If you are staying on in education there is funding available to support you with your studies. Below you will find a breakdown of the different types of support available and whether or not you are eligible to apply:
Course/Tuition Fees
If you’re under 19 you don’t need to pay for full-time school or college courses, but you may need to buy equipment for some courses for example catering, hairdressing or photography courses. However, you may be charged for part-time college courses.
Discretionary Support Funds
These are funds available to learning providers to help learners who are having trouble meeting the costs of taking part in further education at school or college.
Where can I find out more about Discretionary Support Funds?
You can talk to:
- staff in school or college about these funds
- your Personal Adviser.
You can also find out more information on: https://www.gov.uk/1619-bursary-fund
Registration Fees
If you are taking a course at college, you may be charged a small registration fee to cover administration costs.
Travel Expenses
If you think that you may have difficulty paying for travel to and from school or college, do check to see if there is any help on offer with travel costs.
Money and 18+ Learning
Student finance will vary according to your individual circumstances and also rates change each year so please check:
- The student finance website
- Call 0845 300 50 90 to speak to a student finance adviser from Student Finance England. Student Finance England is a one stop shop for anyone who wants to know more about student finance including disabled students allowance.
Applying for University entry?
Don’t let the headlines about fee increases make you rule out going to university – make sure that you find out the facts first about the sort of help you may be eligible to apply for. There will be additional help on offer for young people who, because of a low household income, would find it difficult to move on to a degree course without extra financial help.
Also remember fees will not have to be paid up front – and are paid back only once you are earning a minimum level of salary.
How do I apply for and find out more about financial help?
You can register and apply online. After you have applied you will be able to manage your own account online.
Quick guide to Student finance
- Universities are charging up to £9000 for tuition fees but you won’t have to find your tuition fees up front. Tuition fee loans are available – but you need to apply via Student Finance!
- You can also apply for a maintenance loan to help with living costs. How much you get will depend on your household income and where you live and study – for example generally less if you live at home and more if you study and live in London.
- Student loans for both fees and loans have to be repaid but not until you finish or leave your course and are earning more than £21000 See https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/repayments for more information on loan repayments
- There’s also a range of student finance that does not have to be paid back – including grants, bursaries and scholarships.
There is extra help on offer if you have special circumstances. For example students who have a disability, a mental health condition, specific learning difficulty or who have childcare or adult caring responsibilities. Good starting points to find out more, as well as student finance England, include:
- Your Connexions Personal Adviser
- Disability Alliance provide information supporting students considering going onto higher education and other options http://www.disabilityalliance.org/
