If you want to continue learning and you’re 19 or over, but are unsure if you can afford it, you could be eligible for financial help with:
- Your course
- Living costs
- Childcare
Here is everything you need to know about the different financial support options available.
Advanced Learning Loan
This is a loan you could apply for to help with the costs of your college course. The minimum amount you could be paid is £300 and it doesn’t depend on your income. There are also no credit checks and you only have to pay it back when you’ve finished your course and are earning more than £25,000 a year.
To be eligible, you must be aged 19 or over, your course must be of level 3, 4, 5 or 6 and you must be living in the UK on the first day of your course.
To find out more and find out how to apply visit https://www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan/how-to-apply or go to your college’s finance page.
Advanced Learner Bursary
If you’ve been approved for an Advanced Learner Loan, you could also be eligible to apply for a bursary to help with the costs of the following:
- Accommodation and travel
- Course materials and equipment
- Childcare
- Classroom assistance for a disability or learning difficulty – once you’re assessed by your college or training provider
You don’t have to pay your bursary back. To find out more about how to apply visit https://www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan/bursary-fund
Discretionary Learner Support
If you’re aged 19 or over and experiencing financial hardship, you can apply for Discretionary Learner Support. The amount you can receive is based on your earnings and personal circumstances and you can use the money received to help pay for accommodation, travel, course materials or childcare depending on whether you qualify. You must apply through your college.
Student Finance
You can borrow money to pay for your higher education course and pay it back once you’re earning. The monthly repayments are then based on your income, not the size of the loan.
Higher Education includes a BA, BSc, Foundation Degree, DipHE, HNC, HND, or other course of that level.
You must be a new full-time student to apply for a tuition fee loan, which is paid directly to your college or university. You could also receive a maintenance loan, which is based on your household income, to help pay for living costs. This is paid directly to you at the start of each term.
For more details go to https://www.gov.uk/student-finance or visit your college finance page.
Professional and Career Development Loans
This scheme is closing soon – so you must apply before 25 January 2019 to benefit. The Professional and Career Development Loan is a bank loan that can help pay for your professional training. You could receive between £300 and £10,000 depending on the cost of your course.
To be eligible you must be 18 or over and a British citizen, plus your course must last up to 2 years (or 3 years if it includes a 1 year work experience) and be provided by an organisation on the Professional Career and Development Loan Register.
To find out more visit https://www.gov.uk/career-development-loans/how-to-apply or your college’s finance page.
To find out more about how you could receive help financing your next college course, click here.