Returning to Full-Time Education

[Jester]

Good Morning All,

I was wondering if anyone has gone through this process and can offer advice or knows where I can find this information.

As many of you know, I have been unemployed for the last 11 months. At the end of this month I have to go to court to fight against RBS who are trying to repossess my home. Should I lose that battle, and still be unemployed in September, then I am seriously looking at the possibility of going back to College/University full-time to study for an MBA.

I am pretty confident I have the qualifications to get on an MBA course (23 years IT industry experience and a HND in Computer Science), plus of course I would enter such a course as a mature student.

I have heard that re-entering full-time education as a mature student means that I would actually qualify for a proper student grant (and not a student loan). I'm trying to find the information about that, but cannot find it at all on the Welsh Assembly website. I'm also unsure about whether I would lose some (or even all) of the JSA benefits I currently receive, or whether I would still qualify for Council Tax Benefit.

If anybody who has gone this path, or knows where to find the information, can help I would be most grateful.

Obviously, I still hope to stave off repossession and find a job, but if I lose my home then I no longer have anything to lose and thus going back into full-time education is a serious option for me.

Thanks

[tomterm8]

Re: Returning to Full-Time Education

Ironically, Job centre plus is the first place I'd go, because their advisors can give you advice on the financial position. Also, calling up the university you are interested can be very helpful.

My understanding is that you can certainly go onto an education "part time" course, while retaining your job seekers allowance. If you go full time, I think there may be a grant, but it's a while since I was at university myself.

[Sapphire]

Re: Returning to Full-Time Education

Be very careful if you decide to do a part time degree course hun.

I'd been suffering from servere depression due to the breakup of a relationship and had been on DLA for 6 months, so in 1994 ish I decided to 'improve myself' I was doing an Access Course and then went on to do my degree, I called the Job centre peeps, explained my situation (single, mortgage etc etc) and they said I could carry on claiming my DLA and work part-time (16 hours a week).
Lovely says I and carried on quite happily. Passed all my exams, met himself, bought a new house (all the relevant papers were destroyed in the move), and got myself a good job with Essex Police.
So life was going along quite happily until 2001 when I was asked to visit the DSS office and given the 'grilling' and believe me its not a nice experience.
The upshot of it was I was taken to court in 2002 for claiming DLA whilst working and studying, I had 4 charges against me in court and 156 others taken into consideration.
I was given a 4 month suspended sentence over 2 years, I lost my job, got a record and have to pay back £9,800 at £10 month.
So what I was going to say was make sure if you do go back to any education and are claiming any benefits at all during that time, make sure you keep all paperwork that the DSS send you, because my solicitor asked them to search their files for the relevant paperwork to which they (allegedly) could find nothing, and then she brought the subject up in front of the magistrates, they said that they had no record whatsoever of allowing me the 16 hours (bloody liars they are).
I know hand on heart that they did write and confirm that I could study/work those 16 hours but stupidly in the move the papers had disappeard and because of that I am lumbered with a criminal record for the rest of my life and even worse the step-kids now call me Ma Parker (from some film or whatever) or Mo (from Eastenders) ffs.

[enaid]

Re: Returning to Full-Time Education

Hi Jester,
Some bits of info about grants etc on here
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/...ey/DG_10039513

[theGobbyOne]

Re: Returning to Full-Time Education

Good Morning All,

I was wondering if anyone has gone through this process and can offer advice or knows where I can find this information.

As many of you know, I have been unemployed for the last 11 months. At the end of this month I have to go to court to fight against RBS who are trying to repossess my home. Should I lose that battle, and still be unemployed in September, then I am seriously looking at the possibility of going back to College/University full-time to study for an MBA.

I am pretty confident I have the qualifications to get on an MBA course (23 years IT industry experience and a HND in Computer Science), plus of course I would enter such a course as a mature student.

I have heard that re-entering full-time education as a mature student means that I would actually qualify for a proper student grant (and not a student loan). I'm trying to find the information about that, but cannot find it at all on the Welsh Assembly website. I'm also unsure about whether I would lose some (or even all) of the JSA benefits I currently receive, or whether I would still qualify for Council Tax Benefit.

If anybody who has gone this path, or knows where to find the information, can help I would be most grateful.

Obviously, I still hope to stave off repossession and find a job, but if I lose my home then I no longer have anything to lose and thus going back into full-time education is a serious option for me.

Thanks

You cant have the grant without the loan............Its not allowed I am a mature student in my 3rd year of full time study when we go back in September.......As a single person your pretty much limited to what you can access however check out the benefit packages for each uni..Through research the one I attend is one of the best in the country for financial matters......I can tell you if you leave benefits to return to uni and you get a letter stating this that the uni Access to Learning Fund will give you a cash grant of £500 upon proof of this. As a single person you wont have to pay any council tax but you will get limited help with your mortgage/rent. However I am only going off the help available to English students try www,gov.org.uk and search for welsh benefits for students(or just google it) but in ENGLAND YOU DEFINATELY DO NOT get any JSA or income support............Its a tricky system but dont let the buggers grind you down. If you want to know anything else then PM me and I will be happy to help i I can.

[Amethyst]

Re: Returning to Full-Time Education

Distance Learning Courses and Adult Education - The Open University

You can do OU and still get all your benefits - plus you will probably be eligible for full funding for your course fees. Apparently OU is classed as a hobby

Passing this on on behalf of someone else, I am doing OU too and keep my benefits and have been awarded full funding....not sure if its a route you have looked at or if you can do it via the OU.

Have a look on their site anyway

[Jester]

Re: Returning to Full-Time Education

It has been suggested to me today that I could feasibly 'teach' ICT in colleges of Higher Education 'without' the teaching qualification. I didn't know this. Apparently, my 23 years experience in the industry is what qualifies me to do this !!

[Amethyst]

Re: Returning to Full-Time Education

Excellent - my mums been teaching for years and years without a degree so I don't think its a given.