Are your parents helping you with university finance?

I want to go to university and learn to drive. My biggest problem is the cost, I can't ask my parents to help out. My older brother took a gap year and worked before going to university. This allowed him to get enough money to pay for driving lessons and to cover some additional uni costs. My parents have not needed to support him financially at all and he can now afford to live a comfortable life at uni. When I say "comfortable" he can afford to eat out 3 times a week, go out when ever he likes etc. Me on the other hand it is a different story. I do not want to take a gap year, I just want to go straight in to university as I am planning to do a longer course anyway. So I am basically short on money. As my brother managed perfectly happily and didn't need any help, it would be wrong for my parents to help me out. I am basically stuck, I have been looking for a summer job, I have had a few interviews but not been offered anything. So it looks like I will be unemployed over the Summer. Without any money I can't learn to drive, which I really want to do and get out of the way before uni. I understand where my parents are coming from, not helping me out as it would be unfair on my brother. However my friends are all learning to drive and their parents are paying for them. Their parents are even offering to help out with costs. When I mention giving up on going to uni due to costs, my parents get really disappointed.
What can I do? Did your parents help out with the costs?

Reply 1

Airmed

21

Why don't you just wait until uni to learn how to drive? Do it at the weekends?

Reply 2

the one 123

11

no, I got a Saturday and Sunday job

Reply 3

Anonymous #1

OP

Original post by Airmed

Why don't you just wait until uni to learn how to drive? Do it at the weekends?

I will not have enough to learn how to drive while I am at university. My student loan will not cover it. I would have to wait until I have finished and found a job. So probably not until I am 24.

Reply 4

PEFLAME

10

You don't even need to drive when you're at Uni, just wait until you finish?

Reply 5

PastelPie134

If it's driving at Uni you're worried about, I would recommend you study at (and live at) a city-based university. Public transport should get you where you need to go, and you should get some discount on fees if you're a student.

Reply 6

username738914

21

Only when I run out of money (e.g. to get back home or for the last week or two of term for food). Student finance otherwise covers everything.

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Reply 7

Jackieox

19

Original post by Anonymous

I want to go to university and learn to drive. My biggest problem is the cost, I can't ask my parents to help out. My older brother took a gap year and worked before going to university. This allowed him to get enough money to pay for driving lessons and to cover some additional uni costs. My parents have not needed to support him financially at all and he can now afford to live a comfortable life at uni. When I say "comfortable" he can afford to eat out 3 times a week, go out when ever he likes etc. Me on the other hand it is a different story. I do not want to take a gap year, I just want to go straight in to university as I am planning to do a longer course anyway. So I am basically short on money. As my brother managed perfectly happily and didn't need any help, it would be wrong for my parents to help me out. I am basically stuck, I have been looking for a summer job, I have had a few interviews but not been offered anything. So it looks like I will be unemployed over the Summer. Without any money I can't learn to drive, which I really want to do and get out of the way before uni. I understand where my parents are coming from, not helping me out as it would be unfair on my brother. However my friends are all learning to drive and their parents are paying for them. Their parents are even offering to help out with costs. When I mention giving up on going to uni due to costs, my parents get really disappointed.
What can I do? Did your parents help out with the costs?

Even if you got a job now theres only like 6 weeks of summer left..
Regarding the driving do you really need a car at uni? I get why you'd want to do it but it sounds like you'd be learning then not getting a car until after uni anyway? Besides uni holidays are LONG (as in i broke up in April..) So you could always learn to drive over the summer and work part time alongside your degree?

My parents paid for my driving lessons when I was 17 but i bought my car, insurance, tax and everything like that myself.

Reply 8

Authoritarian

1

They have done, though not considerable amounts (not beyond 500 GBP per year) as I won a scholarship from an external source to finance my studies in the UK (the living costs). I am from Denmark so I could take the SFE loan as it is a reasonable deal in the long-term.

Reply 9

Anonymous #1

OP

Original post by PastelPie134

If it's driving at Uni you're worried about, I would recommend you study at (and live at) a city-based university. Public transport should get you where you need to go, and you should get some discount on fees if you're a student.

I wouldn't take my car to university, besides I would never be able to afford to buy a car. I want to learn to drive now, while I am young. I heard learning to drive when you are older is difficult. When you are young and make mistakes it is find because you are young. The older I get the less likely I am to learn to drive. I worry that when I am 24/25 and start to learn it will be difficult. Not only that I feel a certain "peer pressure" to learn. Whenever I tell people I am 17, the first thing they say is "Are you learning to drive?". I did work experience a few weeks back and my supervisor presumed I could drive, she let me go an hour early. I had to wait on the side of the road for an hour, before my parents picked me up. I just don't like the feeling that everyone expects/presumes I can drive.

Reply 10

Anonymous #1

OP

Original post by Authoritarian

They have done, though not considerable amounts (not beyond 500 GBP per year) as I won a scholarship from an external source to finance my studies in the UK (the living costs). I am from Denmark so I could take the SFE loan as it is a reasonable deal in the long-term.

Can you afford to pay for driving lessons out of your student loan? If I managed to budget it in, I think I would be left (after rent) with about £5 a week for food, social and transport etc. Unless I got a scholarship from the university, which I have been looking into

Reply 11

Doones

21

Original post by Anonymous

I want to go to university and learn to drive. My biggest problem is the cost, I can't ask my parents to help out. My older brother took a gap year and worked before going to university. This allowed him to get enough money to pay for driving lessons and to cover some additional uni costs. My parents have not needed to support him financially at all and he can now afford to live a comfortable life at uni. When I say "comfortable" he can afford to eat out 3 times a week, go out when ever he likes etc. Me on the other hand it is a different story. I do not want to take a gap year, I just want to go straight in to university as I am planning to do a longer course anyway. So I am basically short on money. As my brother managed perfectly happily and didn't need any help, it would be wrong for my parents to help me out. I am basically stuck, I have been looking for a summer job, I have had a few interviews but not been offered anything. So it looks like I will be unemployed over the Summer. Without any money I can't learn to drive, which I really want to do and get out of the way before uni. I understand where my parents are coming from, not helping me out as it would be unfair on my brother. However my friends are all learning to drive and their parents are paying for them. Their parents are even offering to help out with costs. When I mention giving up on going to uni due to costs, my parents get really disappointed.
What can I do? Did your parents help out with the costs?

Why do you need to learn to drive now? You won't be able to have a car at university (usually), so it will be parked up depreciating and costing a fortune in insurance. Just leave it all until after university.

Going to university is more important than learning to drive.

Regarding finance, do you qualify for the full maintenance loan? You may also qualify for a bursary from your university on top.

And there should be plenty of summer jobs - even if it's just retail/restaurant/pub work.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 12

Anonymous #1

OP

Original post by Doonesbury

Why do you need to learn to drive now? You won't be able to have a car at university (usually), so it will be parked up depreciating and costing a fortune in insurance. Just leave it all until after university.

Going to university is more important than learning to drive.

Regarding finance, do you qualify for the full maintenance loan? You may also qualify for a bursary from your university on top.

And there should be plenty of summer jobs - even if it's just retail/restaurant/pub work.

Getting a car isn't a problem. My parents would allow me to practise on their car and I wouldn't need my own. I am struggling to get work because I live in a rather rural remote area, so everywhere I go I need transport. The public transport is practically non existent, but I can rely on my parents for transport. When I go for jobs, they always ask me whether I can drive. When I tell them I can't, but my parents will be able to get me there everyday, I feel like they count it against me. Employers think that those who have to rely on others for transport are unreliable workers. I have had a few interviews for seasonal work, but got nothing. I think I am able to claim the maximum for maintenance loan (if they haven't changed it). I am hoping to get at least some form of bursary from the university, but I don't know how much it will be.

Reply 13

Cubone-r

21

I know people who did not learn to drive until they were in their mid to late twenties and passed just fine. You can still make mistakes when you are older. It's just situational, not everyone learns when they are 17/18.

Anyway, when flying cars become commercially viable, everyone will have to take a new test anyway. :tongue:

Reply 14

Doones

21

Original post by Anonymous

I think I am able to claim the maximum for maintenance loan (if they haven't changed it). I am hoping to get at least some form of bursary from the university, but I don't know how much it will be.

Assuming you are going to university outside London and not living at home you will get £8,200 (for 2017/18) maintenance loan.

The additional bursary should be clearly stated on the university web site. Which university?

I'm unclear what stage you are at... are you going to university this Sept? or 2018?

Reply 15

Anonymous #1

OP

Original post by Doonesbury

Assuming you are going to university outside London and not living at home you will get £8,200 (for 2017/18) maintenance loan.

The additional bursary should be clearly stated on the university web site. Which university?

I'm unclear what stage you are at... are you going to university this Sept? or 2018?

2018 entry. I am currently in year 12 going into year 13 in September. I have asked about bursaries and scholarships at various open days and the exact figures haven't been decided. I don't know which university I will apply for. I am considering Lancaster, Surrey, Warwick, Birmingham, Durham and Imperial.

Reply 16

Fighter365

19

Original post by Doonesbury

Assuming you are going to university outside London and not living at home you will get £8,200 (for 2017/18) maintenance loan.

The additional bursary should be clearly stated on the university web site. Which university?

I'm unclear what stage you are at... are you going to university this Sept? or 2018?

Bloody hell I wish I got that much 😂

Reply 17

Doones

21

Original post by Anonymous

2018 entry. I am currently in year 12 going into year 13 in September. I have asked about bursaries and scholarships at various open days and the exact figures haven't been decided. I don't know which university I will apply for. I am considering Lancaster, Surrey, Warwick, Birmingham, Durham and Imperial.

Well just for example, Surrey:
https://www.surrey.ac.uk/discover/undergraduate-bursaries-and-scholarships-2017
So in 2017 a household income below £25k would get you a £3000 bursary per year.

If you also qualify for a Merit Scholarship* then that's an additional £2000
https://www.surrey.ac.uk/discover/undergraduate-bursaries-and-scholarships-2017

*First year only, not means tested, Surrey must be your Firm Offer, certain courses only, etc, etc

Yes these may (and often do) change in 2018 but assume 2017 applies for now.

Reply 18

OwlOfFire

17

Original post by Doonesbury

Well just for example, Surrey:
https://www.surrey.ac.uk/discover/undergraduate-bursaries-and-scholarships-2017
So in 2017 a household income below £25k would get you a £3000 bursary per year.

If you also qualify for a Merit Scholarship* then that's an additional £2000
https://www.surrey.ac.uk/discover/undergraduate-bursaries-and-scholarships-2017

*First year only, not means tested, Surrey must be your Firm Offer, certain courses only, etc, etc

Yes these may (and often do) change in 2018 but assume 2017 applies for now.