Student parent support

Student parent support

Juggling study and parenthood can be difficult, particularly if you’re taking a demanding medical or healthcare degree. However, it can be done, as the current student parents at St George’s will testify!

Student Parents Association meets on the first Wednesday of every month at lunchtime. If you’re a parent, or thinking of having children, going along is a great way of meeting other students in a similar situation. Swap stories or tips, share experiences and get advice, or just have a good moan!

For more information, or if you’ve got any got queries about studying at George’s as a parent, you can email the Association:
stuparents@sgul.ac.uk

The staff at St George’s are here to support you throughout your degree, and students have a great support network available to them. For more details see our Student Support page

Organising your time effectively is an essential skill for most student parents. Medicine courses, in particular, can be demanding in terms of time commitments, as terms often run longer than those of other courses.

It is important to bear in mind that as well as your contact time at University, you’ll also have to put in some independent study hours of your own. Your contact hours may vary throughout the year, and if your course involves placements, you need to take this into account. It is a good idea to let the Registry department know in advance that you have family commitments, so they can take this into account when organising your placements.

Registry
Tel: +44 (0)20 8725 2333
email: enquiries@sgul.ac.uk

Speaking to tutors and current students about typical contact hours in advance of starting a course can be helpful. At St George’s you can speak to staff and current students at our regular open days.

Childcare

St George’s does not have a crèche onsite. The nearby Blackshaw Nursery accepts private applicants and health-service workers, but places are in high demand so it’s a good idea to enquire early.

Other childcare options include pre-school playgroups, childminders and kids' clubs during the school holidays.

Here are some useful sources of information on childcare options:

• The National Day Nurseries Association
• The Daycare Trust
• Wandsworth Council’s Early Years and Childcare service
  
• Search on the Childcare Link website for childcare options in your area.

Finance

Although St George’s does not offer any specific childcare grants, there are other sources of funding available for student parents. These include the Childcare Grant, the Parents' Learning Allowance and Child Tax Credits. The Access To Learning fund can help if you are on a low income and get into financial difficulty during your course.

It can be complicated working out what exactly you are eligible for, so doing some research before you’ve started your course is important. The Directgov website is a good starting point, and provides information on each source of funding.

Student parents on NHS-funded courses may be eligible for additional financial assistance. For more information see our fees and funding section.

You can contact our Student Finance and Support team through our Enquiries office. Email enquiries@sgul.ac.uk for more information.

Further advice on finances and childcare, as well as other issues faced by student parents can be found on the Student Parent's website provided by the education charity BrightsideUNIAID.