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Part time OT Finance

I've been on the phone to student finance this morning and have asked about a maintenance loan.
After the man on the other end of the phone looked through the computer on his end, he said because its only part time degree that students studying this course are not entitled to anything other than a tuition fee loan.

My worry is that while yes the course is only part time, there are full time placements through out the years of the course some of which are 8 weeks. I'm hoping that my current job will allow me to take these times as unpaid but if not then that means i will have to leave my current job and that I will not be able to support myself as there is no application available for a maintenance loan or anything else.

Is anyone else in this predicament or are there any ways around it?