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From 2018 to 2019, the number of non-traditional students (made up of parents) going to back to education in the UK hit 469,985. This, however, doesn’t take away the daunting task of balancing family, work, and school. Without a doubt, you must be ready for the rough terrain ahead and remain committed to the cause. Before enrolling, it is essential to consider certain things. How do you intend to fund it or earn extra academic credits? Highlighted below are other considerations to make.
What funds are available?
The average cost of undergraduate education in the UK is £9,250 annually. Meanwhile, tuition for a master’s degree ranges from £5,000 to £17,000 per school year. The variation in fees depends primarily on the course or programme you intend to offer. Admittedly, as a parent with other pressing financial responsibilities, these costs can be a major put-off. It explains why you must research the availability of funds, grants, or scholarships offered by the government or the higher education institution in question.
Although most UK scholarships are structured to favour international students who wish to study in the country, others prefer citizens. Your task is to find out which ones and whether you fit into their requirements. For example, some internal scholarships attend to students aged 18 – 22 years. Unless you are willing to sacrifice your savings (not advisable, though), you should explore other viable options.
Consider how to earn non-traditional academic credits
Academic credits boost your performance and GPA as you study towards earning a degree. The traditional way to earn credits is to remain consistent with school assignments, projects, and the hours committed to lectures. However, some higher education institutions make it more exciting by helping students earn it through study trips or travel programmes.
As a busy parent, you may want to consider the added benefits of these study trips. When you finally enrol in the university, these will come in handy to fulfil your credit hours. Believe it or not, you stand a chance of graduating quicker when you meet your credit hours. When it comes to these non-traditional credit hours, mature students tend to have an advantage over the 18 and 22- year-olds in this regard.
Is the institution or programme friendlier to adult students?
If you fail to do this check, you will regret ignoring this critical research at some point in your studies. Adult-friendly courses and schools tend to make provision for online classes, weekend or night lectures. Some institutions will offer one or a combination of all to enhance your performance in schooling as a parent. The more flexibility you have, the fewer scheduling conflicts you are likely to face in your studies.
Lastly, do not shy away from asking for help. You need all the support you can get as a parent returning to the schooling environment. It will help if you get mentally ready for the journey ahead.
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