In connection with the uni thread

[gladTidings]

:sl:

A question for all those at university... How do you cope financially?

University is now ridiculously expensive especially for those living away from home, even with all the grants available. I was wondering how brothers and sisters cope financially without being involved in loans based on interest. If there is an interest-free loan available please let me know.

And if there’s any rich person available also let me know :P

:w:

[akulion]

walikum salam

I can suggest a few things which I did when I was in Uni:

- Get a temporary job at the uni campus if possible, if you can get a temp job externally even better

- Dont spend on useless things, budget your week carefully and dont be afraid of letting your friends know that you cant gosomewhere with them because you are on a strict budget

- Buy a black ski mask and rubber knife and hold up old people every now and then - lol jokin!

- Also apply for any financial scholarships, grants that are available to you

- Always sell your old books or better yet start a 'book exchange' club in your uni where students exchange their used books in exchange for books they need.

- For supplies shop at the $1 store

- Develop some skills which you can use to make money on the side - in my case this was simple webdesign (back in those days even that was a lot lol)

Thats all i can think of...

Bro aku

[gladTidings]

JazakAllah Khair some very useful tips there :)

Any present students?

[DaNgErOuS MiNdS]

Well I manage because the LEA pay my tution fee's. I dont stay at uni I travel on the days I have to go, it's alot cheaper then living there and I have a part-time job. So it works out alright for me Alhumdulillah.

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[gladTidings]

:sl:

Yeah, living at home is much cheaper...but not always possible.

Does your part time job ever interfere with uni work?

[chacha_jalebi]

salaam

jus get a temp job as a sales assistant, even one day a week, is heavy :D:D:D also, the student loans nowadays, you only pay back what you have taken out, so there isnt any interest!!! :D:D:D:D

[DaNgErOuS MiNdS]

:sl:

Yeah, living at home is much cheaper...but not always possible.

Does your part time job ever interfere with uni work?

nah not really because I work on Sat/Sunday so it's ok, unless you let all the work build up then you need to take holidats lol.

[gladTidings]

the student loans nowadays, you only pay back what you have taken out, so there isnt any interest!!! :D:D:D:D

Which loans are these? Banks give you interest free loans of around £1000 - £1500, but thats about it. You'd have to open about 4 other student accounts in different banks to cover the costs of 1 year. But thats not allowed either, only one student account is allowed... unless you lie to all your banks:|.

[Hijaabi22]

Eazy man- GET DA DOSH OFF YA DAD!!!! LIKE ME! Lol

[DaNgErOuS MiNdS]

not everyone's dads are rich like yours.

[Muezzin]

Apply to your LEA (Local Education Authority) for a grant and/or a loan, get a part time job, save up, work hard.

[Durrah]

:sl:

Halifax bank have upped their student interest free overdraft to £2,750 each year, from August 2006 onwards. They offer the most out of all the banks, so they'd be good to go to.

Also apply to your LEA for a Maintence grant of upto £2,700 (and its non repayable). All universities as well are offering student bursaries and hardship funds (again these are free and you dont have to pay them back).

Its a case of just looking around and filling in as many forms as you can, asap. A part-time job would help as well, but dont overdo the hours during term time. The most that you should work on term time is 14-15 hrs per week. Anything over is not recommended as results have been seen to suffer.

[Muezzin]

Also apply to your LEA for a Maintence grant of upto £2,700 (and its non repayable). All universities as well are offering student bursaries and hardship funds (again these are free and you dont have to pay them back).

I thought only people like single parents or those with disabilities are eligible for maintenance grants?

[Sunflower]

I thought only people like single parents or those with disabilities are eligible for maintenance grants?

Errr.... I'm not a single parent and I dont have a disability but Ive still been given the full £2700.

I've also got a £1000 bursuary from the uni im going to and a Interest free loan to pay off my tuition fees.

I live at home so dont need to worry about paying for things like food or rent... Just pay for my transport fees and Books.

And I dont work simply for the reason my I aint allowed to (and Im to lazzzzzy)

[Durrah]

:sl:

I thought only people like single parents or those with disabilities are eligible for maintenance grants?

No, its if your parents total income is less then £17,000 a year, then your entiltied to the full grant. Its all income assesed, so if your parents earn over that, then theres a chance your eligable for some of the grant.

[Durrah]

And I dont work simply for the reason my I aint allowed to (and Im to lazzzzzy)

if you not allowed to work, what you going to do once you get your degree then?

[gladTidings]

:sl:

-----------
Eazy man- GET DA DOSH OFF YA DAD!!!! LIKE ME! Lol

You'll need to give me your dads contact details...or easier bank details?:okay:

No I don’t want to rely on my parents anymore...although they are offering to help. Still it won’t be sufficient.

Also apply to your LEA for a Maintence grant of upto £2,700 (and its non repayable). All universities as well are offering student bursaries and hardship funds (again these are free and you dont have to pay them back).

Yeah, I am getting as much as I’m eligible for from the maintenance grant, and the bursary from my university.

Halifax bank have upped their student interest free overdraft to £2,750 each year, from August 2006 onwards. They offer the most out of all the banks, so they'd be good to go to.

I’ve already opened an account with The Royal Bank of Scotland (They were giving £55.00 for registering.) So I can’t really open another one... I know of some naughty students who have two or more student accounts at different banks. I’m just wondering how they can balance all their finances between them.


Anyway I start uni tomorrow, kinda nervous about moving away.

[DaNgErOuS MiNdS]

You know those accounts if you keep taking money out of them they ask for the money back within a year. You have to keep abit of money back into the account.

[MH-UK]

:sl:



No, its if your parents total income is less then £17,000 a year, then your entiltied to the full grant. Its all income assesed, so if your parents earn over that, then theres a chance your eligable for some of the grant.

:sl: Wow, I didn't know that. How do I apply for a grant then?

Will it be offered automatically once ive given the SLC parents income details?

JazakAllah khair

[Ummah]

Asalaamualaikum

I took a gap year after college and saved up alhamdulillah, i am not eligible for a grant so i paid the £1200 from ym savings.
In my second year i have done the same, except my savings were pretty low so now i work weekends and run my own business alhamdulillah.
also bought all my books from a second year student at low low prices!



Ma'salaama

[Durrah]

:sl: Wow, I didn't know that. How do I apply for a grant then?

Will it be offered automatically once ive given the SLC parents income details?

JazakAllah khair

:sl:

You have to go to your local education authority. Every bourough has one and you go to yours, get the PN1 form (i think its the pn1, anyhow ask the people there for student loans/grant form) and you fill it in. There's a section in the form which deals spefically with parental income (or who ever your dependent on).

Once you return the form back to your local education authoriy and provide proof of income/personal i.d, they'll process your application and decide what your entitled to, on the basis of the information you provide. You should hear from them within 6 weeks (it can take a bit longer if you process your application after the general deadline, which means you dont get the money quicker)