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Can't afford to pay foreign fees What to do?

Hi.

This is my situation. My mum will get indefinite leave to remain (which entitles me to grants, student loans, support etc) in the summer 2007. If I start the course before then I have to pay foreign fees all the way (the uni's say it is not possible to change your fee status once you start to course).

If I accept an offer, my mum will have to pay £12K upfront (+£7K living expences). That's around 20 grand each year, and that is also my mums salary. I don't have a dad, my brother is 16 and will go to uni in 2007 (on home fees).

You might think, "take a gap year then". That's not that simple. In order to get indefinte leave automatically in 2007 I have to "remain in full time education" - i.e. come back to my school's sixth form and do AS-Levels with people 2 years below. I am not allowed to get a job, and even speaking 3 languages fluently I can't earn money towards the fees.

Also, this would be such a missive step back for me. I came from Russia in 2003 to be put in year 10 when I should have gone to year 11 by age. I went to great trouble to do my GCSE's in one year to catch up and study with my agegroup. Meanwhile, my Russian friends will be in their second year at uni (like I could have been had I stayed in Russia), my British friends will be in their first year (or doing smthg productive), my younger brother will be doing A2; and me - I will be stuck with 16 y.o. (no offence) for a year.

There is no way that we can pay £20K, my mum can't get a loan that big. The only three ways in which the situation changes:
- Russia joins EU (no hope there)
- I get refugee status (not relevant)
- I marry a person with a status and pay home fees (obviously I don't want that).

I have worked incredibly hard to get my grades and have received 4 offers from good uni's. I love Economics and was so looking forward to studying it. And now?..

Has anyone been in the situation like that. Next wednesday (15th) I am going to go to Bath (1st choice) to begg them let me pay home fees.

Any suggestions? Have any of your friends been in a situation like that? Do you know anyone who "escaped" paing foreign fees? Are uni's allowed to let me pay forein fees? What should I say to Bath?

I got the 2 schools I went to to write a letter telling how great I am, that's all I've got at the moment. Oh, and please don't suggest going to Russia.

Sorry for rambling, I'm running out of options here.

Thanks.

Reply 1

Tarts_n_Vicars

13

Investigate scholarship opportunities.

I really can't say one way or the other on the rest of your post, I'm sure some internationals will help though :smile:

Reply 2

andy5788

14

On a totally different note that's ****ing insane. You have three languages, want to work to pay your way through Uni, and can't. Bloody country and it's immigration rules....
I don't know about your situation though I'm afraid, but good luck!

Reply 3

FadeToBlackout

15

That sounds really rubbish. I agree with andy, the situation is rubbish, and i feel exactly the same way about it.

Perhaps, as T'n'V says, scholarships are the best oppertunities. The uni's websites probably have details on tehm and how to apply. Other than that, maybe you could start uni, as they will support you financially with bursaries if it comes down to that. And as you're so talented (and I'm not being sarcastic here- you really are!) you should be able to take translation work and so on in the holidays, which is probably some of the best-paid work you can get!

Thinking about it, though, it is probably best to go to uni and take advantage of as many scholarships, bursaries and so on as you can. The chances are that the unis have trust funds set up by alumni to pay for foreign students; these are probably your best bet.

http://www.ukcosa.org.uk/

http://www.bath.ac.uk/international/finance/scholarships.html

The bath international students website says about asking for help from your government. Have you done this yet? I really don't know much about the Russian government, but perhaps they'd offer you money or a loan or something to study here- maybe financial assistence of some sort.

The only other advice i can give is that it probably will cost you less than £7 k in living expenses, if you budget carefully and so on. I'm paying about £5 1/2 to £6 k a year, just through careful budgeting, cheap rooms, and so on.

Oh, and I'm fairly sure that it's not just your mum who will get a loan- you should be able to get one yourself as well, although obviously the interest and so on is a bit prohibitive.

The only other suggestions I have is to write to your MP (assuming that they're any good) to see if he can raise the issue- after all, it's what he or she is elected for, to represent the people!- and maybe write to John Clare who does the education section in teh Telegraph and so on, who will be able to do far better research into this then I can.

Good luck! I really hope that, either way, you will be able to go to uni and do what you want to do!

Reply 4

Purple

18

Do some more relevant A Levels, do the AS & A2 in a year. How about further maths? English? Physics?

Reply 5

BexTait

1

Could you just ask to defer a year (so you then wouldn't have to reapply) and do a couple of A-levels, or other qualifications, in that year to fulfil requitements.

Or could you perhaps go back to Russia for a year and return when your mum has indefinte leave (dunno how the immigration thing works tho TBH)

Reply 6

tanusha-tomsk

OP

18

Thanks for all the replies!
I don't qualify for most grants and scholarships etc, and the ones that are available are not large enough. Even if they help me lower the cost by 50% we still can't afford it.
I am not allowed to leave the country for more than 2 weeks per year and I am not allowed to work more than 15 hours in a week (2 days).
Doing As/A2s in a "Gap year" would be quite depressing - they will be 2 years younger than I. That's what I will have to do unless Bath will take pity on me :frown:

My present and previous schools have written brilliant references for me, this might help, but other than that I don't know what else I can do. You are right, that is a ***** situation and it starting to really get to me.

Thanks again.

Reply 7

Scipio

13

tanusha-tomsk

Thanks for all the replies!
I don't qualify for most grants and scholarships etc, and the ones that are available are not large enough. Even if they help me lower the cost by 50% we still can't afford it.
I am not allowed to leave the country for more than 2 weeks per year and I am not allowed to work more than 15 hours in a week (2 days).
Doing As/A2s in a "Gap year" would be quite depressing - they will be 2 years younger than I. That's what I will have to do unless Bath will take pity on me :frown:

My present and previous schools have written brilliant references for me, this might help, but other than that I don't know what else I can do. You are right, that is a ***** situation and it starting to really get to me.

Thanks again.

You'll find there are a lot of mature(er) student doing undergrauates degrees, you won't be the only one. Take the year out and do another A level or two.

Reply 8

BexTait

1

You're not necessarily going to be 2 years older if you do an A-Level or two in the year out at a college, as there are sometimes older people there. If you didn't want to go through the applying again, then do try deferring your entry. If you explained I should imagine the uni would understand.

Reply 9

andy5788

14

Yeah a couple of A Levels combined with some language tuition work at a school or something (<15 hours obviously, like a language assistant type thing) would pass the time by.
I agree not the best scenario but surely better than not going at all?

Reply 10

Purple

18

I am the "normal" age yet theres only 1 other 16 year old in my year:/

tanusha-tomsk

Thanks for all the replies!
I don't qualify for most grants and scholarships etc, and the ones that are available are not large enough. Even if they help me lower the cost by 50% we still can't afford it.
I am not allowed to leave the country for more than 2 weeks per year and I am not allowed to work more than 15 hours in a week (2 days).
Doing As/A2s in a "Gap year" would be quite depressing - they will be 2 years younger than I. That's what I will have to do unless Bath will take pity on me :frown:

My present and previous schools have written brilliant references for me, this might help, but other than that I don't know what else I can do. You are right, that is a ***** situation and it starting to really get to me.

Thanks again.

Reply 11

nikki

9

tanusha-tomsk

Doing As/A2s in a "Gap year" would be quite depressing - they will be 2 years younger than I. That's what I will have to do unless Bath will take pity on me :frown:

If you can't handle being around people 2 years younger than you, how are you going to handle university and work? I don't see why age matters, I'm doing my ASes with people 4 years younger than me!

Life's a bitch, and sometimes things just don't go the way you want them to. If you can't go to university this year, then take a gap year and make the most of it. They say life is, after all, what you make of it. Do some different subjects, take up some new hobbies, do voluntary work, post on TSR all day... :wink:

Reply 12

tanusha-tomsk

OP

18

nikki

If you can't handle being around people 2 years younger than you, how are you going to handle university and work?

There would be no single person of my age in the school. I have no problem with people younger than I am, my brother is a year younger and I'm friends with his friends. However, having spend a whole year with people younger than me and then coming to my year group - it seemed heaven. I don't want to go back again. Thanks for all the advice, but "do more A-Levels" is kind of what I will have to do, I'd appreciate more advice on how to avoid it!

Thanks

Reply 13

Nuheen

12

Hi tanusha, we are on the same boat. I have looked into unis but they dont give full tuition waiver in the undergrads. The fees for international student is monstrous, I know. I will be doing my undergrads for free in the best local private uni and then go to england or somewhere for graduation. I might be lucky to get a scholarship the. Unfortunately you dont want to go to russia, so you really are in a tight situation.

Being a good student doesnt matter. i would better be an american or english than being gifted in studies. Atleast they have to pay a low fee :frown:

. i expect to get 4 or 5 A's in alevel but it wont matter. It really stinks.

Reply 14

Sarky

18

tanusha-tomsk

There would be no single person of my age in the school. I have no problem with people younger than I am, my brother is a year younger and I'm friends with his friends. However, having spend a whole year with people younger than me and then coming to my year group - it seemed heaven. I don't want to go back again. Thanks for all the advice, but "do more A-Levels" is kind of what I will have to do, I'd appreciate more advice on how to avoid it!

Thanks

Your situation is unfortunate, but there are many worse things than having to spend a year with people who are 12 months (or less younger than you). I am surrounded by people younger than me on my course, as well as people older and i resat my A levels making me older still. You may have to wait a year to get what you want but if you really want it (and you sound very dedicated) then a year is not that long in the grand scheme of things. Yes it means leaving your friends behind, but people grow apart anyway it is natural even though it is sad.

Good luck

Reply 15

*River

15

I doubt they'll wave the international fees, because home fees are subsidesed by the government I think. If I were you, I would just do some more A Levels to keep your brain going, and not to worry too much. Next year, it'll be OK so just look forward to it.

Reply 16

BexTait

1

tanusha-tomsk

There would be no single person of my age in the school. I have no problem with people younger than I am, my brother is a year younger and I'm friends with his friends. However, having spend a whole year with people younger than me and then coming to my year group - it seemed heaven. I don't want to go back again. Thanks for all the advice, but "do more A-Levels" is kind of what I will have to do, I'd appreciate more advice on how to avoid it!

Thanks

How about going to the local college, and do some other form of course than A-Level. That way you are even more likely to not be the only one your age, plus you get the benefit of experiencing somewhere new, as like a warm up to uni?

Reply 17

FadeToBlackout

15

I was just about to suggest the same thing! You're probably more likely to find people of varying ages at college, and as it has a far more relaxed atmousphere, like uni, it won't be a complete shock when you arrive!

I don't know, also, if you can do AVCEs or some form of qualification other than A-Level for the languages, or the economics to make you better qualified! I don't know where your interests lie, but how about doing a vocational qualification (if there is one!) in an economics-related discipline or type of job to enhance your future prospects even more? Or perhaps retaketeh economics A-Level to get an A, as that is what you want to do at Uni, but you'd have a whole year to brush up on the areas that you're not quite so hot at, and read and basically have a far more relaxed and enjoyable time studying it!

Reply 18

fatyeung

7

hi tanusha,

remember me? i the hong kong guy whom you met at the cambridge interview~

okay. i m overseas. i have to pay an enormous sum of money to get into a UK university each year... and i have to point out that your calculation (above) might not be enough. it could be more than 20k if you study in a Band 2 course (say business studies).

say for Uni of Warwick, for a Band 1 course (ie All arts and social science subjs, excluding business) my own calculation would be:

Tuition, for 2005/6 £8,700

39 weeks accomodation estimated £3000 (might pay more if you go to cambridge or something)

Books and materials £350

39 weeks food/ general expenses at £9.95 per day = £2720

Clothing, TV license, entertainment budget at £1340

Travel budget (train or London tube month pass etc, EXCLUDING air travel) £470 ------- say a round trip airticket to hong kong would be approx £650, depending on the time/ type/ airline you travel.. and i have to go home for a holiday, and to see my folks, friends etc, at least once a year

Misc living expense £1810

total estimated costs at least £16,470 p.a.
plus extras if you stay in the uni for holidays.
as you are an economist, im sure you are aware of the current inflation rate is 4%... that means in the 2nd year you have to pay £16,470 x 104% and so on.. compound interest calculations...

so if i were you, i will definitely re-do the A Level, probably take some easy subjects, eg photography, further maths [you're good at maths do you?], and even re-do some of your previously done subjects. AND find a part time job at ASDA or PC World or whatever, im sure there are loads of opportunities in london. as a full time student, you may work up to 20 hrs a weeek during term times. say if you work in a nearby mcdonald's, you may earn £ 4*20 = £ 80 or up a week, that's more than enough for a student~ right?

i wish you all the best tanusha
(happy chinese new year~~)

Reply 19

fatyeung

7

one more thing ~~~

now you have two choices:

a) go for your offers (you have one from LSE, right?) and pay overseas fees

b) give up your offers, and apply again after your mum has been given a status.

and one point to add... a friend of mine is a british citizen but he isn't entitled to "home" fee status when he started university. according to the new DfES rules, he has first to live here for 3 years (not primarily in full time education) prior to university in order to be a "home student"

Can't afford to pay foreign fees What to do?

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