Paying to Retake Exams

Former Member

This could belong in money I'm not sure...

Okay so I'm 22 and decided I want to go to uni to train as a nurse, or something else health related. I had a careers interview at a uni and got some help and they basically said I shouldn't bother really applying for uni until I've got a C in my maths GCSE.

so. I rang round some colleges and have managed to get onto a maths GCSE course thats 1 night a week, even though the course has already been running for 7 weeks. It was my first one on Wednesday and i found it reeeally hard to catch up, (what can i say, im shite at maths) but I suppose i'll have to.

The only thing is I knew I would have to pay to retake it but I didn't realise it would be so much - £180 and then £40 to pay for the exam when it comes. I work about 19 hours a week (sometimes more when theres overtime) and I really cannot afford £180. I could pay it now but it would mean that I would have no money left for the rest of the month and I've only been paid for a week.

Basically I want to know if theres any help I could get towards paying for it? On the form I filled out it said I could get it paid for if I was an 'ethnic minority' or if i was living on benefits but unfortunately im not (?!). All I want to do is better myself and go to uni and get a really job but this is just standing in my way! Its so annoying!

Any help would be appreciated.

Former Member

im 20 and i have been retaking my gcse maths for like 5 weeks now.

it cost me £150ish altogether and they let us lot pay in installments. i dunno about any help with funding though. i know i was one of the few paying for it though.

its fucking hard work though. makes you realise how much you have forgot.

all i wanna say is that it will be worth it in the end

Former Member

Try asking the people you had the careers interview with, or learn direct, or maybe the local job centre as they might know the answers. It sounds like you've tried but if not ask the people running the course (probably the admin side rather than the tutor) as they might know.

It's worth a good shot though, as maths is one of those basic skills the government is keen for people to get qualifications in so there may be funding out there.

Former Member

Scary Monster wrote:

maths is one of those basic skills the government is keen for people to get qualifications in so there may be funding out there.

:yes: true

my sisters bf has just started one of those courses hes never talked about money though. He is finding it hard too i wudnt worry about it. Id say talk to careers people, perhaps your teacher if you feel you can talk to him/her.

Former Member

My old college used to have various methods for payments, early payments discounts, instalments etc. Ask the student services/enrollment department if they can suggest anything. The course may be hard but it will be worth it, at least the uni were honest with you about what qualifications you needed.

Former Member

Scary Monster wrote:

Try asking the people you had the careers interview with, or learn direct, or maybe the local job centre as they might know the answers. It sounds like you've tried but if not ask the people running the course (probably the admin side rather than the tutor) as they might know.

I'll probably ask the woman at the cash office thing where i went to pay, but I'm a bit embarassed to say over a counter 'i cant afford it'. She did mention paying in instalments but you end up paying £50 more!

I don't know. I've got to get this sorted before Wednesday because you can only get one week in grace then when I go on wednesday i have to offer up some kind of payment

Former Member

IM SO FRUSTRATED!!!

the woman at learn direct was really useful. She was dead nice and understood what I was saying and gave me a few phone numbers to ring, firstly telling me to try the college. The college were SO rubbish though! They basically said 'no sorry we dont pay for GCSE resits' and that was it, i dont even think she knows what she was talking about.

She told me to ring Connexions so I did but I'm too old for that, its 16-19 and im 22. She also told me to ring my local educational authority which I did but she was even worse, she didnt even know what i was on about, then left me on hold for like 20 minutes then I ended up putting the phone down.

Its SO annoying. All i want to do is retake my fucking maths so I can go to uni and better myself, yet because I can't afford it and i'm not living on jobseekers allowance theres no help whatsoever. I feel like crying!!! ARGH.

sorry for this outburst. but then again if people ever search for a thread on retaking gcses they'll know that theres no help to be had.