Levitate Student: Freshers -For Parents from a Parent

I am a parent of two children in Higher Education and this post covers some of my personal thoughts and experiences about my kid's move to university alongside those of friends and some general guidance from Levitate Student.

Tears, Fears and the Empty Nest

I did cry - no point pretending but I think timing is everything on this one. Its not okay to be weeping and wailing while gripping onto your student's leg when they are at the fresher Meet and Greet! That wouldn't be pretty.

When my first child left I thought I would be bereft, like me a chatterbox. the very notion of our home without them was unbearable. The night before the big move we cuddled and sniveled, I made us watch a film we'd always promised to watch together (probably a mistake in hindsight....). On the day of the move we all coped really well. During the drive back home my partner who had been all composed till then sobbed his eyes out and the siblings quietly shed a tear. Its a big change for everyone.

The university were brilliant and the student was occupied with activities from day one. Second year students were like a crack team ensuring the newbies settled in. All was well and the promise of regular Skyping and daily texting soon went unfulfilled and do you know what? - it was okay.

When my second child moved it was the same, but worse knowing that this time the nest would be empty. More well timed tears, more promises, but this time my expectations were better managed.

I noticed actually, that the nest wasn't in fact empty but there was my partner with whom quality time had been so scarce for the past twenty years. There was actually space on the sofa next to them and chance to start and finish a conversation without diversion - wow!! I quite liked that, bonus!

Levitate Student says - Its worth remembering that Unis don't really want parents on phone fretting about Jenny or Johnny. If that happens you will probably be met with a word about confidentiality and a suggestion to signpost the student to speak to someone themselves. It is important for students to find their feet, establish some independence and be resourceful enough to find support from the university services if needed. In addition the universities have a duty of care to safeguard their students so they don't give information out over the phone to unverified people readily. Obviously sometimes you may need to contact the university but its worth understanding how the institution may respond and that they do so with the best interests of the student at heart.


"Home" and "Home Home"

I absolutely hated it when my students referred to their uni accommodation as home! It sort of stings a little does that. That said they call home - "home home" so the real thing which is comforting. Calling the uni accommodation home also suggest they are settled enough there and feel safe - so I suppose it's okay (grr!!).

When they are struggling they can seem a long way away, down the end of a phone, but with all the ways to keep in touch these days it's not so bad.

Resist the temptation to "like" every Facebook picture they post, trust me it doesn't go down well!

The bottom drawer


Preparing can feel a bit like a bride buying bits and bobs for her bottom drawer ready to leave home on her big day. Try not too get carried away, there are things we bought our students that remained in their boxes (iron, half the crockery, some towels bed linen etc). Definitely wait till you know where they will be living. I found scanning the room in Halls to work out how best to maximise the space helped and provided storage boxes that would slot in. Unless the uni is in the middle of nowhere then there is likely to be a Wilko, Dunelm, Matalan, Ikea etc for all the required stuff.

Don't completely dismantle the students bedroom at "home home", its good for them to return to the comforts of their old spot.

Levitate Student says - check out our Fresher: Do Buy Don't Buy post with tips from students.




Money Matters

This is an interesting one and how you approach it will definitely be driven by your household circumstance. The household income (that the funders use to work out how much money the student can receive) is generally the annual gross income of the parent (s) the student lives with, their partner if applicable and the students own unearned income if they have any-which mine didn't. If your student works alongside their course it won't affect their student finance which is good to know.

It can be challenging if parents are separated and perhaps if there is a new relationship with a partner. I am sure it seems weird for the income of that person to count instead of the absent parent, but that's how it is.The funders usually work on a historic tax years income too which can be strange especially if you have had a change of circumstance. A friend of mine has a son going to university this year and the husband has been poorly and now made redundant. However the funder will take these changes into account. Having more than one student in the system is adjusted for too when working out each students level of funding.

Budget

I am not the worlds best at planning a budget myself, even with the best intentions am often just too busy and tired. However I did sit down with my kids and play with a student budget planner, once we had an idea what student finance they would get and what their accommodation would cost.

We talked about what their likely spending would be and agreed what we as parents could help them with. We made sure they applied for a student bank account and spoke to them about sensible use of the overdraft. The student accounts have an interest free overdraft which gives them a safe zone to dip into when funds are low at the end of term. I reckoned as long as this was used wisely it was a good facility to have. We talked about the potential problems of being silly with money and the way bank charges can build. 

The universities do have staff and services to help students budget and to find work. A little part-time job can be useful to top up their funding whether it is in the holidays or alongside their course. Having two students in the system has meant it has been a challenge so we have expected the kids to be wise with their spending and help us to help them.


We agreed a plan and then said we would review it in January. Both my kids have been sensible and manged the arrangement well, I am proud of them. We didn't tell them how to manage their money in fine detail, we thought it would be good to let them try find their own way, then chat about how it was going. I get the impression most students manage their money okay, (with the occasional blip) one way or another.

Levitate Student says - if your student is applying for means tested student finance speak to the relevant funder if you have had a change of circumstance. Especially if it means your income is less than in the tax year requested on the application form. A fall of income of 15% could mean that the funder may carry out an in-year income assessment and could result in more student finance. 

Money Saving Expert has a good article on Student Bank Accounts.

There are lots of online budget planners and budgeting mobile phone applications. Its worth searching to find one that suits. The cashflow annual planner templates for example for Excel can be good as they can help a student predict how their spending is going to affect their future bank balance. As they receive their funding in three lumps sums it can be difficult to predict how it might last.

Funding can be late for various reasons so if possible the student should try and get some buffer funds in their bank account. We found that the bank only provided a modest overdraft until the student finance arrived so that can't be relied upon.

StudentCalculator.org.uk is fun at least for the planning if not for every day budgeting.

Legal Stuff

August will herald the end of any child benefit and tax credits you received for your student -oh well.

Accommodation contracts are a nightmare and signing as a guarantor obligatory and a bit of a worry when its all new. Had mixed experience here as for one tenancy it was just sign on dotted line whereas another required a minimum income and credit check. Definitely understand all you are signing, get advice if needed. The students are pretty much tied into contracts once they sign and many are 52 weeks long which is annoying. Also by the winter/spring of year one the students are panic looking for new place and then are paying deposits on years two rented. By the summer the student has to find and pay the first year two rent installment in summer, they may still be paying for year one rent. It's a cycle that repeats each year so be ready for it.

Halls of residence are pricey and hard to compare with all tariffs being different and number of weeks and what's included varying. Also when and how payments are made vary. One thing which is a bit naughty is some universities or accommodation providers not dividing the rent into 3 equal installments. If the first payment is bigger it can make the first terms bank balance a challenge and Freshers are plunged straight into overdraft. Not helpful.

Most full-time students are exempt from paying council tax.They get an exemption certificate, usually there is information on the university webpages about how it all works.

Also it's worth checking out the Student Regulations at the university of choice.These are a bit like the terms and conditions of being a student. I had a friend whose son didn't settle at university and wanted to leave nearly straight away. If he had stayed beyond two weeks he would have had to pay his full tuition fee until January!! That was a surprise but it was in the Student Regulations so worth checking out....just in case. 

Levitate Students says - if your student funding is delayed or they want to leave get them to seek help from the university Support Services as soon as possible.
Lots of issues can arise in the first few weeks but university staff have seen it all before and are very experienced at helping students sort matters out and settle. Don't panic just point your student in the right direction for help.

See our blog post on council tax 






Useful to Knows

One of my students didn't want to take up the uni offers they got on A level results day so went into Clearing . It's a good idea to have a plan of action in case this happens as its can be a nerve wracking experience.The universities are all geared up for the mass musical chairs of Clearing. We found it a positive experience in the end and my student was really happy with the final outcome and is settled.

Make sure your student knows where the Support Service teams are at the university just in case they need help. This is important if their funding is delayed or they have problems with it. The university may help out with a little money if a student is in hardship.

Also check if your student is entitled to any bursaries or scholarships from the university, information is usually on the websites.

If your student is disabled or has a specific learning need as one of mine does, then engaging with the uni disability services to have their needs assessed as soon as possible is important. Also get money advice in case there are other things they may be eligible for such as welfare benefits.

Check your own home insurance policy, ours covered our students for contents while they live away at university.

It may be that your student won't need a TV licence as they don't seem to watch any live telly. Check the rules to be safe though.  NB. Rules change from September 1st 2016 so much more likely to need licence - see LINK

Bottom line - it will all be fine!

Levitate Student: Deadlines Money B's

Twitter was abuzz with the word "deadline" last week in relation to student finance applications.

There were that many dates being tweeted our headz were in a spin!!

So here are 5 Deadline Money B's to help.....

Be the first to apply 

We blogged this before and if you didn't listen - grr why not?! 

Really, the earlier you apply for funding the better. This gives the funder time to process your application and you and your sponsors time to supply all the required evidence and time to challenge any decisions you may not satisfied with.

The funders use the deadline as a last day in their view that a completed application can reach them and still hope to be processed in time for the start of the academic year.

The truth is that some of these advertised deadlines are soft deadlines - by which we mean they are not the last day applications will be accepted. In fact applications can be accepted by up to 9 months or 6 months after the academic year begins (usually taken as 1st September for autumn starters). Always check these deadlines yourself with the applicable funder - Be safe not sorry

So don't worry just apply as soon as possible, but if the deadline has passed do be prepared for your funding to be late.

Be aware of the different funder deadlines

This table may help but always check the relevant funder websites and literature yourself.

Funder	New Students starting Autumn 2016 Application Deadline	Continuing Students in Autumn 2016 Application Deadline
Student Finance England	27th May 2016	24th June 2016
Student Finance Northern Ireland	15th April 2016	30th June 2016
Student Finance Wales	13th May 2016	10th June 2016
Student Awards Agency Scotland	30th June 2016	30th June 2016
Student Awards Agency Scotland – Nursing and Midwifery	30th June 2016	30th June 2016
For all the above funders	(absolute deadline 9 months from the start of the academic year)
NHS Business Authority – NHS Courses - not dentistry/medicine	19th August 2016 (absolute deadline 6th months from start of academic year)	Depends see table
NHS Business Authority – dentistry & medicine	29th July 2016 (absolute deadline  6th months from start of academic year)	Depends see table
NHS Business Authority – Social Work	1st November 2016 (absolute deadline applications received after this date are rejected)	1st November 2016 (absolute deadline applications received after this date are rejected)

Be ready to seek advice 

Always seek advice if you are struggling in any way with your student finance application. Most Universities and colleges have advice services themselves and or Student Union Advice services. Don't be afraid to contact them for help pre-entry if you are finding the application process challenging and can not easily resolve the matter by contacting the funder yourself.

It's a good idea to become familiar with the higher education institution's website to know what support services they offer and where they are located and how to contact them when and if required.

Bursaries and other support

The university or college of your choice may have bursaries or scholarships for which you could apply pre-entry. If this is the case they will no doubt provide details on their websites or in their Office for Fair Access Agreements . It is likely that these also include application deadlines, so don't delay, check them out and apply if you think you may be eligible.

Levitate Student -Money Smoke & Mirrors

It seems to me that with respect to student money matters all politicians act like old fashioned variety hall magicians. What ever the colour of their capes, red, blue, yellow….they all deliver surrounded by smoke and with mirrors strategically placed

In response to an article on wonkhe that suggests politicians on the left don't understand the system - I  am not convinced. What I believe is that politicians devise, like all good magicians, ways to deliver the same old trick with a different spin. Some of their audience are wily “seen it all before” types looking out from the start for the sleight of hand,distractions and not in the least bit impressed by the showmanship. Others in the crowd do know it’s not what meets the eye but just can't help fall for that pesky double dealing. Some in the audience will take it all on face value and depending on how they feel about the illusion will applaud, reel back in horror, or tremble in fear, In fact some may avoid the show all together having heard just how scary it all sounds.

When Ed Miliband was shouting “roll up, roll up watch me slice a £9K fee to £6K by laying it in my magic box” some folk may have fallen for the trick.This will have included those who never quite grasped the “see this fee loan and this HEFCE grant – I put it in this envelope – give it a shake pass to the student – open it up – the fees haven’t changed really -- Ta da!”. Those who saw how the envelope trick worked shared their insight so by the time Ed came up with his £6K smoke and mirrors version the audience was not that impressed, he seemed like nothing better than a one trick childrens party magician.

Before Ed though came Nick Clegg with a very naughty trick indeed.

Nick was disgruntled at playing glamorous assistant when he reckoned he had all the skills of a master magician. He had promised audiences he would be the next David Blaine of tuition fees (make them disappear altogether) but he never made it beyond sidekick, sitting pretty, yet muted at David Cameron's shoulder. To appease him he was allowed to play a little and came up with a Chad Valley style magic kit, a cash sweetener for the half time interval called the National Scholarship Programme (NSP). Nick sent the box of tricks to the universities who received it with a bored sigh. Some read the instructions fully, others less so. Some delivered the trick with aplomb making sure some audience members received their promised incentive. Other Unis though saw a way to be even more tricky, pocketing the audience watches while they were reaching eagerly for a fee waiver golden ticket. Imagine the students disappointment to later to find the ticket was nearly worthless and the uni had banked their cash prize.

Anyway like a lot of these tricks the NSP was just a flash in the pan.

What students and their families need are Penn and Teller type politicians who are prepared to let them in on how it's actually done. To be fair, audiences are all the more impressed in the full knowledge. Creativity isn’t stifled, new and more effective ways to deliver the trick are still explored and devised – but without the smoke, the mirrors, the watch stealing and the vainglorious – pull the wool over your eyes – showmanship.

The audiences are ultimately happy to be in on the act - as the late great Paul Daniels would say "now that's magic!"

Levitate Student: Higher Education White Paper, changes afoot

Changes in Higher Education are all part and parcel of the sector but for the uninitiated it can all seem very bewildering and as if the players are all speaking in a secret code. Today Jo Johnson MP Minister of State for Universities and Science delivered the White Paper - Success as a knowledge economy: teaching excellence, social mobility and student choice .  A higher education bill will follow later this week.

Many prospective students and their families may find it tough to understand the various media perspectives and worry what to focus on. To help  the fabulous wonkhe shared their expert insight in concisely reporting the days events and response with more considered analysis to follow.

When you work in HE it is common to play "bingo" with all the terminology, acronyms, theories and theses. Levitate Student rather liked the comment by Emran Mian of the think tank Social Market Foundation

“Higher education is too much like a club where the rules are made for the benefit of universities. These reforms will begin to change that. Students will have access to more information when they’re making application choices; and universities will be under more pressure to improve the quality of teaching"

Certainly it can seem like a club where many staff and students don't even feel like fully signed up members even if they are paid up. Changes can often result in new students being unclear what they are signing up for.

Levitate Student is interested in money and consumer matters first and foremost. What we know from the changes on that front is that the current £9,000 fee cap will be subject to change from 2017. The level to which the fee charge can rise will be linked to teaching quality. This will serve to counter the stance taken by the unis when they were allowed to offer a "variable fee" and the majority opted to charge the maximum irrespective of their reputation, quality or league table slot. Universities will now face more regulation, requiring them to be more open and transparent about data sharing particularly regarding quality and students outcomes and destinations. They will also need to be comfortable with any new providers entering the market competing for their customers. Fees rising will displease many who fight for education for all as a right and would wish to see no tuition fees.

Fee levels will be allowed in some case to rise with inflation, linked to the Retail Price Index (rather than the Consumer Price Index) which is better for the universities purses than the student's.

In 2016/17 the Maintenance Grants (see Maintenance Grants RIP) are to be removed from the funding package in England and so the total burden of student loan is set to increase even more for future students. A niggle of doubt is a system of loans (not grants) would be easier to off load by Government in the future to private lenders. Come what may the sector is moving further and further away from non-repayable grants to support those from lower income backgrounds. Lets see how the devolved governments adjust their funding provision in time, will they follow England lead or take their own stance?

We share the hope expressed by Les Ebdon the Director of Office for Fair Access 

“I welcome the increased emphasis on fair access to higher education in this important White Paper. Making sure that talented people from disadvantaged backgrounds are able to access – and succeed – in higher education is key to increased social mobility"

We like the potential for more mobility within programmes of study to include the potential to transfer more easily between institutions. This will help students with changes of circumstances and hopefully those students whose confidence builds from the point of admission. More customer choice is always welcomed though not if the resulting award is regarded as sub-standard so it will be interesting to see how this option develops. Also the new HE providers will have no track record of success and freedom to move from a poor provider is limited by the number of years of funding entitlement. Needing to repeat elsewhere because a course wasn't up to standard will only mean a wasted year of funding.

The photographed government document leaks referring to "marginalised students" does cause a doubt as to whether the hope is that these "challenger" providers are considered an option for the "marginalised". Don't worry if you are not deemed suitable for Oxbridge....you can always study at Facebook Central......
We would rather the so called "marginalised", were less so and supported through fair access to the institution of choice based on ability.

Alex Neill, Director of Policy and Campaigns at Which?  said

“We welcome measures to give students more insight into student experience, teaching standards and value for money. These proposals could not only drive up standards, but could also empower students ahead of one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives."

We share this view and welcome the shift that alternate private providers must register with The Office of the Independent Adjudicator . We would like responsiveness to complaint handling improve and time scales for resolution reduced considerably. 

 Which reported that many universities fail to meet requirements set by the Competitions and Markets Authority with respect to how students are treated as customers. Universities do have a long way to go yet in delivering holistic, institution wide customer service excellence.

Our biggest niggle of all is not having the certainty anymore that the system a student signs up for won't be subject to significant change after they are locked in. 

Levitate Student: Finals, Benefits & Beyond

Many final year Higher Education students will be delighted to be in the home straits this month. Studying hard for exams, submitting dissertations and looking longingly to the bright light at the end of the tunnel.

Hopefully in the near distance will be exciting job opportunities and a rewarding future. Of course your journey may not be as simple as finishing your course and straight into work. You may need to consider applying for welfare benefits as you hunt for work.

Most full time Higher Education students are not eligible for welfare benefits so this may be your first time considering it as an option. This blog post is a signpost to information for Job Seekers and other matters that you may want to consider as you finish your course.

Welfare Benefits

Once your course come to an end then you will no longer be regarded as in full-time education. Check your university or college academic calendar to establish the last day or check with your institution Student Registry service. Just because your exams are done doesn't mean you are no longer registered as a student.

There are a lot of changes taking place in the world of welfare benefits at the moment, so what benefit you may be able to apply for while looking for work will depend on at what stage of the welfare reform the area you live in has reached.

As your circumstances are changing you may consider seeking specialist welfare benefit advice to make sure you and your household are receiving all the benefits to which you are entitled. (See our Know where to Look page).

If you are actively seeking work then you should consider applying for

Job Seekers Allowance

or if you live in certain Jobcentre areas 

Universal Credit

Depending on your circumstances you should also consider 

Housing Benefit
Council Tax Support 

Completing a sub-degree and topping up in September 

If you are completing a sub degree such as a HND and intend to return to top that course up to degree level in September 2016 you should be able to apply for welfare benefits between the two course.

All the normal eligibility requirement for those benefits will apply.

National Minimum Wage

If you haven't been too busy swotting then you may have heard that there have been changes to the National Minimum Wage . Check the details to ensure any job you already have or take up, is paying at least the minimum required.

National Insurance and Tax

You may want to understand why we pay National Insurance and how it affects entitlement to certain welfare benefits including the State Pension. Signing on for welfare benefits such as Universal Credit or Job Seekers Allowance (if eligible) will mean that a National Insurance contribution is made. Gaps in your contribution over a lifetime can be problematic.

As you find work, change employers or the number of hours worked, you may benefit from better understanding your Tax Code and Payslips .

Graduate Bank Accounts

If you have a student bank account with an interest free overdraft you may want to explore alternative bank accounts. As you are no longer a student then it is likely taht the bank will look to charge interest on your overdraft. If you have a residual overdraft that you will not be able to pay off then explore a Gradate Account which will allow you a period of time to pay back the overdraft interest free. If you don't have an overdraft - well done! Look for an account that best suits your consumer needs going forward, whether that be one that offers high credits interest, low overdraft interest etc. Shop around, no need to stick with the provider you are with now.

www.moneysavingexpert.com and www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk offers useful guidance

Repaying your Student Loan

If you have taken a Student Loan from the Student Loan Company in order to fund your course you will become eligible to start repaying in the April following completing your course. 

Whether you have to pay anything back will depend on your earnings and when you started your course.

Visit The Student Loans Company Repayment Site for information.


Postgraduate Study and funding options

The government is introducing student loans for postgraduate study from 1st August 2016.                                                              

Other useful information can be found on www.gov.uk and www.prospects.ac.uk  

Other types of Government funded postgraduate study

NHS postgraduate courses and Social Work Courses www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Students  see link to Student Bursaries. 

Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Courses  www.gov.uk/teacher-training-funding

Professional and Career Development Loans - bank loans where the government pays the interest while student is studying and coordinated by the National Careers Service www.gov.uk/career-development-loans 

Other funders

Research Councils www.rcuk.ac.uk  

Scholarships  www.scholarship-search.org.uk 

Charities  www.family-action.org.uk  www.turn2us.org.uk   

Levitate Student: Estranged Students

Just a quick post to flag up progress regarding how the Student Loan Company process applications from Estranged Students. 

When aged under 25 most students are regarded as financially dependent upon their parents for student money purposes. This means that the student's entitlement to mean tested finance will be assessed on their household income including the income of the parent they live with (and that parents partner if applicable).

Life isn't quite that simple though is it? So there is provision in the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011 for when a student is aged under 25 but wishes to be assessed as Independent from their parents. These are outlined in Schedule 4 Financial Assessment paragraph 2 of these regulations .

( Please note Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011 have been subject to various amendments which are not included in the version on www.legislation.gov.uk )

This provision for independence includes for example 

• Where the parents are dead.
• Some circumstances where the parents can't be found; or that contacting them may put them at risk; or it wouldn't be reasonable to expect them to send funds to UK. 
• When a student is or has been married or in a civil partnership.
• When the student has a child or care of a child under 18 years old.
• Some circumstances when the student was in care after the age of 16.
• If the student can demonstrate financial independence for an aggregate of at least 3 years before the course began. 
• Then criteria often called being "estranged" - and in the regulations it states....... 

(e) the student has communicated with neither of the student's parents for the period of one year before the beginning of the relevant year or, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, the student can demonstrate on other grounds that the student is irreconcilably estranged from the student's parents; 

In reality a student may be estranged from their parents for many reasons; domestic violence or abuse; issues of acceptance relating to sexual orientation; religious differences; you name it the list could go on and on!!

The problem students face is trying to persuade the funders such as Student Finance England that they are in fact estranged and therefore assessed as independent of their parents.  

SFE relies on evidence in order to be satisfied that a student fulfills any of the requirements laid out in the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011. The same is true for all the other agencies administering the funding for higher education.

If only life came with a documented narrative signed off as "the truth" by some trusted authority that could be submitted as evidence later when needed. Unfortunately in reality the many reasons that result in a student becoming estranged are not reported, documented or even shared with others.

For example how and who do you tell, that you have suffered sexual abuse from a close family member, a parent maybe? Perhaps the trauma of it (now you are older) has only just started to fully impact you. Perhaps you are still struggling to understand what it all means, how you feel, what you want to do. Maybe you have never lived apart from that parent but no longer feel safe in the home. What evidence would you send to a funder to explain this was your circumstance? How would you confirm each year that your situation hasn't changed?

Students who find themselves "estranged" often struggle to prove it. Reaching out to teachers, police, social workers, advisers, religious leaders, family, friends to help can be a very daunting, a barrier. You want to go to university, your funding depends on your parents, your relationship with them is fractured, broken, but the time isn't right for you to share the struggle you are facing with others. What do you do?

Fortunately work has been taking place on behalf of students left vulnerable by the regulations and evidence requirements by the likes of National Union of Students, National Association of Student Money Advisers and over recent years the charity Stand Alone

The Student Loan Company  have now implemented application processing changes in support of estranged students applying to Student Finance England and Wales (follow the link for info) which is definitely a step in the right direction. 

If you need help and guidance relating to being estranged from your parents then please consider contacting one of the organisations mentioned or the Student Service department at a higher education institution.