funding problems

[HarmlessWeasel]

again is your college based training going to be HNC/D or foundation degree.

This is for FD. I just realised I should have mentioned that it wasn't a problem for SSTG either as I was offered a place with them as well.

I was under the impression that for older applicants with work experience etc, that they look at your experiences and your professional life more than your qualifications so you may be put on the FD if you can show that you can work well under your own steam. From what I've gathered the course content in the FD and HND is very similar, just that the HND is more class led study, and the FD more self led study with one or two extra exams for exemptions. The maths should be pretty much the same I think, though I'm sure someone will be along to correct me soon as I haven't actually started to can't guarantee the accuracy of my advice

[Rich1990]

Is that on the HNC/D course of the foundation degree course?

It is for the Foundation Degree and I am set to graduate from a BSc this summer. Have they said you are elegible for the FD and not the HNC/D?

I am lead to believe, although someone correct me if I am wrong, that the funding for a deck/egineering/ETO cadetship with the MN (done through SMarT funding) is completely separate/different to that of student finance that is used for undergraduate degrees at unis/colleges. Thus it shouldn't have any bearing on your elegibility for cadetship funding, unless you have previously attempted a MN cadetship as you are only elegible for SMarT funding once.

Like I say, that it what I have been told. I'm sure someone with further knowledge of this can clear it up for you.

More info on SMarT funding: http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/mcga07-hom...-stc-smart.htm

Says nothing about previous degrees etc. stopping you from being elegible.

[iconofsin]

When I start I'll already have an honours degree, wasn't a problem for Maersk.

again is your college based training going to be HNC/D or foundation degree.

[iconofsin]

I already have a degree and SSTG have accepted and will fund me starting this September - so I am sure this shouldn't be an issue.

Is that on the HNC/D course of the foundation degree course?

[HarmlessWeasel]

When I start I'll already have an honours degree, wasn't a problem for Maersk.

[CharlieDelta]

surely a degree no matter how related or not trumps A levels?

Not necessarily. What the companies are looking for is A-Level maths/physics. No matter how high you go (masters, doctorate), unless it covers the same maths as you would do at A-Level then it won't help you meet the entry requirements.

On the other hand, as far as I'm aware maths/physics is a company requirement, not a college requirement, and the colleges are happy as long as you have 120 UCAS points from any subjects. Realistically, this course only needs GCSE level maths.

[Rich1990]

However
I already have a degree in a unrelated subject
and SSTG (safe ship training group) have told me that I cannot be considered for the HND/C course because I have a existing degree so funding is not available.

I already have a degree and SSTG have accepted and will fund me starting this September - so I am sure this shouldn't be an issue.

[YoungMariner]

I'd recommend you contact the Merchant Navy Training Board, they may be able to assist, they may be able to contact the right people to ensure that the funding is available for you to do the course. I dont know the ins and outs, but they are probably a good first point of contact. http://www.mntb.org.uk/

[newbie]

in short
i cannot train with a foundation degree because I dont have maths or physics at alevel.

This isn't techincally correct. SSTG are right in saying you can't do the HNC/D, but I would recommend writing to the colleges and ask them to assess your grades - as ultimately they determine whether you will be able to gain entry onto the course. Applying to companies with the confirmation from the college will make it a lot easier for them to make an assessment on your application.

[Lewis]

Have you spoken to anyone other than SSTG? Other companies have different educational requirements.
Why can't you do the PD/FD surely a degree no matter how related or not trumps A levels?
Have you considered doing highers instead of A levels? I don't know for sure but I would imagine that as they take half the time it would be cheaper.

[iconofsin]

I am an aspiring deck cadet.
The current UK funding has caused me some difficulty.

You can train via the HNC/D or foundation degree routes.

The HNC/D entry requirements are 4-5 Cs at GCSE (with some trainers requiring B's especially in maths).
The foundation degree requirements are the the same GCSEs with 120 uca's points at alevel and physics or maths at alevel.

I have the GCSE requirements (including B in maths) and the ucas requirements but i don't have maths or physics at alevel.
So i have meet the academic requirements for the HNC/D but not the foundation degree.

However
I already have a degree in a unrelated subject
and SSTG (safe ship training group) have told me that I cannot be considered for the HND/C course because I have a existing degree so funding is not available.

in short
i cannot train with a foundation degree because I dont have maths or physics at alevel.
and i cannot train with a HND/C because when i was younger I worked hard and pursued my education as far as I could by doing a degree when I finished school.

My family are low income so I have nobody who could pay the course fees for me.

I considered doing an alevel in maths or physics but...
This year the government decided that everyone over 24 who does Alevels should pay for it themselves. (google HE loans)
there is a student loan available but I am reluctant to use this because a person can only take out a fixed number of loans in a lifetime so if i do this and then fail to get accepted as a cadet I will be left with even fewer career options later in life.

Incidentally I originally had a C in maths GCSE so I decided to get my grade up to a B.
I could not take a GCSE course in maths because the year before i decided to do it the govonment stopped funding GCSES for anyone who has 5 C grades or better, as a result I had to self study and enter the exam as an external candidate (that means I was not sitting the exam as part of a course with any college). Very few colleges accept external candidates and I only managed to do it because one of the colleges which i asked made an admin error and had entered me onto the first paper of the gcse course before they realized their mistake. Fortunately When they discovered their mistake they agreed to honor it an enter me for all the papers.

This GCSE maths incident was caused simply because fundind has been cut and I am from a low income background. Dispite overcoming this I have now come across another barrier caused by the same thing.

Has anyone else come across these problems
and does anyone have any suggestions about what I should do

PS
Sorry about my spelling, I just bought a wrist rest and am getting used to it - so for now i sometimes hit the wrong key when typeing.