Financial help for students

March 9th, 2010

There are many ways that students can get help
financially, students can get help with travel costs, childcare costs
if they have children, maintenance allowances and help if you are studying
away from home at a specialised college. Here is some of the financial
help you may be entitled to claim:

Transport costs

If you are between the ages of 16 and 18 and are attending a further education
course at a Sixth Form School, Sixth Form College or a further education
institute then you may be entitled to help with travel costs. The amount
of help will depend on where you live and what is available in that area
and you can get more information from your local education authority.

Help for young parents

If you are under the age of 20 and you have a children then you might
be able to claim for help, the “care to learn” fund can help if you are
under the age of 20 and start a course of learning at college or work
as a trainee. You must be caring for your own child and fathers can claim
if they are the main carer. You can find more information by contacting
your local education authority.

Education maintenance allowance

If you are staying on in further education then you may be entitled to
claiming the education maintenance allowance, the allowance is available
for students to help with the cost of items such as books, travel and
equipment. If your claim is successful then you may be entitled to around
£30 per week to help with costs. Application forms for the education maintenance
allowance are usually available from your college, university or learning
provider.

The learner support fund

If you are 16 years and over then you may be entitled to the learner support
fund, things the support fund covers are books, equipment, visits or field
trips, emergencies which affect living and learning or personal costs.

The learner support fund is given on a priority basis and those who are
considered high priority are those students with disabilities, learning
difficulties and students who are over the age of 19 and who are going
to be losing benefits. More information can be found about the learner
support fund through your college’s student support office.

Studying away from home

If you are studying away at a college that is not within easy travelling
distance and you have to live away from home then you might be able to
claim funding to help you. Funding of this type is divided into two areas,
the first is specialist residential colleges and the second is a residential
pilot scheme.

The specialist residential college funding is available for those who
have to attend one of 51 specialist colleges which offer courses in agriculture,
horticulture or art and design. The residential pilot scheme is available
to those who need to attend specialist courses that are beyond their local
and affordable travel to work.

You might be entitled to receiving funds if there are no other similar
provisions available locally. You can find more information on either
of the two funds by contacting your student support officer at your college.

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Financial advice for students

March 9th, 2010

There are a wide range of options available
for the student who needs help financially; the top three choices when
it comes to getting help are student loans from banks, borrowing from
family or credit cards.

Borrowing money from family

This is the cheapest way of course to borrow money because family don’t
usually charge you interest, if you are lucky enough to have family or
friends for that matter, who could help you out then this is one choice
which you will have to consider when looking for a loan.

However, borrowing from family can have it drawbacks; you could be tempted
to get behind on payments or miss them completely, which can cause friction.

If you are lucky enough to have this choice and do decide to take it then
it is wise to start out on the right footing and draw up papers specifying
the amount you have borrowed, the amount you are going to pay back each
month and the terms over which you are going to be paying it back.

If you have a student bank account then another option is to set up a
direct debit online and pay the specified amount of money straight away
every week or month into the lenders account.

Student loans

Other than borrowing money from the family, the student loan is the cheapest
alternative when getting into debt. You should shop around for the best
deal when it comes to a loan as interests rates will vary from bank to
bank, while it might not seem like much difference it can add up over
the year and entirety of the loan depending on how big a loan you take
out.

A point to remember and consider when taking out a loan is that interest
rates can go up and they invariably do over the years. Some student loans
are only paid back when you start earning a certain amount of money and
if these are the terms then usually you will only pay back the percentage
of what you are earning over that amount.

It can be very tempting to take out a loan and squander it but a student
loan should be treated like a salary, while you may not be paying it back
right now you will eventually have to pay it back and so its not free
money. Just as a salary is used for day-to-day living expenses then so
should your student loan be.

Credit cards

This is the last option you should consider choosing for a loan as it
usually works out to be the most expensive, in certain cases however,
where you might need more money the credit card might be the only option
left. In situations such as this, the credit card could come in handy
but only if it is used responsibly, it can be very tempting to use your
card for most anything.

However, it is surprising how easy the debt against them can build up
and a set minimum amount will usually have to be paid back at the end
of every month. The credit card should only be considered as an option
when all other methods have failed.

At the end of the day the type of student loan you choose is up to you
but whichever form you choose should be handled responsibly as the quicker
you can pay back the debt when you are working the quicker you can start
saving and investing for your future.

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E-Learning courses

March 9th, 2010

With the advancements in today’s technology
we now have more than one choice when it comes to earning a degree. Where
before we would have to attend a college or university in order to gain
a degree we can now do it so much easier and at a time that is more convenient
and even without leaving the comfort of your own home.

You can earn your degree online through e-learning or by using a similar
technique called distance learning and providing you choose an accredited
course then your degree will be accepted by all employers and counts for
just as much as one which you could have earned through attending a college
or university.

Online learning or e learning as it is now known is a term used to describe
learning by use of a computer and the internet, other terms associated
with e-learning are:

* Distance education

* Technology based learning

* Web based training

* Computer based training

* Online education

* Distance learning

All of the above methods while using slightly different variations on
e-learning all have the same thing in common, earning your degree or certificate.
There are various methods used when learning online but they usually consist
of some of the following methods:

* Online learning with no face to face meetings

* Blended learning, which consists of online learning along with face
to face meetings

* Synchronous

* Asynchronous

* An instructor or tutor led group

* Self studying

* Self studying with an expert in a particular subjects guidance

* Web based using a browser

* Computer based CD-Rom training

* Video, DVD or audio tape learning

There are several ways that delivery of the course material is given with
the most popular methods being:

* E-books, e-zines, e-text or standard text books

* DVD, video tape, cable or satellite transmissions which you tape

* Streaming audio and video using a web browser

* Interactive, reviews or paper exams

* E-mail, web blogs pr listservs

* Chat rooms, video, conferencing and teleconferencing

The top reasons students choose to study online

* You are able to study in your own time and at your own pace

* There are no travelling costs

* Courses are available 24/7 * There are a wide variety of courses and
degrees on offer

* Courses can be studied at home, during work breaks or while travelling

* There are a wide range of schools, colleges and universities to choose
from

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Distance learning programme tips

March 9th, 2010

In order for you to get the most out of your
chosen distance learning programme it is essential that you choose the
right one for you and one which suits your style of learning. Here are
some tips for you to get the most out of your distance-learning programme:

What do you want to achieve with your distance-learning programme?

The most important factor when choosing a course is what it is that you
are looking to achieve with your distance-learning programme, do you want
to earn a specific degree in a specialised field or just want to further
your career by learning something new.

If it’s a degree that you are looking to gain then it must be recognised
by an accrediting body, it is also worthwhile making sure that if you
earn your degree outside of your own country that the degree will be recognised
in your own country.

The content of your chosen programme

You should make sure that you are quite comfortable using the material
which the distance learning programme offers by way of learning, most
distance learning programmes offer course material by way of videos and
DVDs as well as written material both on the computer and using text books.

You should make sure you know what materials the programme consists of
and when the different components will be delivered. While you will be
learning at your own pace, some courses do state that the courses have
to be completed in a set amount of time; you should always double check
if there is a time limit on your chosen programme.

You should also make sure of what to do if for any reason course material
isn’t delivered to you because most courses will be structured and you
wont be able to go onto the next module without completing them in order.


Organising your study periods

You should treat your distance learning programme just the same as you
would if you were attending a college or university, in order to keep
up with structured lessons you will have to complete assignments within
a given time otherwise you risk getting behind.

Most courses have a deadline for handing in coursework and just as you
would in a college or university then you could fail if you don’t submit
on time.

You should take the course just as seriously as you would were you getting
up and getting to college on time for lessons and structure your time
at home and work to timetables with the only major difference being that
you are in the comfort of your own home and don’t have to travel to the
college or university.

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Coping with exam anxiety

March 9th, 2010

Stress and anxiety can be debilitating especially
when it comes to exam time, stress can appear differently from person
to person with symptoms appearing as irritability, the inability to concentrate,
headaches or in the extreme form of panic attacks. Here are some tips
and strategies to help deal with one of the most stressful periods in
a student’s life, exams:

* Develop a positive attitude towards exams

* Try to wash away any pessimistic thoughts

* Remind yourself of your previous positive experiences

* Put any past failures into perspective

* Aim to stay in control of your thoughts and feelings

* Look for new ways of coping with stress

Some of the more popular methods of dealing with stress and anxiety
are

* Meditation

* Yoga

* Visualisation

* Relaxing with friends

* Managing your time more successfully

* An exercise and diet plan

* Create ways to solve your problems

Relaxation techniques

The mini pause

This routine takes just a few seconds and can be done anywhere at anytime.

* Take a deep breath and try to shut out any distractions

* Take breaths in slowly through your nose and back out through your mouth
for the count of 5 seconds

* Straighten your spine and feel your stomach lift

* Feel your muscles relax and let your limbs become heavy

* Repeat the breathing pattern for as long as you want

* Slowly let your breathing come back to a normal pattern

The mini break

This will take around 5 minutes to complete

* Make sure you are sat comfortably with no distractions, feet flat on
the floor and hands held loose in your lap

* Make sure that your spine is straight and hold your head in alignment
with your spine

* Slowly close your eyes and begin to breathe slowly in and out

* Starting with your feet relax your muscles, feel them growing heavier
as you continue deep breathing

* Work up your leg to your hips then start again with your other foot,
feeling all tension leave your muscles as you work up your body

* Continue working up with your hands and arms

* Be aware of your breathing and your muscles becoming totally relaxed

* Concentrate on your mouth, chin, nose, the muscles in your face, relaxing
them all the way up to your forehead

* Continue breathing in slowly and deeply for as long as you need

* When you are ready slowly open your eyes and focus

You can practice either of these relaxation techniques whenever you feel
stressed or anxious; the mini pause is excellent just before taking an
exam and the mini break before you leave the house for your exam.

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Hello world!

March 9th, 2010

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

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