Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello, my name is Jonny, I'm 35 and I was diagnosed with ASD at the end of last year.
I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with applying for a second degree, specifically in obtaining the funding without any private financial backing?
I graduated from university in 2012 with a degree in illustration, but I was unable to make it work for me, and ended up spending the next ten years working in various roles for the NHS. I'm currently unemployed after the mental health crisis that led to my diagnosis, and I'm trying to use this time to learn computer programming in order to build a career when I eventually return to work.
I'd love to return to university and study computer science in more depth than I can manage on my own, but is that a realistic aim, considering I have no savings and I have already used up my student loan entitlement?
Any experience or useful information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Easy, through the job centre. Because I was unemployed for several years, I was eligible for fully funded training. And since I had a first degree they paid for me to take a masters.
Oh, I didn't know the Job Centre could help in that way. Thanks, that's really useful. What was your master's in, out of interest?
Mathematical modelling.
That sounds tough. I hope your situation is going well for you.
My employment situation was rather complicated. I was a carer for my parents who had physical and mental health difficulties, soon afterwards their health took a turn for the worse. So I ended up living on income support plus a carer's allowance. No full time well paid work for me.