Should I become a student?? and is financial help possible?

[boneybradley]

Well as my current work is laying off a few thousand jobs, I am considering my options and despite being in financial services for the last 8 years I'm a bit bored of it all (I studied investments and now work in insurance, so my job isn't really what I trained for and I'm basically a quite good paid lacky!)
and I am therefore considering going back to college (or as an undergraduate at uni?) and I am thinking of going to study something motors based as that's what I have done before for 4 years of my younger life and a passion I still have.

I am unsure how funding works nowadays as I guess I will have to pay for a course (no problems there) but I need to consider can I afford to live without a wage, and what financial help is available?

Any students on here know the current set up for finance's etc? And at 37 will I fit in ok?

(I need to add... both me and the wife work and we get no extra benefits due to our income despite having a 2 year old (and I have 2 older kids that live with me at weekends) which means some form of income is essential)

any advice?

[Sam]

Get a sh!tty job. do open degree. sh!tty job keeps you motivated. leave and get new job... if only it was that simple. But on a more serious note, you will be looking at either open uni or some of the free courses that places lit MIT are now running (may not however be UK recognised).

[nhop10]

There will definitely be some sort of funding available from student finance i imagine. your definitely not the only mature student around! but it will probably be less than the amount for the younger so called regular students, who are supposedly getting help from parents.

best bet is just to go onto student finance website ( https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/overview ) or ring them up and ask what your best option is for you. obviously your funding will depend whether you are a full time student or part time etc as well as your previous earnings just as my loan depends on my parents income over the last few years. You may want to have an idea of what you want to do before you speak to them. hope this kinda helps 

[dom]

You should be eligible for a tuition fee loan to cover the cost of the course. In addition to that there is an income-assessed maintenance loan that you can apply for as well as various grants and bursaries.

Best bet is to have a look at the link posted above

[boneybradley]

well I am looking at them sites but it still doesn't make much sense (I will give them a call and see what they say!), It is bad if they rely on my previous earnings as I do have a fairly good paying job (that will be ending!)

I will also speak to the local college to see where I fit in qualification wise (I have done city and guilds and NVQ level3 a few years back!)

I am sort of hoping it will work out as I really fancy working with cars again (but not selling parts again, more bodyshop and restoration area's)

[mcgee9t2]

Have you thought about part time courses?

i do a part time degree, takes 1 year longer than full time, but means i can do my job aswell as im only at uni on tuesday. if you get a part time course you could keep the job you have but request not to work on the day of your course. pay might go down but you still have an income.


plus if you have a job thats related to the course they might pay towards it, currently my work is paying for a degree so in 3 years time i will have ONC,HNC, Degree, 10 Years working experience as an electrical engineer + a few other courses that ive done over the last few years. while being paid a very good wage at the same time. and havent had to pay a penny for any.

could be something to look in to

[boneybradley]

Have you thought about part time courses?

i do a part time degree, takes 1 year longer than full time, but means i can do my job aswell as im only at uni on tuesday. if you get a part time course you could keep the job you have but request not to work on the day of your course. pay might go down but you still have an income.

plus if you have a job thats related to the course they might pay towards it, currently my work is paying for a degree so in 3 years time i will have ONC,HNC, Degree, 10 Years working experience as an electrical engineer + a few other courses that ive done over the last few years. while being paid a very good wage at the same time. and havent had to pay a penny for any.

could be something to look in to

I am looking a part time.... and another job as It redundancy that's on the table at the current place (hence thinking about the future)... plus they stopped paying for my CII financial course a few years ago due to costs!

[Seanl]

Join the Navy! 

And no actually, your not too old!

Join as an engineer, (Weapons, Marine, or Air) and you'll get an FD Eng with Distinction guaranteed, and may even get invited to attend the third year to top up to a Full Degree dependant on your results.
All this, and you'll be paid your normal wage to do it!

I've just started mine, (Maths is haaaard!). Its basically the first two years that that Pompy Uni run, compressed into 57 weeks!

Oh, and we have to pass with a minimum of 75%, whereas the pass mark at Uni is only 40%, hence the reason we are guaranteed distinctions on completion.

 

[boneybradley]

well I have being pre accepted on the course I want (although they have said dependant on my interview, depends on wether I get the higher and dozy one!)

still got no finances sorted but who needs to eat and wear clothes 



oh and I can't get into the armed forces....some dodgy broken bits in my body stop all that fun!

[Len]

oh and I can't get into the armed forces....some dodgy broken bits in my body stop all that fun!

Hence Boney!