Restricted to uni&#x27;s offering bursaries &amp; scholarships! Parent looking for help!!

Original post by Weavers7

Hi I'm hoping someone can offer advise. I am a parent of a year 12 student currently looking at what universities my son can study history at. We are a low income family and this is affecting the choice of universities, I feel we are having to restrict the choice to uni's that offer bursaries or scholarships to ensure my son can afford to live. We have narrowed it down to Leeds, Loughborough, Kent, Edge Hill, and Sheffield Hallam. ( these offer financial
help and my son is interested in the more modern history modules they offer) What are peoples thoughts on these universities for history? My son is grammar school educated and really wanted him to carry on getting the best education from a university.
Hope this makes sense and really hope someone can advise.
Thanks.

The first three are all pretty good for History. Personally I prefer Leeds and Kent because of their modules, but you can ask @04MR17 about Loughborough - he loves it there.

As to other unis offering bursaries, I assume you have looked at every university?

Has your son considered getting a part-time job? Or taking a gap year to build up some funds before embarking on university?

Reply 2

OP

Original post by ageshallnot

The first three are all pretty good for History. Personally I prefer Leeds and Kent because of their modules, but you can ask @04MR17 about Loughborough - he loves it there.

As to other unis offering bursaries, I assume you have looked at every university?

Has your son considered getting a part-time job? Or taking a gap year to build up some funds before embarking on university?

Thank you for your reply. Yes looked at most of them, my son likes the look of Kent modules but I am concerned about high living costs. He will have to get part time job too and with bursaries or/& scholarship help hopefully he will manage. Just concerned as feel we are restricted and wondering if the universities we have narrowed it down to will still provide a respected degree to future employers ??

Reply 3

Original post by Weavers7

Thank you for your reply. Yes looked at most of them, my son likes the look of Kent modules but I am concerned about high living costs. He will have to get part time job too and with bursaries or/& scholarship help hopefully he will manage. Just concerned as feel we are restricted and wondering if the universities we have narrowed it down to will still provide a respected degree to future employers ??

I think any of the first three would be fine.

Living costs can be an odd one. For example, Cambridge is one of the cheapest universities to attend.

Reply 4

04MR17

Volunteer Section Leader

22

Original post by ageshallnot

you can ask @04MR17 about Loughborough - he loves it there.

Keele

Original post by Weavers7

We are a low income family and this is affecting the choice of universities, I feel we are having to restrict the choice to uni's that offer bursaries or scholarships to ensure my son can afford to live.

Excuse my ignorance but shouldn't the maintenance loan provide enough to live?

Reply 5

Bernadette04

13

It was for this reason my son is studying History at Aberystwyth here in Wales. He won a scholarship and also gets a bursary as a low income student on top. We have a more generous system here though as we are also under Student Finance Wales where in Sept 2018 all students will receive £1kpa Maintenance grant...non repayable and the poorest students where families income is under £18kpa are getting £8100pa Maintenance grant. It makes a huge difference. My son is able to study full time as he has enough to live on.

To be honest look at the Uni halls of residence rents too. Some are more than the entire maintenance loan or a massive chunk of it. That also played a part in Uni choice too.

Reply 6

OP

Original post by ageshallnot

The first three are all pretty good for History. Personally I prefer Leeds and Kent because of their modules, but you can ask @04MR17 about Loughborough - he loves it there.

As to other unis offering bursaries, I assume you have looked at every university?

Has your son considered getting a part-time job? Or taking a gap year to build up some funds before embarking on university?

Thank you for your reply. Yes looked at most of them, my son likes the look of Kent modules but I am concerned about high living costs. He will have to get part time job too and with bursaries or/& scholarship help hopefully he will manage. Just concerned as feel we are restricted and wondering if the universities we have narrowed it down to will still provide a respected degree to future employers ??

Original post by 04MR17

Keele

Excuse my ignorance but shouldn't the maintenance loan provide enough to live?

No some are not enough to even cover accommodation costs, so will need to rely on extra funding and my son getting a job whilst at uni. Are you recommending Keele or advising against it?

Reply 7

OP

Original post by Weavers7

Thank you for your reply. Yes looked at most of them, my son likes the look of Kent modules but I am concerned about high living costs. He will have to get part time job too and with bursaries or/& scholarship help hopefully he will manage. Just concerned as feel we are restricted and wondering if the universities we have narrowed it down to will still provide a respected degree to future employers ??

Can I ask why you don't recommend edge Hill or Sheffield Hallam?

Reply 8

04MR17

Volunteer Section Leader

22

Original post by Weavers7

No some are not enough to even cover accommodation costs, so will need to rely on extra funding and my son getting a job whilst at uni. Are you recommending Keele or advising against it?

That's awful! :redface:

How much is the accommodation?!?!

I was just correcting ageshallnot, I don't go to Loughborough. And Keele isn't the cheapest, but it's affordable with a maintenance loan.

Reply 9

OP

Original post by 04MR17

That's awful! :redface:

How much is the accommodation?!?!

I was just correcting ageshallnot, I don't go to Loughborough. And Keele isn't the cheapest, but it's affordable with a maintenance loan.

Well Kent for example varies between £4500 - £7000 per year. If the grant does cover the cost of accommodation it doesn't leave much to live on. So Keele is good for history? I will check it out thanks.

Reply 10

Original post by 04MR17

I was just correcting ageshallnot, I don't go to Loughborough. And Keele isn't the cheapest, but it's affordable with a maintenance loan.

Doh!!!!!!!!!! :dunce:

Reply 11

Original post by Weavers7

Can I ask why you don't recommend edge Hill or Sheffield Hallam?

They are not universities which I associate with having good reputations for History.

Reply 12

ajj2000

20

Original post by Weavers7

Hi I'm hoping someone can offer advise. I am a parent of a year 12 student currently looking at what universities my son can study history at. We are a low income family and this is affecting the choice of universities, I feel we are having to restrict the choice to uni's that offer bursaries or scholarships to ensure my son can afford to live. We have narrowed it down to Leeds, Loughborough, Kent, Edge Hill, and Sheffield Hallam. ( these offer financial
help and my son is interested in the more modern history modules they offer) What are peoples thoughts on these universities for history? My son is grammar school educated and really wanted him to carry on getting the best education from a university.
Hope this makes sense and really hope someone can advise.
Thanks.

Will your son get the full maintenance loan? If so a lot of northern universities can have reasonable accommodation costs outside of halls. Newcastle can be very reasonable, Leeds and Loughborough also. Cardiff perhaps?

Reply 13