship with someone I loved and we were both clear than we intended our commitment to one another to be long term, we both wanted children, and felt emotionally ready I might be prepared to pinch and live and make mend for the sake of having children. Financial circumstances are potentially temporary whereas offspring are (bar tragedy striking) for the rest of one's life.

I presume you have heard of contraception...

Since the maintenance grant has been taken away, I won't be able to afford travel costs to uni. I will also need help with equipment/resources, studying textile design and will need to buy what I need for work myself. From a low income household as well, is there any financial help I can get that doesn't have to be paid back?

I already applied for a tuition fee loan and won't be applying for the maintenance loan since I'll be living at home and don't need it.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Please tell me how you can't afford costs when the total maintenance loan available has increased to a level higher than the maintenance loan+grant combo? If you got the grant, you would have had less money coming in anyway. So surely, the grant being there makes absolutely 0 difference to your ability to afford travelling costs...

The funds are available for you to take out and should help with your travel costs. It doesn't matter how large of a loan you end up with, you'd still be paying back 9% of your income, past £21k - i.e. whether you take out the maintenance loan or not you'll still be paying back the same amount of money each year.

My advice: take out the maintenance loan. There's no need to suffer finding alternative means of support when there's a clear and easy way out of your situation which hardly affects you long-term.

I wouldn't use the word 'suffering'. I would say OP seems arrogant and entitled to say they don't need the maintenance loan so won't be taking it but are looking for free money instead. The vast majority of students from the UK studying at UK unis take a maintenance loan. I'm pretty sure every student would prefer to be entirely funded by grants and bursaries/scholarships. But unfortunately that's not an option with the current funding system. OP should accept they need to take out the maintenance loan.

If I were with someone I planned on being with forever and wanted kids with we would make the sensible decision to wait until we are earning enough to be able to comfortably afford to have them. Not just have them regardless then go crying to the government because we don't have enough money. Far too many people don't take responsibility for their actions and don't think about the consequences. The government isn't there to find your life, they should be there to help people in emergencies, with things outside of their control. Not pay for kids because someone couldn't be bothered to use contraception or plan things properly. Actively choosing to have kids when you can't afford them is irresponsible and in my opinion doesn't make you a very good parent.