The Student Room Group

Maintenance Loan for study abroad - enquiry

Hello,

I finished my undergraduate course last July 2017, which was financed through the SFE.

While on my last term at Uni I applied for a scholarship awarded by the British Council, titled 'Generation UK- China'. Fortunately I was offered a place to study Mandarin Chinese full-time on their spring term starting Feb 2018 for one semester.

The British Council scholarship will cover all my tuition fees and accommodation, but not my travel and living expenses. When I accepted the offer back in June 2017, I believed I would be able to save enough money to support myself while abroad, but having an entry level salary while being self supported, living in London, has proved it to be a very unattainable task.

As time approaches I'm becoming very uncertain about my ability to support myself abroad, and I wonder if I could apply for any sort of funding from the SFE to help me carry out my studies.

Any bursaries, grants or even just a loan which I could rely on through the 5 months abroad would help. I have been looking at information regarding student loans, advanced learner Loans and potential bursary fund, but I'm unsure which ones would actually apply (if any) in my situation.

Please let me know if there's any help I can expect from the government, SFE, in this case.

Many thanks,

Joice
Original post by Joice.Matinado
Hello,

I finished my undergraduate course last July 2017, which was financed through the SFE.

While on my last term at Uni I applied for a scholarship awarded by the British Council, titled 'Generation UK- China'. Fortunately I was offered a place to study Mandarin Chinese full-time on their spring term starting Feb 2018 for one semester.

The British Council scholarship will cover all my tuition fees and accommodation, but not my travel and living expenses. When I accepted the offer back in June 2017, I believed I would be able to save enough money to support myself while abroad, but having an entry level salary while being self supported, living in London, has proved it to be a very unattainable task.

As time approaches I'm becoming very uncertain about my ability to support myself abroad, and I wonder if I could apply for any sort of funding from the SFE to help me carry out my studies.

Any bursaries, grants or even just a loan which I could rely on through the 5 months abroad would help. I have been looking at information regarding student loans, advanced learner Loans and potential bursary fund, but I'm unsure which ones would actually apply (if any) in my situation.

Please let me know if there's any help I can expect from the government, SFE, in this case.

Many thanks,

Joice


Hi Joice.Matinado,


Customers applying for a travel grant must be.

Studying abroad as part of there course;

Studying abroad or attending a placement as part of ERASMUS scheme

Attending an unpaid placement at an overseas institution and undertaking research or

Attending a clinical placement as an integral part of an undergraduate medicine/dentistry course (students on graduate entry medicine could receive a Travel Grant if they are on a clinical placement in their first year only, from year 2 they are eligible to receive NHS funding so will only receive a Reduced Rate Maintenance Loan from us)


Thanks

Catherine
Hi Catherine,

Thank you very much for your answer, it is very helpful!

What I wonder is, if there would be a possibility take a student loan (rather than grant), to cover my subsistence costs while abroad.

For example, when I was at university, I could take a maintenance loan. I wonder if that would be available for me to apply for.

My course is full time, taking place in an university in China. It is not part of Erasmus, but organised by the British Council which is a government institution.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards,

Joice Matinado




Original post by Catherine SFE
Hi Joice.Matinado,


Customers applying for a travel grant must be.

Studying abroad as part of there course;

Studying abroad or attending a placement as part of ERASMUS scheme

Attending an unpaid placement at an overseas institution and undertaking research or

Attending a clinical placement as an integral part of an undergraduate medicine/dentistry course (students on graduate entry medicine could receive a Travel Grant if they are on a clinical placement in their first year only, from year 2 they are eligible to receive NHS funding so will only receive a Reduced Rate Maintenance Loan from us)


Thanks

Catherine
Original post by Joice.Matinado
Hi Catherine,

Thank you very much for your answer, it is very helpful!

What I wonder is, if there would be a possibility take a student loan (rather than grant), to cover my subsistence costs while abroad.

For example, when I was at university, I could take a maintenance loan. I wonder if that would be available for me to apply for.

My course is full time, taking place in an university in China. It is not part of Erasmus, but organised by the British Council which is a government institution.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards,

Joice Matinado


Hi Joice,

If you were studying overseas you would only be eligible for funding if the time abroad was as part of a course at a UK university or college.

Based on the information you've given I would advise contacting the British Council for help with funding sources.

Regards,

Stuart

Quick Reply

Latest