livingforwards

Through the nose is how I'm paying for my son's university in the US. His American dad is not contributing (yet prevented me from leaving the US with our son during the 2010 divorce). Nice eh? My son qualified for free tuition due to my low income, tuition being a very small part of the cost. He qualified for Work Study, but was unable to get a job on campus this year so I had to pay all of what he was supposed to earn too.

I set up a state-run 529 account a few years ago after the divorce and have been using the balance to pay off his bursar account each semester. This fall it'll empty out and I shall close it as it has no impact on my particular tax situation.

My son will graduate one semester early thanks to the state university accepting all of his high school AP classes for credit. Some of his friends did the IB (International Baccalaureate) high school program and graduated high school with 2 years of college under their belts for free (public high school).

robin1234

Thing about the bubble though, colleges can fill any number of empty seats with an endless supply of full-pays from China, to make up for any shortfall of American students.

The college where I used to work, they are increasing the class size each year and are now back to above inflation tuition raises. They are building new dorms and investing in other infrastructure. It's a small, rural liberal arts college, they have a tradition of taking a small number of foreign students each year ... but now they've opened the pipeline and they are admitting increasing numbers of Chinese students. For every place available in US schools, there are dozens of Chinese student applicants with $60,000 (per annum) in their pocket. Whether it's their parents' money or if the Chinese government is subsidizing it I'm not sure.

This applies to state schools, private schools and the Ivy League too.

robin1234

Isn't the FAFSA supposed to ensure that divorced parents both pay their share?

ChocolateBabz

No they are not AP classes they are dual credit classes accredited by our local college and taught by college professors for which he receivs college credit. He will (hopefully) graduate with his high school diploma and an Associates Degree from the college. He is taking some AP classes too though.

Sally Redux

We went to a talk on college funding here and were told that only one parent has to pay in the case of divorced parents. It's the same in the UK - my brother pays nothing towards his kids' tuition. I don't understand the logic behind that.

SalopianFunk

I just graduated from a private school, which was payed for mostly by merit and need based scholarships, a state grant, and loaning money off of my relatives. This allowed me to only really have to rely on subsidized federal loans, and accrue a debt of $22k that I owe with interest over the next 10 years, and even more that I owe back to my family but without interest. I realize how fortunate I was for my family to step in, but for a year I had a well paid internship that really reduced a lot of pressure.

With that last sentence in mind, I would suggest encouraging your children to push hard for finding relevant experience whilst in school if they feel they can afford the time. Not only does it give an added layer of strength to their academic pursuits, but I found it also had a psychological effect of giving me a sense of assurance in going into architecture. Plus, it looks good to employers, and gives the kids a better chance at blagging higher wages.

That being said, I have just walked into a job with less in wages than my internship, but it does come with full benefits and I wont be working under 1099, which is worth it for the greater sense of security imo.

scrubbedexpat091

But do parents truly have to pay? Is there any sort of requirement they do so?

The small amount of college I did do, I paid for myself while working, never thought it was my parents job do provide payment for it.

I didn't go to a fancy university and I lived in California, so it was pretty cheap since the community college system there is excellent, inexpensive, and geared so those in the workforce can attend.

Even in Canada now, nobody I know who went to university had parents helping, they all paid through government loans, and bursaries and then worked part-time.

sir_eccles

The importance of internships should not be understated. They often form an important stepping stone to getting that first job with the same people. i.e. do well during your internship and there is a job waiting for you when you graduate.

rebs

Do parents have to pay in the UK? No, no parent is obliged to pay anything in the UK, but many choose to do so.

It's relatively recently that tuition fees were introduced in the UK, and there is still a lot of confusion and misinformation about tuition fees and the student loan structure, so some parents are opting to pay towards the fees.

In addition to tuition fees, there are living costs to be considered - again it's relatively recently that loans have been introduced for these (rather than grants), and I think this is the area that many parents are choosing to provide funding for their children.

In the UK, there are still some grants available, which are means tested - I think this is where the divorced parents situation comes into play. My nephew is just completing his first year at university and has a mate whose parents are divorced, Dad loaded, Mum with little to no income (on paper) - apply for grants using Mum's income details and he's well away with financial grants. I suspect that situation is not too unusual.

steveq

Did that with two of my four interns, great lads, trained 'em up and then the bastards left. There should be some sort of legal tie.

Giantaxe

No, they don't. College students are typically adults and responsible for their own costs. The only exception I know of is that divorce decrees in New York can require a parent to pay.

I think the FAFSA thing is that they only take into account the income of one divorced parent when determining financial aid, and I think it has to be the parent that claims the child as a dependent for tax purposes.

sir_eccles

Well did you pay them a decent wage?

steveq

Yep, for two kids who knew cock-all to begin with, and admitted it. Plus a generous package of extras, free use of the workshop for their own projects etc etc.

Sally Redux

Yes, I was meaning in terms of FAFSA and financial aid, and grants in the UK.

The woman giving the talk had been through an acrimonious divorce herself and spent most of the evening dwelling on it.

scrubbedexpat027

No kids ever. That's my plan. Seems to be working so far.