got the offer letter from Bristol today, BUT...

So I finally get the offer letter from Bristol today BUT it says the it is for Fulltime, with tuition of 10800.  I've been waiting for this letter since the middle of May - it's finally here and it's wrong 

I applied for part-time.  Because I already hold a UK passport, I was planning to work as much as possible to pay for my living expenses.  I sent an email to the grad secretary to see if I can sign this letter and still be PT.

But now I've got this bug in my ear, thinking that I might as well just go for it - get it done and move on (to a job, or most likely a PhD).  Classes are just one day a week - the fulltime schedule goes from 10 - 4:30 for 12 weeks on Tuesdays (and 2 Wednesdays).  Course assessments = 1 big paper per class per semester.

I have a tendancy to bite of more than I can chew - and this sound SO manageable to me!  I feel like I would be able to work as much on a FT course as a PT.

Tell me if I'm nuts!  I will believe you.   

Holly

I'm not sure if they'll be any immigration issues with it (I'm assuming not because you already hold that coveted UK passport), but I think it's pretty easy to switch from full-time to part time within the course itself... possibly even after you've started the course.

It may be possible to sign the letter for full-time now (to ensure you have a place on the course) and then switch to part-time afterwards - in general, I think they can be pretty flexible on that kind of thing.

I'd get in contact with the department (phone them if they don't get back to you quickly by email) and find out your options - the full-time/part-time thing may not be much of an issue at all (I've heard of people switching from full-time to part-time halfway through the year - one of my friends considered doing it last year because she didn't even have enough money to pay the fees, let alone her rent costs!).

But now I've got this bug in my ear, thinking that I might as well just go for it - get it done and move on (to a job, or most likely a PhD).  Classes are just one day a week - the fulltime schedule goes from 10 - 4:30 for 12 weeks on Tuesdays (and 2 Wednesdays).  Course assessments = 1 big paper per class per semester.

Just to add to what I said above, I did some digging around on the Bristol Uni site (I really don't like the site layout - I can never find what I want to on there) and I found the 'Statement of Good Practice for Taught Postgraduate Programmes' (you can download it as a Word doc here: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/tsu/policy/taughtsogp2001.html) and it doesn't seem too hard to 'extend to the maximum length of study for the program' if need be. So, if you did decide to start as a full-time student at first and then switch to part-time because of financial issues, it is not impossible to change status.

Even if you've got a UK passport you have to have lived for 3 years in the UK before your application to get the discounted rate. The idea is that you've been paying enough taxes into the state during those years to be entitled to the discount.
A full time university course cant' cost more than £3100ish for home students.

Even if you've got a UK passport you have to have lived for 3 years in the UK before your application to get the discounted rate. The idea is that you've been paying enough taxes into the state during those years to be entitled to the discount.
A full time university course cant' cost more than £3100ish for home students.

I believe hollyberry already knows this. Her current issue is: does she attempt to pay £10,800 for one year full-time or try to change the status in the letter back to part-time, which means paying the £10,800 over two years (so £5,400 per year)? Doing it over two years allows more time to work and earn the money to pay the high fees, but the university has her down as a full-time, 1-year student at the moment, so she's considering the options of 1 year vs. 2 years.

Check diggity     

I forgot that they don't refund your money when you change your mind about your status after classes are underway!  (at least not in the US.  Can't image it would be different though)

I guess I'll wait until I hear about how much I can get in loans and see what the job prospects look like on my August trip before I decide.

Oh.  Here's a thought.  I can go to visit my department and speak with them in person!
That's pretty b!tchin.

I'm going to start sending my CV to recruiters and start looking at places to let in ernest this or next week.  Wow, time is moving SO quickly