Tuition Fees For Brats?

[SirToppamHat]

Not there yet, and assuming Hats junior want to go, does anyone know how we in the Service stand as far as University Tuition Fees are concerned?

Just been discussing with Lady Hat, and I am assuming that if we were in Scotland and Hat Jr attending Scottish Uni, then presumably no tuition fees. However, the Service doesn't give us the option to live where we choose, so how does it play out?

Anyone with any experience of this?

This might seem selfish, but I just don't want the kids starting their lives with massive debts if it's not necessary.

STH

[airborne_artist]

I just don't want the kids starting their lives with massive debts if it's not necessary

You'll just have to pay up like the rest of us then :uhoh:

[Torchy]

Get Real!! Just because you are in the Military does not exempt you from university charges. Schooling etc is OK as the kids are young but everyone has to address University fees regardless of their background. I'm ex military (37 years in the RAF) and I have paid for 2 daughters to get their degrees. I have never, for a minute, thought of ways to avoid paying for their education. I'm appalled.

[Wrathmonk]

Torchy (or should that be Touchy)

Think what STH was trying to say was that if he was not in the Mil he could, in theory, move jobs to Scotland and thus (I guess under the SNP rules) get free University tuition (along with free OAP care, better access to medical drugs etc etc). Don't think he was trying to say that the Military should pay (as they do [at the moment:hmm:] for boarding school fees for those eligible) but whether there was any regulation for it.

STH - good question. Similar to should you get LOA for being posted to Scotland!!! And what happens when the Scottish parliament sets its own level of Income Tax (or does it do that already??). I guess the only way to guarantee it is to immediatly volunteer to serve in Scotland until Hat Junr is 22 yrs old+. But be quick - who knows how long we'll have bases in the Republic of Scotland!!! Or start saving!:ok:

[shack]

The title frightened me f******s, being an ex-brat who left Halton in 1950, I thought for a moment that I had missed out on some dosh!!

[Shack37]

STH,
I don't think you need to live in Scotland to apply for a university place there. Half the EU seem to be students north of the border.
s37

[SirToppamHat]

Torchy/Touchy

I have never, for a minute, thought of ways to avoid paying for their education. I'm appalled.

I do apologise for upsetting you, perhaps you should go and have a lie down.

In fact Wrathmonk's reading of my post was quite correct. I pay exactly the same (significant amount of) tax living in the military in England as I would in Scotland. I don't see why the location chosen for me by the MoD should determine whether my kids leave University with bigger debts than absolutely necessary.

I am certainly not suggesting that the MoD/Service should make any contribution to tuition fees.

If anyone has any actual experience of this, perhaps they could share it with us.

Regards

STH

[4mastacker]

Sad fact of life is they will very likely end up graduating with a debt of some sort. If they don't want a debt hanging round ther necks then they need either parents who will fund their every need whilst they are studying or have a very large wedge of cash of their own before they start at uni. I have helped my two daughters as far as I could but they have still ended up having student loan debts because of all the additional costs that aren't mentioned in the glossy brochures.

As far as going to uni in Scotland is concerned, I think (and am open to correction) the student has to be born in Scotland and/or have Scottish parents to qualify for exemption from the tuition fees; if the child is English (or Welsh) then there is no exemption from tuition fees. Its down to devolution and the Scottish Parliament having responsibility for its own education policy.. that and the East Lothian question. B:mad:

ps Learnt a lesson off a young SAC at Cottesmore many years ago. When his kids were born, he took out insurance policies against them going to uni.. smart move young man, I wished I had done that!!

[airborne_artist]

Do some Googling - the student does not need to be Scottish by birth, but must be ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date. Tuition fees are free if studying in Scotland.

[craigJ]

Having recently gone through the university system, I know the situation in Wales is that if you are resident there, no tuition fees apply... I'm assuming it would be the same up north :).

[Blacksheep]

No longer military, but I must still work where my employer sends me. To reduce my education costs I did send my wife and daughters to live in a neighbouring country where school fees were much lower than they are locally. I commuted at weekends. Sometimes one makes personal sacrifices in order to gain advantage for the family as a whole. You might consider sending the family to live in Scotland and travel up to see them whenever you can and they of course can visit you during the long school vacations.

[332mistress]

Free university education in Scotland is a bit of a con - it is not free as such - my children (or Bank of Dad) will have to pay a graduate endowment to the government on graduation. It won't be as large as paying fees each year but it is about £2000.

The only qualification to getting this "free" education is for your parents to live in Scotland - not sure what happens if you move south before the kids finish their course.

There is also a rumour that our glorious leader Salmond may do away with the endowment charge soon:ok:

However, if he gets his plan for independence there will be no military up here so it won't be of interest:(

332M

[adminblunty]

Radio 4 covered this issue in depth in a programme 2 months ago. In short, the child has to be resident (no time period stipulated) in Scotland to receive free tuition. So, send them to live with Uncle Rab in Glasgow before they apply for Uni, get the RAF to post you to Scotland, move the family to Scotland or PVR and get a civvy job in Scotland.

[zedder]

332mistress. The Scottish government recently announced that they will abolish the Graduate Endowment. They aim to have this legislation in force by April. This was reported on BBC Scotland in June.

Who qualifies as a Scottish student?

To be classed as a Scottish student, you need to have lived in Scotland for at least three years immediately before the first day of the first academic year of your course. Alternatively, you could be ordinarily resident in Scotland on the first day of the first academic year of your course. This means that you have moved to Scotland for a reason other than to study here, for example moving with parents who have re-located for work.

[craigJ]

332 mistress: 'It won't be as large as paying fees each year but it is about £2000'

That's nothing compared to the £30,000 debt I could quite easily end up with after a 3 year course (even with a job, paying some during my study, and financial support from mummy and daddy ;))

[Croqueteer]

:confused:Shack, my thoughts exactly. (Locking, though) Noting your handle and also Skack37, I am off to an ex-Shack PU tomorrow, mainly 38sqdn.

[tmmorris]

Off topic but... discussing the Scottish independence question Radio 4 yesterday said that an independent Scotland would have its own military. Presumably made up entirely of SNCOs...

Tim

[PPRuNeUser0211]

Debt is also proportional to the amount of work said children are willing to do whilst they're at uni also (albeit dependant on course type and location!) Daughter of a friend of mine did a fantastic job at Bristol, four year course for an MEng in Mechanical engineering, got a first and graduated with about 2k debts, self supported with no abation of tuition fees or support from parents. She simply worked her nuts off for 4 years. Evening jobs, weekend jobs, summer jobs, TA, and lived a sensible lifestyle (not to mention she supported her slightly older bloke while he was jobless for the last 6 months of her course) Amazing job she did, and am proud of her! So don't worry too much (unless mini hats are planning on going to london, then find a way to re-mortgage Hats Castle!)