Hi

Hope you don't mind me butting in here!

I'm currently doing an Access in order to do SW at uni.

I've gone down the 1 year route; am studying psychology, sociology, study skills and maths. Also a single parent. I'm finding it reasonably easy to all fit in, but I'm not working, which helps, but the financial struggle is the worst thing.

I would say go into it and try to complete in a year, because you can always drop down to 2 years if need be, but you can't jump up to 1 year if you do it over 2, iyswim.

I love it, it's so interesting, esp sociology and I can't wait to get to uni and study what I really have an interest in.

Just need to tackle my Personal Statement.... eeek!

Thats what Im going to do next, do an access course, Just need to descide whether to do over two years or one.

Hi ya

You are not alone. I have recently gave up a unrewarding financially ok stable job to retrain as a social worker. I am currently doing a Access course and in the process of writing my personal statement.

Have you look into whether your local council offer any sponsorship schemes?

Couture1- If it is what you want to do then don't let that put you off!
Our university had high numbers of applicants per places available as well.

Just make sure you write a strong personal statement

The community care website is good for general issues within social care and the Scie website is also full of resources.

Good luck

Ive been making more enquiries and it the course I would like to do is the BSC at one of the midland universities possibly city of Birmingham. Apparantly they get over 1000 applications each year for 120 places.

You can't get a student grant for PG study and I THINK not for UG study if you've done a degree before. Go on www.direct.gov.uk and follow the links to HE finance.

We get parent learning allowance, as far as I am aware the only requirement is that you are a student with children.

Adult dependency grant is for when you have a non working partner that is financially dependant on you ( if that makes sense?).

I am doing the Bsc and I get a Bursary, student loan, grant, childcare grant and adult learning allowance.

Universities often offer their own bursary scheme as well, for example as I am in receipt of the max student loan I get an additional £1500 per year. If you have a choice of universities that is definitely looking into as Dh's only offers £300 per year.

Ive just spoken with a very helpful guy at the bursary dept. If I were doing a Post Graduate course I could potentially be entitled to a number of grants, one being an adult dependency grant, he did not know though what the criteria would be to qualify for that grant and the parent learning allowance. Does anyone on here get these grants and know what the criteria is.

If I were doing an under graduate course then the grants are much less.

Also can you apply for a student grant when studying for post graduate and under graduate courses.

Couture1- I get 85% of my childcare funded. Not sure if you have a Dh/P sorry if I have missed that, but if he works they would have to take his income into account. I didn't get childcare help the first year as Dh was still working, but have had it since as he is a student as well.

Don't forget you get things like a reduction in council tax ( we don't pay ours) which all adds up as well, tax credits in our case rose hugely as the student loan/bursary is not counted in calculations.

Really. That is very interesting, I will have to look into this more. What about childcare though - would that get paid for. This costs me a fortune at the minute.