Single parent going to university

Katrina1991

I don't know where to start!
I have a son who will be 5 when I start university in 2018 and he will be in year one. I have to move away as there are no midwifery courses near where I live. I'm hoping for Plymouth as it's closer to my family in Cornwall than where I am now.
I'm currently at college studying BTEC level 3 health and social care and he is in nursery and starts school in September.
I'm not worried about moving him next year as kids adapt really well and he's a confident little lad I know he'd enjoy it.
I am worried about finances and where we would live?
Are there accommodation loans etc?
Are there any single parents who can tell me what I can roughly get next year? - income is low.
Anyone who has moved away with a child for uni?
I don't have a lot of support where I am now so being just me and him in a new town won't be much different to now.
I am mainly worried about money... I don't know how any of this works at the moment and I have emailed universities these questions but no replies.
TIA

Reply 1

Tara_Mc

Hi Katrina,

I don't know enough information to tell you how much you could get, but you can always apply for a maintenance loan through student finance, which will hopefully help you with living costs. (Are you planning to apply for a student loan for your tuition fee too? If not, you really should look into it.)

You can use this calculator to figure out how much you could get,
https://www.gov.uk/student-finance-calculator

Also this article should be helpful,

http://university.which.co.uk/advice/student-finance/student-parents-financial-support-facilities

I wish you all the best,
Tara

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 2

username2769500

Would you not get both loans then?

Reply 3

jelly1000

Original post by Katrina1991

The other main thing you need to consider is that midwifery placements whilst a student usually include night shifts and almost certainly will once qualified- who will stay home wiith your son at night?

Reply 4

Klix88

Original post by jelly1000

This is a very good point.

One of my in-laws went through a nursing degree with two young children, but she lived in the same town as her two sisters and parents, who shared out school runs, breakfast, tea and sleepover duties between them. It was still a struggle, even with a local support network and placements at the local hospital which ended up only being about one-third night shifts. She could have ended up on placement anywhere in a thirty mile radius, on any kind of twelve hour shift pattern. No account is taken of your family commitments during placements, as a job won't do that either.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 5

Katrina1991

Thank you, I had been worrying about this, but I spoke with two heads of departments at two universities and they said while I will still be expected to do this there will be some leeway. My son would be away with his dad every other weekend and I could do the night/weekend shifts then. I know it will be difficult but they said they had single parents who did the course too so it isn't impossible. I am worried about a support circle but if I don't move away then I can't further a career. I don't know what else I can do

Single parent going to university

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