NO…Its not the THREE DEGREES…but a freebie for pensioners. Seems that if you are after a degree, or something you have always wanted to do but couldnt afford it, here it is. I was reading this morning on AOL news, that you can apply for funding from Student Loans and once accepted the UNI will be paid directly, the same as young students do. You can borrow up to £28,000, and where young students have to start paying the loan back once they start earning above £21,000 or £25,000 from April 2018…pensioners will never earn that amount, so will never have to pay it back…i think its a good system, and will apply in the new year to be the new Jimmy Hendrix, or Eric Clapton, heres a copy of the report:
In 2007, there were 40,920 students aged 60 and over enrolled on university courses across the country.
By last year, however, there were just 19,030 undergraduate and postgraduate students registered in this age group.
The introduction of tuition fees costing up to almost £28,000 over a three-year course is likely to be one reason for this.
But many pensioners on lower incomes can avoid paying tuition fees altogether - thanks to a little-known loophole in the complex Student Loans system. And that means they can take a degree “for free”.
How does it work?
Like students of all ages, pensioners can borrow the money to cover their tuition fees by taking out a Tuition Fee Loan.
Loans of this kind are designed to cover the course fees - which can be up to £9,250 a year - exactly, and are paid directly to the university concerned.
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And unlike other loans offered by banks and lenders, they only have to be paid back once the student’s annual earnings exceed £21,000, or £25,000 from April next year.
For pensioners whose retirement incomes do not exceed this amount - that’s the huge majority in case you were wondering - this means that the loans never have to be repaid.
It’s not free. You’re just putting a bigger burden on another generation plus if you do have money when you die they’ll recuperate the loan from the estate.
Seems ridiculous to go to university for a degree that you have no intention of putting into use. You’re just wasting a place.
ItsJoe:
It’s not free. You’re just putting a bigger burden on another generation plus if you do have money when you die they’ll recuperate the loan from the estate.
Seems ridiculous to go to university for a degree that you have no intention of putting into use. You’re just wasting a place.
I don’t think the Student Loan regulations work like that
If a customer dies their student loans will be cancelled. We’ll need you to send us evidence to support this.
Not sure how you send evidence if you’re dead, maybe through a Medium
Many people go to university and never use their qualification, so why not an elderly person and if you’re 65 you might have another 20 years or more years of active life left in you, especially if you keep you brain and body active, in that time to might use your education, might work or it might keep you mind sharp and stop you being a burden on the NHS.
I’d love to get a degree, maybe in robotics and automation would be a good idea.
For a pensioner on the breadline it might make sense. You get a maintenance loan and something to do. After that you can apply for a phd and get a stipend of between 14-20k for the next 3/4 years. It’s a nice way for people to have a hobby in their retirement and top up their pension.
ItsJoe:
It’s not free. You’re just putting a bigger burden on another generation plus if you do have money when you die they’ll recuperate the loan from the estate.
Seems ridiculous to go to university for a degree that you have no intention of putting into use. You’re just wasting a place.
No it’s not free and unfortunately most students past, present and future seem to think it is, putting the financial burden on us the tax payer and those pensioners that not only once paid tax, but now face cuts due to the national debt which includes unpaid student loans.
As for having a degree that will never be used, again this is something that’s happening already, students repeatedly taking 3 year courses in farcical subjects that will never be used but they are allowed loans and grants against each course.
muckles:
Many people go to university and never use their qualification, so why not an elderly person and if you’re 65 you might have another 20 years or more years of active life left in you, especially if you keep you brain and body active, in that time to might use your education, might work or it might keep you mind sharp and stop you being a burden on the NHS.
I’d love to get a degree, maybe in robotics and automation would be a good idea.
I know people doing PhD studies into their 60s, Pensioners with these qualifications can indeed be beneficial to society. It is a scientific fact that keeping your mind active can go a long way to help ward off certain mental illnesses.
oh no. A gift from those at work to the baby boomers to play with in retirement . Re-tyre-ment. Now there’s something people younger won’t have .
I’m all for this kind of stuff actually, constant access to learning. But not sure about state paid freebees to the wealthiest retirement generation ever, possibly the only set of generations.
Suppose could be argued the money goes to learning establishments which will benefit the populous. That would be of value. Not convinced it’ll pay for itself with health improvements. It’s too subjective. Would prefer it myself if they set aside that money to show some positive interest in a state pension for the younguns of today. By the time they retire, a free degree is going to be the least of their worries.
Freight Dog:
oh no. A gift from those at work to the baby boomers to play with in retirement . Re-tyre-ment. Now there’s something people younger won’t have .
I’m all for this kind of stuff actually, constant access to learning. But not sure about state paid freebees to the wealthiest retirement generation ever, possibly the only set of generations.
Suppose could be argued the money goes to learning establishments which will benefit the populous. That would be of value. Not convinced it’ll pay for itself with health improvements. It’s too subjective. Would prefer it myself if they set aside that money to show some positive interest in a state pension for the younguns of today. By the time they retire, a free degree is going to be the least of their worries.
Personally I don’t agree with pensioners getting a student loan for taking a degree course, however education should be something we have access to for life.
Couldn’t say if it would or wouldn’t be cost effective in health improvements, but from personal experience of elderly members of my family some who stayed active after retirement and others who just stopped didn’t go out and just lost all social contact after finishing work, and from studies that show Retired people who have an active life tend to be healthier for longer.
I also think there is great benefits from the generations mixing, not just in helping to breakdown some of the preconceived ideas that they have about each other, but just in keeping older minds young and helping younger people to see another point of view instead of living in their own little bubble of opinion. The young also might find that the present generation of retirees had more radical views when they were younger, than they have and done far more radical things.
Grumpy Dad…YES it is completely free…to those applying…and it seems you dont mind paying £30 grand a year for asylum seekers…yet begrudge pensioners getting a further education or learning program, which is what i am after as a pension wont cover £25 an hour to do what i want to do…yet here is an offer that many pensioners cant refuse, and there are many who have taken the step already.
There are also many who decided to take a degree course, then opted out, those who finished a course, and never followed on in their career…then theres my daughter who took on a course, at great expense to me, to study law, and spent 3 days a week at home…wtf is that all about when tutors are on £60 grand a year…many courses can be done in half the time, and should cost half the money…BTW, shes been applying for work for the past 4 months, most dont reply, , one offered part time, @ 2 days a week…yeah right, and many others are in the same boat…so dont worry about future generations having to pay for my extra education, there wont be any jobs for them.
Freight Dog:
oh no. A gift from those at work to the baby boomers to play with in retirement . Re-tyre-ment. Now there’s something people younger won’t have .
I’m all for this kind of stuff actually, constant access to learning. But not sure about state paid freebees to the wealthiest retirement generation ever, possibly the only set of generations.
Suppose could be argued the money goes to learning establishments which will benefit the populous. That would be of value. Not convinced it’ll pay for itself with health improvements. It’s too subjective. Would prefer it myself if they set aside that money to show some positive interest in a state pension for the younguns of today. By the time they retire, a free degree is going to be the least of their worries.
Personally I don’t agree with pensioners getting a student loan for taking a degree course, however education should be something we have access to for life.
Couldn’t say if it would or wouldn’t be cost effective in health improvements, but from personal experience of elderly members of my family some who stayed active after retirement and others who just stopped didn’t go out and just lost all social contact after finishing work, and from studies that show Retired people who have an active life tend to be healthier for longer.
I also think there is great benefits from the generations mixing, not just in helping to breakdown some of the preconceived ideas that they have about each other, but just in keeping older minds young and helping younger people to see another point of view instead of living in their own little bubble of opinion. The young also might find that the present generation of retirees had more radical views when they were younger, than they have and done far more radical things.
That’s a point and something that came up in a conversation with a work colleague. The generational divide is a tempting rabbit warren to follow with advancing age. It’s revitalising and very beneficial to maintain a contact and engagement across the generations.
As I mentioned, I’m myself for access to learning throughout life. It’s the mechanics and targeting of it that deserve closer inspection in my opinion. A close family friend of ours was a leading light on a panel in the 80s that created the access to education system to allow adult learners access to higher degree level learning without retracing a traditional education geared towards children. Tens of thousands have benefited from this.
Education IS accessible for life, it’s just not free, if someone wants to enhance their education wether it be for personal development in a specified area or to enhance their current educational status to open up more employment opportunities, then it should be paid for.
What should stop though is the growing trend of studying non progressive courses such as media studies or media advertising, these seem to be a cop out with no actual employment opportunities at the end, this would ■■■■■ uni resources and enable them to focus on students who wish to develope and progress.
Key skill employment courses nursing, teaching, vetinary or law and others however should be subsidised in some form.
My daughter is in her second year of 6th form, she has from a young age set her sights on becoming a teacher and she has worked hard to try and achieve her goal. She currently has sufficient UCAS points based on her real time grades, her predicted end of year grades would be more than enough to get into the UNI she wants.
The teaching course stands at the moment at £9250 per year and the length is 3 years and on top of that she can claim a maintenance allowance of £7100 per year making her overall debt £49050, which will be a hell of a debt for a 22 year old to have over their shoulders.
The current method of repayment is the debt will not start to be repaid until the graduated student is earning £21000 per year, 9% of anything over that will then be taken as repayment.
When you look at that and then look at the current trend of cop out courses where students who graduate or even fail to graduate never repay their student loans because they will never reach £21000 per year, it seems unfair to those students who will benefit and have something to offer upon graduation.
truckyboy:
Grumpy Dad…YES it is completely free…to those applying…and it seems you dont mind paying £30 grand a year for asylum seekers…yet begrudge pensioners getting a further education or learning program, which is what i am after as a pension wont cover £25 an hour to do what i want to do…yet here is an offer that many pensioners cant refuse, and there are many who have taken the step already.
There are also many who decided to take a degree course, then opted out, those who finished a course, and never followed on in their career…then theres my daughter who took on a course, at great expense to me, to study law, and spent 3 days a week at home…wtf is that all about when tutors are on £60 grand a year…many courses can be done in half the time, and should cost half the money…BTW, shes been applying for work for the past 4 months, most dont reply, , one offered part time, @ 2 days a week…yeah right, and many others are in the same boat…so dont worry about future generations having to pay for my extra education, there wont be any jobs for them.
Hang on I’m all in favour of giving them the opportunity to study, they may at the end have something educationally valuable to offer the younger generations what I am against is freeloading students who can’t be arsed, they take on cop out courses that have no future building up an already exhausted student debt, and as for willing to give my hard earned cash to some scrote that’s just climbed out of the back of a trailer you couldn’t be more wrong
Grumpy Dad:
What should stop though is the growing trend of studying non progressive courses such as media studies or media advertising, these seem to be a cop out with no actual employment opportunities at the end, this would ■■■■■ uni resources and enable them to focus on students who wish to develope and progress.
Media is a massive industry, employs millions of people, so bazaar as it may seem media studies does have loads of well paid employment opportunities.
Grumps, the original post was to highlight what was available to pensioners like myself, who have a chance to re-educate themselves, or to learn something new. I saw it as a chance because i want to play guitar, its difficult without a tutor, and as there is a massive uni close by, thought it would be great to take up the offer of learning something that was free at the point of entry. I will still have to apply for a student loan, and IF i get it, i wont fit the criteria of earning £21,000 before i pay it back, but seeing as my pensions only total £11,000, the rules state i wont have to. I`m not the type to take everything i can for free, and having worked over 55 years, this seems like a treat…It will also give me a meaning, a purpose instead of wasting time looking for employers who wont take me on because of my age( 71 ) although healthy,problem free and fully licenced and experienced, and they say there should be no discrimination, there certainly is, and thats with increasing the working age.
btw, i dont understand your first reply that said ( not in so many words ) that i would become a burden on the state/tax payers if i accepted a degree course, but didnt have to pay for it because the rules say i dont have to, hence my reply about you and the scrotes…sorry if i offended.
truckyboy:
Grumps, the original post was to highlight what was available to pensioners like myself, who have a chance to re-educate themselves, or to learn something new. I saw it as a chance because i want to play guitar, its difficult without a tutor, and as there is a massive uni close by, thought it would be great to take up the offer of learning something that was free at the point of entry. I will still have to apply for a student loan, and IF i get it, i wont fit the criteria of earning £21,000 before i pay it back, but seeing as my pensions only total £11,000, the rules state i wont have to. I`m not the type to take everything i can for free, and having worked over 55 years, this seems like a treat…It will also give me a meaning, a purpose instead of wasting time looking for employers who wont take me on because of my age( 71 ) although healthy,problem free and fully licenced and experienced, and they say there should be no discrimination, there certainly is, and thats with increasing the working age.
btw, i dont understand your first reply that said ( not in so many words ) that i would become a burden on the state/tax payers if i accepted a degree course, but didnt have to pay for it because the rules say i dont have to, hence my reply about you and the scrotes…sorry if i offended.
I have no issue with the idea of giving pensioners a chance to improve their lives, and like I said many will have something they may be able to offer the younger generations based on their own life experiences, my grudge is these school leaving and habitual students who today take the proverbial pi55 out of the system and study courses in subjects they have no intention of pursuing careers wise, the main subject being media based which is among the lowest entry levels.
No offence was taken and I apologise if I appeared to be against this idea my comment could have been better worded
Grumpy Dad:
What should stop though is the growing trend of studying non progressive courses such as media studies or media advertising, these seem to be a cop out with no actual employment opportunities at the end, this would ■■■■■ uni resources and enable them to focus on students who wish to develope and progress.
Media is a massive industry, employs millions of people, so bazaar as it may seem media studies does have loads of well paid employment opportunities.
I couldnt agree more strongly, it’s common to bash media courses. This is ill thought out. It’s not the 1980s. There is a very vibrant and growing film industry within the UK. Where I live, there’s Titanic film studios that is used for Game of thrones. It’s built on the former old ship building site. The surrounding industry around here is very bouyant and exciting. A former mechanic near where I live hurt his back at work. After down a brief stint as an extra, he’s now an assistant director. There’s the film studious on Swansea. If anything the film industry in the UK needs continued energy and interest from the government as there is a real appetite within the States for utilising facilities and locations in the UK.
Media courses get a hammering because it’s a tough field to get into, but the courses are still relevant to a real and growing industry within the uk. Unlike say, I don’t know. Antique Flower pot appreciation courses. I know there’s no such a thing
Grumpy Dad:
What should stop though is the growing trend of studying non progressive courses such as media studies or media advertising, these seem to be a cop out with no actual employment opportunities at the end, this would ■■■■■ uni resources and enable them to focus on students who wish to develope and progress.
Media is a massive industry, employs millions of people, so bazaar as it may seem media studies does have loads of well paid employment opportunities.
I couldnt agree more strongly, it’s common to bash media courses. This is ill thought out. It’s not the 1980s. There is a very vibrant and growing film industry within the UK.
From my experience of working with many Media and PR types over the years, I would recommend anybody with a modicum of intelligence who wants an easy, well paid job, to get a degree in it. because if you’ve got some brains you’ll move up the PR ladder like a rocket.
90% of the one’s I’ve worked are what you call “Not the sharpest tools in the box”, although they all seem to talk a good job, but vanish when there is work to be done, that’s the point you find out they’ve not really got it all organised (despite the many emails you’ve received saying this has been done that has been done ) and you suddenly find you’ve had to stop being a truck driver and have become an event manager and are trying to sort it out. but never fear they’re always back just in time to get the glory for organising such a great event.
Maybe that’s why it takes a 3 year degree course. So you can learn at what point you leave and at how to return to a venue once all the mess you’ve created has been sorted.
Some titan of industry said that he doesn’t take graduates on because if there is a problem, graduates analyse it, nongraduates solve it. |From what I’ve seen ( some sort of business degree), that’s right.
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because if you’ve got some brains you’ll move up the PR ladder like a rocket. 
) and you suddenly find you’ve had to stop being a truck driver and have become an event manager and are trying to sort it out. 