18 replies to this topic

[Dolly 89]

Hi all, I am just after a little help if any of you lot know.
I am nearly 22 and i am thinking of going back to college so i can then go to uni as i wasted my opertunities a few years ago , all i really wanted to know is, can you get student loans whilst doing A levels or is it only when i go to uni? cheers for any help and if you can think of anything else i might need to know could you please let me know, cheers

[supersimono]

not too sure on that, it may just be for univiersity but I may be wrong. If you can you would be applying for maintenence loan as i guess your college doesn't have tuition fees?

but I would check out the website http://www.direct.go...nance/index.htm

there definately use to be a thing for a/level students but i dont know if the government have scrapped that now....

[Dolly 89]

Cheers for that, i did have a look on there but couldn't really find anything out from it, i was just hoping someone on here would know but if not i will have to get in touch with them somehow. Thanks again

[oli8925]

You might be able to get some support for college courses and a-levels etc. but if you can I think it will fall under a different 'section' of student finance, as you can only apply for 4 years university support maximum. It's a very very confusing area! Good luck

[Tommyboy12]

Student finance will only support you through university. Its a very serious thing you have to weigh up here as you missed your first opportunity. Not to put you off but by the time you go through A-levels and a degree you will be five or six years down the line and up to nearly £50000 in debt if the new fees are anything to go by. Im glad I got into the system before they changed it.

[catface_rovercity89]

Hi,

You can only get student finance if you go to uni. However, you can probably apply for EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance) if you do A-levels, I think this is based on your parents income or your own if you're earning. If you're in the lowest part then you can get £30 a week . I'm basing this on when I did A-levels about 3 years ago, so it may have changed. Good luck!


Cat.

x

[Deathrow]

EMA only applies up to a certain age (and at 22, you're out of it), however I do believe they offer exactly the same system with a different name to older students.

Visit the college you're going to join and ask about financial help, they'll know all the ins and outs.

As others have stated though, be expecting fat tuition fees when you get to Uni. they've just gone up and it wouldn't suprise me if they jump up again in the next 24 months. So glad I've managed to get through Uni. before they changes were made. Even then, I'm still in a shed load of debt. Going to have to make this degree pay for itself!

EDIT: They've shut EMA down as of the first of the year. Not sure about the other one.

http://www.direct.go...n/EMA/DG_066955

[AdamBilsy]

ALG(Adult Learning Grant) is the Adults equivalent of EMA, But I'm not sure if that has been scrapped along with the EMA.

[The_Mistro]

why not do a foundation course at uni rather than go through college?

[Dolly 89]

why not do a foundation course at uni rather than go through college?

That looks like a very good idea, I didn't know such thing even existed.
To the people saying about money, this isn't a snap decision, I have been thinking about it for a long time now and applying to a few places aswell. I have come to realise though that my grades from school just aren't going to cut it, so if i want to do something with my life and get out of my dead end job, i need to study again

[oli8925]

I did a foundation year for engineering and it literally is all the A-level knowledge you will need for your course and a bit more stuffed into to 1 year.

I'm currently at uni but really not finding it worth it or any good for me. The only reason I went was because I couldn't get an apprenticeship a few years ago due to the economy crash, and now I'm stuck with the decision of carry on and try to get a decent degree with £30k debt or drop out and get an apprenticeship at the risk of if I want to go to uni at a later date as a mature student I'm going to be paying silly prices.

[Juju]

why not do a foundation course at uni rather than go through college?

That looks like a very good idea, I didn't know such thing even existed.
To the people saying about money, this isn't a snap decision, I have been thinking about it for a long time now and applying to a few places aswell. I have come to realise though that my grades from school just aren't going to cut it, so if i want to do something with my life and get out of my dead end job, i need to study again

I'd recommend doing a foundation course too. It's only a year, it'll bring you up to the standard required for Uni education, and it will also give you a flavour of the Uni environment & whether you want to continue it full time at degree level. You can also work part-time quite easily during this 12 month period.

I'm currently at uni but really not finding it worth it or any good for me. The only reason I went was because I couldn't get an apprenticeship a few years ago due to the economy crash, and now I'm stuck with the decision of carry on and try to get a decent degree with £30k debt or drop out and get an apprenticeship at the risk of if I want to go to uni at a later date as a mature student I'm going to be paying silly prices.

Stick at it, chappie. Don't drop out now, you'll only be at a disadvantage on the job market, and currently, we ALL need as much as possible on our CVs to get employment. It will cost you far more in the future, and there may well be greater competition for uni places once the less successful institutions are forced to close down.

[supersimono]

You might be able to get some support for college courses and a-levels etc. but if you can I think it will fall under a different 'section' of student finance, as you can only apply for 4 years university support maximum. It's a very very confusing area! Good luck

the 4 years thing better not be true, I did 1 year foundation and now 3 years into my 5 year course........

[1995 MK2 IOM]

I don't know what uni's are like... but because you are now 22, you might find one that would take you with any qualifications and work experience you have... but I am sure that will depend on the uni itself and what uni you are applying to... could be worth a try to miss out the A level stage... just speak to someone and be honest... say you messed up your first chance.. and that you really want to study... you might find one of the smaller (not as well known) uni's MIGHT take you... might be worth a try...

J

[Peds]

There's some great advice here already and I can only add my two pence worth...

I left school with nothing - I mean nothing! (long story)

Call admissions dept's at universities you think you can commute to/travel to/supply the course you want. They are human and are used to people calling and asking if they can get in with so and so qualification. I know a woman who works in an exams office in a school, it's her job to call uni's and say 'this student doesn't have straight A's - but they do have this'. And she gets them places all the time so it's worth a call. When I was interviewed at uni by the English Dep't Professor, all he wanted to talk about was what I'd done with my life up until that point.

I went to college aged 39 and did an access course, basically the minimum qualification to get me into uni. Now I have a BA (Hons) and glad of it. The point is it's never too late mate and good luck to you whatever happens.

As for financial help, try everywhere you can think of. The council for help with Council Tax for example, they give a discount in certain circumstances. Speaking to other students it was surprising where they were getting help from.

Good luck

Peds