Funding options for single mum of two

[TigerFeet]

Hiya everyone!

I'm applying to med schools for 2010. I am currently employed in an admin role. I have two little 'uns: one in primary school, the other just a baby, and as I have sole responsibility for them I currently get tax credits, plus I get 85% of my baby's nursery fees paid.

As I am a graduate (albeit arts! ) I can go down the GAMSAT route (got my test booked) and apply for 4-yr GEM courses. This route appeals as I understand the tuition fees are paid by the NHS for the final three years. The downside to this is that none of the 4-yr GEM courses are within commuting distance, which means we as a family would have to relocate. This isn't an insurmountable problem, but obviously it does mean my little girls would have to change school/nursery, as well as the upheaval of them leaving their home.

The dilemma for me is that we currently live about 15 minutes away from a fantastic uni (the one where I got my first degree!) which provides a foundation course for non-science grads, followed by the 5-yr med degree. This would be ideal as it would mean we wouldn't have to move home, sell the house, change schools etc. Also my family live nearby and whilst I could get by without them being 'on hand' to help out with babysitting etc, it would be better if I didn't have to! But what puts me off going down this route is the worry of supporting my kids financially for six years (as opposed to four) in terms of loans, grants etc. I've never been out of work before - even when I was at uni the first time I worked in bars/shops etc - but I didn't have my children then. Now the option to work evenings/weekends isn't available to me as I have the children.

I wonder if any parents currently in med school can tell me what additional funding is available to a parent with sole responsibility for children? What have you applied for/received? I know there are grants available, but as these aren't guaranteed I just worry that we won't be able to manage financially. I can live off tins of beans and Pot Noodles but I'd rather my kids didn't have to!!

Any advice/info very much appreciated.

[469er]

Hi there

You don't say whether your home is owned or rented, but as a lone parent student, you would be in one of the few groups of people still eligible for Housing Benefit if you rent. I *think*, but may be wrong, that HB can also be applied to mortgage interest (but not capital), so that if you have, or are prepared to swap to, an interest only mortgage for the duration of your studies, then you could also claim. You can also get Income Support during the long vacation, because it is understood that you aren't necessarily in a position to do paid work (although if you are, I'm sure paid work would be more lucrative). I daresay there's more, but I am no expert. Maybe someone else will be along with more info soon (or to correct mine).

Good luck with it all.

[469er]

Oh, I forgot. You will also get the Parents Learning Allowance, though that's hardly riches.

[Frank's mum]

I know that the longer course seems more expnsive etc, but the support you get from the Student Loans Company as a parent is actually a lot more than you get from the NHS bursary, especially the childcare element. Yes, you will have a bigger loan, but you will also qualify for grants from the SLC plus the childcare element. You will not however get the fees paid for the first 4 years. It's a difficult choice.
Also, I would always advocate staying close to family backups for childcare, I've been pretty lucky so far, but my boy did manage to have an accident the morning of one of my exams so I was grateful that someone else was there!

[TigerFeet]

Thanks for your responses.

Frank's mum, I didn't realised I would qualify for additional help from SLC. I thought I'd just have to claim income support and live off that. So that's very helpful, thank you. I'll check out the SLC website.

[drbeaumont]

I'm a single mum of 2 little girls both in full time education this year. I start Leeds med school in a few weeks. I have a diploma in nursing (not a degree) funded by NHS not SLC, BUT student finance england class it as a degree. They will award me a maintenance LOAN of around 4.5k a year, 85% childcare (for before and after school care obviously) and apparently a parents learning allowance of about 1.5k (although they said i wouldnt get this over the phone, its on my award notice). They will not contribute towards tuition fees. So my loan will pay those and i'll have about 2k to live on this year!! i will have to be an evil mum and work thru NHS Professionals every weekend (great rates but no life), and live of my child benefit and child tax credit.
this will be the situation for years 1 + 2, apparently they will revert to full awards in years 3 +4 and nhs pays the 5th!
hope this helps (cos it doesnt really help me lol)

[469er]

I'm a single mum of 2 little girls both in full time education this year. I start Leeds med school in a few weeks. I have a diploma in nursing (not a degree) funded by NHS not SLC, BUT student finance england class it as a degree. They will award me a maintenance LOAN of around 4.5k a year, 85% childcare (for before and after school care obviously) and apparently a parents learning allowance of about 1.5k (although they said i wouldnt get this over the phone, its on my award notice). They will not contribute towards tuition fees. So my loan will pay those and i'll have about 2k to live on this year!! i will have to be an evil mum and work thru NHS Professionals every weekend (great rates but no life), and live of my child benefit and child tax credit.
this will be the situation for years 1 + 2, apparently they will revert to full awards in years 3 +4 and nhs pays the 5th!
hope this helps (cos it doesnt really help me lol)

The crappest thing about this is that I know this ruling is being applied inconsistently. I have a friend with a nursing diploma who is now on a 5-year degree getting a fees loan, maintenance grant and college bursary because he's not classified as a graduate. If you can appeal successfully, it would be worth a lot of money to you.

Good luck at Leeds!

[drbeaumont]

thanks for your reply!
was your friend on the course before the intro of student finance england? they said it used to be up to the individual LEA whether they would fund borderline cases such as myself - whereas now they apply consistent rules to all applicants...or so they say.
they didnt hold out much hope re an appeal when i asked a few months ago - saying that the rules would remain the same, and that my diploma was university based - i.e higher education (altho not even alevel difficulty in all honesty!!) and i would be classed as a graduate...
funny how the BMA Charities people refused to offer assistance citing the fact that i aint a graduate as the reason i am ineligible for help for medicine as a second degree..

[469er]

thanks for your reply!
was your friend on the course before the intro of student finance england? they said it used to be up to the individual LEA whether they would fund borderline cases such as myself - whereas now they apply consistent rules to all applicants...or so they say.
they didnt hold out much hope re an appeal when i asked a few months ago - saying that the rules would remain the same, and that my diploma was university based - i.e higher education (altho not even alevel difficulty in all honesty!!) and i would be classed as a graduate...
funny how the BMA Charities people refused to offer assistance citing the fact that i aint a graduate as the reason i am ineligible for help for medicine as a second degree..

He started medicine in 2008. Not sure how long ago the nursing diploma was, just guessing ~2001. As far as I'm aware, no one ever even characterised him as borderline - he just assumed he would get the funding, and he did. The inconsistency of the loans system really sucks. I self-funded my first degree (part-time) so hoped I would get full funding - and, indeed, if I lived in Norfolk, I would, apparently. In my own area, they first told me I would, then that it was discretionary, and finally (predictably) that I wouldn't. My only recourse, it seems, was to appeal direct to the Secretary of State for Education! (I didn't - I presume we are both too busy!) I wish you luck with it, but you probably shouldn't be too optimistic.

[drbeaumont]

He started medicine in 2008. Not sure how long ago the nursing diploma was, just guessing ~2001. As far as I'm aware, no one ever even characterised him as borderline - he just assumed he would get the funding, and he did. The inconsistency of the loans system really sucks. I self-funded my first degree (part-time) so hoped I would get full funding - and, indeed, if I lived in Norfolk, I would, apparently. In my own area, they first told me I would, then that it was discretionary, and finally (predictably) that I wouldn't. My only recourse, it seems, was to appeal direct to the Secretary of State for Education! (I didn't - I presume we are both too busy!) I wish you luck with it, but you probably shouldn't be too optimistic.

I have spoken to my local MP, who has written to the Minister of Education on my behalf explaining my situation and my dire financial predicament. Would you ask your friend if I could get in touch with him? Might be able to cite his example as a way of strengthening my argument!