Posted March 1, 2009 I can't find the Student Finance links anywhere on the Track progress thing on UCAS website Does anyone else have this problem? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 1, 2009 I'm sorry but if your parents can't find the means to support you through university because they would rather spend all their money on a new kitchen or a holiday or a bigger television, then... well then it sucks to be you. Gotta agree here, my parents combined earnings per annum are probably less than £55,000 and there's still 3 of us going through university (and a 4th one is on the way). My parents have always made it one of their priorities to ensure that I'm supported throughout university as best they can. A very simple solution to anyone's money problems whilst at uni is simple: get a job. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 1, 2009 I don't see how I have managed to make it seem like my parents didn't care about me going to University but they did and they still do. J7 you were actually pretty close though, we did have an extension done over a year ago but the builder was an arsehole, messed about and took ages to do stuff and then he ran off with about £5000 of our money. We then had to hire another builder to do the remaining jobs as well as redoing all the jobs the first builder fucked up. And the extension isn't even finished yet because of the lack of money. Coupled with the credit crisis, my dad's job was on the line a couple months back and now he has on sick leave because of the stress he was under. My parents lost everything about 20 years ago due to them selling their flat in London when the property market crashed and my dad cannot go through that again at his age. So yeah if anybody can be bothered to read that you would probably understand my worries a bit better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 1, 2009 I never mentioned your parents not caring at all. My parents are actually in a similar boat - they earn, combined, about 50kish overall but due to various reasons simply cannot afford to support me through uni, meaning it's all down to me. It's not a horrible situation to be in, teaches you to be a bit more careful with your money. It does suck when all of your friends and flatmates are going out all the time because they're getting biweekly or monthly supplements of say £100/200 all the time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 1, 2009 That wasn't really aimed at you Dyson... I've got an interview with the Army in April just to talk working in Intelligence/IT/Comms as I hoping to get a scholarship from the Army or the RAF. Obviously I know that means for about 5/6 years after I graduate I'll be in the armed forces but the pay for officers are pretty good and would (hopefully) beat working in an office... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 1, 2009 I know. Thought I'd offer you my thoughts anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 1, 2009 I don't see how I have managed to make it seem like my parents didn't care about me going to University but they did and they still do. J7 you were actually pretty close though, we did have an extension done over a year ago but the builder was an arsehole, messed about and took ages to do stuff and then he ran off with about £5000 of our money. We then had to hire another builder to do the remaining jobs as well as redoing all the jobs the first builder fucked up. And the extension isn't even finished yet because of the lack of money. Coupled with the credit crisis, my dad's job was on the line a couple months back and now he has on sick leave because of the stress he was under. My parents lost everything about 20 years ago due to them selling their flat in London when the property market crashed and my dad cannot go through that again at his age. So yeah if anybody can be bothered to read that you would probably understand my worries a bit better. I read it thing is every family faces troubles. The fact is families with a higher income have more at their disposal to help sort matters out. My mum has no car she could sell if things got really bad. She has no sky subscription to cut out. She doesn't have any holidays she could skip for a year. She doesn't have an extra freezer in the garage she could turn off to save energy. No attic with no old heirlooms. No selling up and moving to a smaller place, because there are no smaller places to move to. No cutting down on aerobics classes, no gym bills to stop paying. Seriously, I could go on. The only positive, in a sense, is that my mum is used to scraping money together in order to get by. If she can do it then so can a family with a combined income of triple what she had. EDIT: in no way is this a personal attack on you or anything, it's just something that needs venting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 1, 2009 So you having to support yourself through uni is some sort of crisis? My parents earn about 20ishk combined so they can't afford to support me at all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 1, 2009 I'm not saying its a crisis, just I want to find a solution that means my parents don't get into debt and can't pay the mortgage. Apologies if I'm coming across whiny or whatever. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 2, 2009 You're not coming across as whiney - it's just easy for poor plebs to get RAAAGE about this sort of stuff :P There are a lot of people who find it a real struggle to get the mortgage paid. My mother actually has a strange double-mortgage, effectively 40 years worth to pay off, and she struggles to pay off the interest alone. This way of life is life to several million people, and if anything they just prove that one can get by on a hell of a lot less than they think. Your university tuition fees are nothing to worry about. If your parents cannot find £75 a week (which is pretty much what it averages out to) to support you, then you really have to ask them questions. EDIT: the £75-a-week figure is quite arbitrary. I could sit and work out precisely how much a loan equates to per week but... but I can't be arsed :P Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 2, 2009 I'm taking all the debt on my own. One huge loan to pay back when I leave. Being a triplet and not being eligible for any grants means I had to get a job which I don't mind nor regret at all. My parents can help out with a few things which is nice but why can't you just get take the loan on yourself? Or am I getting things mixed up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 2, 2009 I'm taking all the debt on my own. One huge loan to pay back when I leave. Being a triplet and not being eligible for any grants means I had to get a job which I don't mind nor regret at all. My parents can help out with a few things which is nice but why can't you just get take the loan on yourself? Or am I getting things mixed up. I think like you do - the main reason you'll need parents whilst at Uni (if you're getting out a loan) is to take you and your shit to a from Uni, to give you free, decent food when you're home and to act as garanture when you move out of halls. If you're running out of cash+overdraft at a stupid rate and you're parents can't afford to send you any/want to punish you for spending that much money that quickly, then 99% of Uni's will give you a bursary. As for the loan and its debt, I was under the impression everyone took that on themselves. You don't start paying until you're a graduate and earning £15,000+, and the interest is matched to inflation. The idea of the student loan system is that anyone clever enough can afford University, and not be swamped by debt immediately afterwards. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 2, 2009 The main debate here, I think, is the amount of load you are eligable to. I can get about 3k while others can only get £900ish. Tbh having a job at uni, you'll get way more than you will with just the loan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 2, 2009 Its hard being a student, nobody ever mentions all the hard work and calculations you have to put in, espcially when there's no money coming from the parents because they cannot or will not send money your way. But its about learning, just suck it up, sit down, write all the income you have and spread it equally. Its very very easy to live off 3 grand for the uni term, its even easier infact if you go home during holidays because the bank account tends to be left untouched! Its annoying for me because my loan is actually under 600 (something like 594) every term, which is based on the money my parents used to earn, not their current pay. So effectively I could get more loan, which would really help. I can and did last term live off mostly my loan, using up all the £600 in four months, except I was also able to buy new clothes and go on lots of nights out. So effectively you can live off £1000 very easily in four months. Its just annoying when I see students wasting that £1000 in two days of being at uni, then having the balls to complain infront of me that I get money from my parents >_>. I only get money from my parents because otherwise I'd never be able to be at uni because of the system in place and it makes me feel guilty everytime they put money into my account..grr. That money that is given to me has been saved and I am grateful that my parents were able to earn that amount of money and travel that far so I could do as I wanted! That being said I think its awesome when people come to uni using whatever they can get from the government, to show that something as annoying as money wouldn't stop them from learning! : peace: /ranting. Anyway ways of saving money specially if you have nice housemates is to share the income of food, its incredibly hard when your buying butter and milk every so often only for your mate to do the same and then waste half of it. Bread is the same. There's ways to save money and not spend it, I spent all of £3 yesterday and still was able to go the pub twice and have a good time. Jobs are handy, but its all about knowning people right now, if you really need the cash don't be picky about working in maccies, maccies is good f*cking money! Plus it gets you out the flat, in the first year I've found alot of days where there just isn't anything to do and its fustrating that I could be working and earning money! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 2, 2009 I also don't get the money spending by fellow students. I get money from the Student Loans company and have been more than fine with it. Straight away I found out how much I was getting I sat down, opened up Excel and turned into a tight fisted old-man. I know exactly how much money I have to spend each week, with rent taken into account, and then keep track of how much I spend. Simple. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 3, 2009 I found out on friday that i have to pay all my grant back because my dad earns more this year than he did the year before. It fucking sucks so much. I wouldnt have spent as much if i knew id have to pay 2 grand back asap =( Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 3, 2009 You can probably do something about that... if they paid you the money, and you honestly thought it was yours then I reckon you could do something. Not sure what but something. Coincidentally I'm off to a law lecture about theft and fraud and making off without payment. Should probably get ready >_< Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 3, 2009 4 out of 5 offers so far! Sheffield - BBB Edinburgh - BBB Manchester - ABC Bath - ABB York - ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 4, 2009 You can probably do something about that... if they paid you the money, and you honestly thought it was yours then I reckon you could do something. Not sure what but something. Coincidentally I'm off to a law lecture about theft and fraud and making off without payment. Should probably get ready >_< I wish i could :/. Its because the loan company use your parents previous income as a guide (06/07) when you apply. So when they got my proper income for 07/08 it was higher and theyve taken the grant off me. Argh. Im now in the same bracket as people whos parents pay for their accomodation etc and i get nothing near that. Job time i reckon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 23, 2009 OH MY GOD!!!!! I just got a FUCKING phonecall from the Edinburgh collage of art - and they were like, 'Did you get our email?' (I didn't check) THEN IT TURNS OUT I HAVE TO BE IN EDINBURGH ON MONDAY MORNING!!! FFFFUUUUUUUU!! Im going to Glasgow on Weds till fri - then working on saturday, so tomorrow is THE ONLY DAY I CAN FINISH MY PORTFOLIO AND GET MY INTERVIEW READY!!!! SHIT. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 23, 2009 OH MY GOD!!!!! I just got a FUCKING phonecall from the Edinburgh collage of art - and they were like, 'Did you get our email?' (I didn't check) THEN IT TURNS OUT I HAVE TO BE IN EDINBURGH ON MONDAY MORNING!!! FFFFUUUUUUUU!! Im going to Glasgow on Weds till fri - then working on saturday, so tomorrow is THE ONLY DAY I CAN FINISH MY PORTFOLIO AND GET MY INTERVIEW READY!!!! SHIT. I need our paths to cross. Allthough I only sent my form off the weekend before last, so yeah. And I've not started to even out my portfolio together! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 23, 2009 Upon my receiving my rejection from Durham, my only choice is now Lancaster University =/ I have other offers but Exeter is too far from home and Newcastle is home =P Does anybody on here go to Lancaster? Or do a Politics degree for that matter? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 24, 2009 Upon my receiving my rejection from Durham, my only choice is now Lancaster University =/ I have other offers but Exeter is too far from home and Newcastle is home =P Does anybody on here go to Lancaster? Or do a Politics degree for that matter? I do do a politics degree, what would you like to know? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 24, 2009 Don't do it. Thats my only advice. I've seen Dom, its changed him into a weiner. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted March 24, 2009 Upon my receiving my rejection from Durham, my only choice is now Lancaster University =/ I have other offers but Exeter is too far from home and Newcastle is home =P Does anybody on here go to Lancaster? Or do a Politics degree for that matter? Out of interest, why did you apply to Newcastle if you knew you didn't wanna go there? In other news I have 5 replies now Leeds - AAB UEA - AAB Southampton - AAB Leicester - ABB Exeter - Rejection Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
