Uni living expenses

[M0KUJ1N]

Labour pfft?

They want people from poorer, working class backgrounds to go to uni and then attach huge tuition fees to the courses. Now more people are coming out with micky mouse degrees, huge debts and are unable to find a job. Joke tbh.

I know, disgusting isn't it. In fact I think I had people in my class who DIDNT have double-barrelled surnames! WTF is that all about!

(on an anecdotal basis Id probably say "working class" students are more likely to do vocational/ engineering courses at uni precisely BECAUSE they are thinking that they're going to uni to get a job at the end of it.)

 

[Dave]

(on an anecdotal basis Id probably say "working class" students are more likely to do vocational/ engineering courses at uni precisely BECAUSE they are thinking that they're going to uni to get a job at the end of it.)

Us Engineering students are just realistic and not blinkered. We know that there exists a thing called "work" after university

Although I know what you mean, the people I classify as "posh" at our university all did philosophy/sociology and the like. The people doing Engineering with me were just (mostly) sensible, down to earth people.

 

["andy"]

thats because engineering is for winners

 

[Phil99]

Labour pfft?

They want people from poorer, working class backgrounds to go to uni and then attach huge tuition fees to the courses. Now more people are coming out with micky mouse degrees, huge debts and are unable to find a job. Joke tbh.

There's a decent amount of financial support (inc tuition fee loans) for people from poorer backgrounds, which coupled with a part time job can comfortably get you through university, and if you've done a relevant degree you stand just as much chance as getting a job as all the 'richer' graduates out there.

For example, with parents earning £18k (I'm assuming this is the kind of income you're talking about when you say 'poorer, working class', the student would get an HE Maintenance Grant of £ 2,765)

The real problem is the people choosing the micky mouse degrees, not the tuition fees (although I do think the the level they're set at is absolutely ridiculous for most courses, I can't possibly see how my first year was worth £3000; luckily I'm on the older system )

 

[[TW]Fox]

There's a decent amount of financial support (inc tuition fee loans) for people from poorer backgrounds, which coupled with a part time job can comfortably get you through university, and if you've done a relevant degree you stand just as much chance as getting a job as all the 'richer' graduates out there.

For example, with parents earning £18k (I'm assuming this is the kind of income you're talking about when you say 'poorer, working class', the student would get an HE Maintenance Grant of £ 2,765)

Which is really great when although you are not from that sort of background, you chose not to ask your parents to subsidse your Uni education, where you then promptly get screwed and are entitled to virtually nothing.

 

[Ripper]

Block of cheese, few loafs of bread, few tins of beans, few bottles of water. That'd keep me going for a week.

I really don't know what goes through people's heads when they post such rubbish, its not like anyones gonna be jealous, I mean who buys olive oil and oil spread apart from your gran, seriously.

Were you in the chess club at school?

 

[M0KUJ1N]

Were you in the chess club at school?

There ain't no party like a Chess Club party!

 

[divine`]

Which is really great when although you are not from that sort of background, you chose not to ask your parents to subsidse your Uni education, where you then promptly get screwed and are entitled to virtually nothing.

I'm assuming you refer to yourself when you make such comments but surely you can't have come off that badly, if you can be driving a 530 around?

I'm happy to accept this is down to things like the fact you aren't ****ing away £40 a week on booze etc. but surely if you were really getting as screwed over as you make out, you'd not be enjoying the kind of luxuries you are now?

edit - i'm not trying to have a dig, just confused as to how if you are honestly getting that screwed by the loans people, how you aren't living in a ditch eating stale bread

 

[[TW]Fox]

I'm assuming you refer to yourself when you make such comments but surely you can't have come off that badly, if you can be driving a 530 around?

I'm happy to accept this is down to things like the fact you aren't ****ing away £40 a week on booze etc. but surely if you were really getting as screwed over as you make out, you'd not be enjoying the kind of luxuries you are now?

edit - i'm not trying to have a dig, just confused as to how if you are honestly getting that screwed by the loans people, how you aren't living in a ditch eating stale bread

The funding issue more or less made the decision of whether I stayed at home for Uni, or went away for Uni, for me. As a result of this decision it's meant I'm a lot more comfortable than I would have been, and of course, I'm more or less happy with the way things went.

But that doesn't change the fact that I really had less of a choice than others simply becuase of the ridiculous way everyone is Means Tested.

An idea on the figures:

To move out for Uni when I started in 2004:

I would have been entitled to a student loan of £3200 a year (75% of max loan amount)
I would have been entitled to zero grants
I had to pay 100% of the fee amount with zero LEA contribution (So, £1125 a year).

This would have meant I would have had a total of about 2 grand to pay for accomodation, living expenses, etc etc.

Lets assume I'd met the criteria for all the governments free money.

I would have been entitled to a student loan of £4000 a year
I may have been entitled to an additional grant, which need not be repaid, of £1000 a year
I would have had to pay zero Uni fees, as the LEA would contribute 100%.

This would have meant I would have had a total of £5k to pay for accomodation, living expenses, etc etc.

Now can you see why I stayed at home? Sure, I got a job at home and would have got a job away from home as well but the difference in the available cash over the year is simply huge.

All becuase of what? Becuase I'm expected to get Mummy to pay for my 4 years of enjoyment?

Why are all perspective students not afforded the SAME level of financial assistance? Why is there this underlying concensous that parents should pay for their ADULT children to go to Uni? I was over 18 when I decided to go.

 

[M0KUJ1N]

I also stayed at home throughout uni (in fact it was my and my parent's main consideration when choosing a university to go to).

I didn't really go on any mad spending sprees and I worked full-time through the summers and had a part-time job during the term (only 8-12 hrs a week though).

Due to me starting pre-1998 I didn't have to pay any fees.
Finally I managed to get away with only taking out 3 £1300 loans over the 4 years.

However it scares me when I consider how much more debt I would be in if I were to go to uni now rather than then, or how much more it would have cost had I chosen to move away to go to uni

 

[divine`]

That's all fair enough, I was entitled to exactly the same amounts as you were but my parents funded me as they were happy to do so. I was just curious as to how you felt so screwed over yet still managed to have a nice car

Like I argued in the last thread of this nature, I agree that the current means testing system is utter crap. I feel some way needs to be found to determine whether parents will or won't fund their kids, whether they even want that support from their parents. Unfortunately any such system would be massively open to abuse. Perhaps flat level loans and grants are the answer, with maybe just a bit more for those who really need it.

 

[Blackstar]

I'm entitled to virtually nothing, other than my fees getting paid as I'm Scottish and attending a Scottish uni. I also stayed at home to save money but this means i get even less in the form of a loan. This year my loan, paid monthy by SAAS will total £575 for the year. My parents combined income is high but they are not in a position to hand out a lot of money i get a monthly allowance to buy things for uni. I work a part-time job so i can run my car and buy myself clothes.
I agree with Fox, means testing can often make things a lot more difficult for those whose parents are in a better financial situation. I often found during high school with EMA that people who got it (I didn't) got a lot of money from their parents to begin with.

 

[[TW]Fox]

That's all fair enough, I was entitled to exactly the same amounts as you were but my parents funded me as they were happy to do so. I was just curious as to how you felt so screwed over yet still managed to have a nice car

It's not so bad as it worked out great for me - I thoroughly enjoy my Uni, living at home hasn't hampered me at all socially, and it's left me better off to blow money on cool stuff (Although I did have a Mondeo for the first 2 years of Uni, its only the placement thats afforded me a 5 ).

It just would have been nice to be able to choose

EMA was similar - it was being trialled when I was at college and as a result EVERYONE in Cornwall got it. And everyone in Devon did not. As Plymouth is right on the border half the people in my class were being paid to be there, whereas I was spending my weekends working to earn the same money they were getting just for turning up to the same lectures as me.

Grr

 

[gumbald]

I suppose they'll never be able to judge the actual financial situation everyone's in unless they spoke to everyone one-by-one.

As much as I'd love a car like a 5 series when I leave next year, any money I have will be going into a house I'm in the mood for appreciation

 

[[TW]Fox]

I suppose they'll never be able to judge the actual financial situation everyone's in unless they spoke to everyone one-by-one.

Which is why its fairer to offer the same level of support to everyone.

 

["andy"]

For example, with parents earning £18k (I'm assuming this is the kind of income you're talking about when you say 'poorer, working class', the student would get an HE Maintenance Grant of £ 2,765)

this is what i was told :/

however i am getting much less than that even though the parent i live with got made redundant a few months ago so is 100% not going to earn that much

i also didnt get the option to take the maximum loan out :S . are you meant to contact people about that ?

agreed on everyone should get the same though

 

[Combat squirrel]

blimey people are paying loads per month !! 350 for rent alone to the op ? :O

 

[Phil99]

this is what i was told :/

however i am getting much less than that even though the parent i live with got made redundant a few months ago so is 100% not going to earn that much

i also didnt get the option to take the maximum loan out :S . are you meant to contact people about that ?

agreed on everyone should get the same though

You may be entitled to support based on the earnings for the current year if the income has dropped by 25% due to the redundancy. Contact your LEA if that's the case and you should be entitled to support based on your current situation rather than last years (when presumably the income was much higher before the redundancy)

 

[semi-pro waster]

blimey people are paying loads per month !! 350 for rent alone to the op ? :O

That is pretty expensive, even for Edinburgh. If it makes you feel any better though my rent is £200 per month not including bills.

 

["andy"]

blimey people are paying loads per month !! 350 for rent alone to the op ? :O

probably in a mansion with his own butler etc