Mature Student

What is a Mature Student?

A mature student is someone who studies at university beyond the average starting point. Most university students start at around 18; however, a mature student is someone who starts university after the age of 21. After the age of 21, you are considered to be a mature student.

You will need to apply through the UCAS website. There are not specified courses for mature students, you can simply apply for the course you want to study, also, your UCAS application will be the same as anyone else applying, no matter how young or old that person is.

A mature student can also still use Clearing and Adjustment if they need to, as the services are open to all students, regardless of their age.

Mature student railcard

There is a railcard mature student initiative available to help students who require subsidised student travel. There are two types, which are:

• 16-25 railcard mature student
• As a mature student is someone who is 21 and over, you can still apply for a young person’s railcard if you meet the age requirements.

However, if you are now 26 years old, then you will be required to apply for the Mature student railcard. This railcard will allow you to have access to similar discounts on public transport systems.

For a mature student that is studying at the Open University, you will not be eligible for a mature student railcard, unless you are studying full-time at the Milton Keynes campus.

What qualifications do I need to become a Mature Student?

This is all dependent on the university that you’re applying to. If you are a student of around twenty-one, then you can just apply with your usual qualifications and grades, if you’re an older student, there may be a possibility that your university may not accept your grades or qualifications anymore, so they may ask you to take of the many Open University courses, or ask you to take an access course of some kind; this will allow them to assess you and your abilities and see if you will fit into the university’s way of life and ethics.

You can also use an APL, which is an Accreditation of Prior Learning, which allows universities to see the work that you have done previously, whether that be through work experience you have done or any private and self-taught work that you’ve done, however not all universities will accept one or all of these applications, so you will need to speak to the university in question to help you when you’re applying to university.

Are there Childcare facilities to help me when I’m a Mature Student?

This again will depend on the university that you’re applying for, if they do, then these are the best universities for mature students.

If you have a small child that needs to be cared for in any way, then you should speak to your university and see if there is anything that is offered for students. Some universities will offer daycare facilities or they will have a grant system in place to help those with small children, it’s best to speak to your university and see what’s happening with this, if not, get used to having to use a lot of babysitters!

Am I still entitled to a Maintenance Loan if I am a Mature Student?

All student finance remains the same, just because you are older, doesn’t mean that there isn’t student finance for mature students.

There are a number of grants available for Mature Students, which will apply depending on the circumstances; also, there will be other bursaries or scholarships that you would be entitled to as well, it depends on what you’re applying for.

Most universities offer a scholarship for students that have shown exceptional academic prospect, for the most part, the grant will cover around £3,000 of your mature student loans. Although, most universities won’t cover students below the age of twenty-five.

What is a Women Careers Foundation?

This is a mature student grant that is granted to female students that are over the age of 21 (although exceptions have been known to happen for younger students that are studying a Music degree or Dance degree at university).

The grant is set up to aid British women who need financial support for their education or for any professional or vocational training.