Many of my musical friends did odd jobs to fund their studies at university or college. I used to model men's underwear for mail order catalogues for example. What did you do?

Uh huh, lets see 'em then

I went to an agency once and got offered a job modelling crash helmets!

Henry is being naughty and trying to stir up the ladies methinks!

No, Henry is not being naughty! I expect that lots of you have seen my underwear shots anyway as it was for Great Universal and Littlewoods, but several years ago.

So come along; How did you pay for your studies? Job at Burgerking or on a Tesco Checkout?

Jobs at Burger King tend to come after musicians have graduated, I think....

.

I work at an ice cream parlour, babysit, and waitress at marquee weddings. Mostly during holidays though, as there's so much work during term time and I'm involved with various extra things. I have a loan for the rest...

Loan/Parents/savings from Saturday job before uni

Saturday job at Habitat Furniture department, in the days when a lot of the furniture used to fall apart

.

Well my real "education" has all taken place in the thirty-odd years since graduating from University, and it has cost a fortune - in the consequences of bad decisions. As for getting through college ...

Back in the 1970's tuition in England was free AND we got maintenance grants. This was fortunate because my parents could never have afforded to pay for my three years at University. [or perhaps it was not so fortunate - I may have been happier and more successful if I had joined the world of work at 16 or 18]

Despite no fees to pay and grants to help with the rent, the state aid came nowhere near the actual cost of living and studying in London. I spent all my holidays working in a textile factory near home to earn money to make up most of the shortfall. During term I earned a small but welcome pittance playing piano in a pub (popular songs) and a hotel bar (light classics) at week-ends. More valuable than the money were the free food and beer!


When I took a second Bachelor's degree many years later I studied with the Open University. By living at home, and continuing to work while studying this is a far cheaper option. For some subjects (like Maths) the quality of teaching is at least as good as at a conventional university - if not better - because the course materials are so much more thoroughly thought out.

Before uni (many years ago) I had 2 years-worth of gap year and worked for John Lewis, who happily accepted me back during the summer hols each year, and then gave me a job at the end.

Then when I did my PGCE having worked for John Lewis for several years, I lived off my savings and OH's income - I think my "grant" covered our rates (in the days before council tax).

I had to pay fees and had no grant. However, I lived at home (not that unusual for students in Ireland) so that cut my costs considerably. I worked every summer, mostly as a catering assistant in office canteens, but also in a hospital laundry - we got 'dirty money' for sorting bloodstained surgical drapes.

Marks and Spencer Saturday girl from A levels through University and a year after. My father also worked for the former British Rail and once I became a Student I was reclassified as a Dependant again so I got my FREE Travel on the bus and Underground for the three years. Per annum this also included 3 FREE long distance rail journeys in the UK and One Free rail journey from London to Siberia - (nah never took it up, but did stumble across Europe to Italy]

Like MT it ws the late 70' so I had a Grant and free tuition thus no loans to repay, also qualified for housing benefit! . Parents put exact contribution into my bank and not a penny more Now realise I was an incredibly "rich" student. I actually had some savings when I graduated.

When I was younger I did get a grant and although it was barely enough I couldn't eat drink or eat much because I needed it to pay the rent I was pretty fit too because I cycled everywhere (I wouldn't do that in Edinburgh now!) I had odd jobs like temping to top up.

As a mature student later on... I had a rich fiance (where do you find diacritical symbols in here?)