Post-graduate Student Loan - Complicated Situation.

After ten years as a Qualty professional, a career I fell into, I've been unable to find another job in the seven months since I was made redundant.

I'm looking at a career change and for that I need to retrain (even if I was to remain in Quality, I would need to retrain to make myself employable due to an out-of-date skills set, so I wish to retrain to escape a career I don't enjoy). The most effective method would be to return to University for a new Masters (possibly an IT conversion course), meaning I'd be in and out in a year and not dragging out the process over a few years as with distance learning or part time.

I've been looking into postgraduate loans. However, as I already have level 7 (Masters from 1994) and 8 (a science PhD dating from 2003/4) qualifications, according to the Student Loans information online, I'm apparently not automatically eligible for these post graduate loans.

However, I've never had a student loan before and the Masters from 1994 was self-funded. I've read elsewhere that as I've not received a student loan before, I might receive student loan finance after all.

I'm in a situation that if I don't retrain, fiinding meaningful employment will be extremely difficult as is apprent from the job interview feedback I'm receiving.


Can you advise? If I argue a good case, is there the possibility of a discretionary loan if I do not automatically qualify.


Ian

Hi Ian,

Regardless of whether or not you received funding (public or private) for the course, if you already hold a Masters (or higher level qualification) you are not eligible for the Postgraduate Loan from SFE.

You may qualify for other funding, for example grants from charities or trusts. There's more information available here.

Thanks,
Stuart