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Financial help while you are studying
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Updated 19 August 2008
The amounts listed here are for the year 2008/09.
Education Maintenance Allowance
Students in full-time education aged 16-19 (or up to age 20 in some areas) can be paid an allowance of up to £30 a week during term time.
You can receive:- £30 a week if your income (before tax) is £21,330 or less a year;
- £20 a week if your income is between £21,331 and £26,160 a year; or
- £10 a week if your income is between £26,161 and £31,580 a year.
If your income before tax is over £31,580, you will not receive an allowance.
You may also receive periodic bonuses of £100 if you meet the goals set by your school or college.
Receiving an Education Maintenance Allowance will not affect the amount of benefits or tax credits you receive (or the amount your parents receive, if they are claiming benefits for you).
Assembly Learning Grant (Wales only)
You may qualify for this if you are aged 19 or over on 1 September 2008, normally live in Wales and are on a low income. If you are a full-time student you can receive:- £1,500 a year if your income is below £5,745 a year;
- £750 a year if your income is between £5,746 and £11,490 a year; or
- £450 a year if your income is between £11, 490 and £17,250 a year.
If you are a part-time student you can qualify for up to £750 a year. Receiving a Welsh Assembly Learning Grant will not affect the amount of benefits or tax credits you receive.
Adult Learning Grants (England only)
In some areas of England you may be able to claim an Adult Learning Grant. This is a payment of up to £30 a week during term time to full-time students studying for their first level 2 (this is the same as five or more GCSEs at grades A-C) or level 3 (this is the same as two A levels or NVQ level 3) qualification. To qualify you must be aged over 19, with an income of less than £19,513 a year and not be receiving out of work benefits (Income Support, Incapacity Benefit/Employment and Support Allowance and Jobseeker's Allowance). Contact Learn Direct on 0800 100 900 to see if you live in an area where this is paid.
Adult Learning Grants can reduce means-tested benefits you receive (for example, Housing Benefit). Some of it will be ignored as it is assumed that some will be spent on books, travel and equipment. Your tax credits will not be affected.
Discretionary Learner Support Funds (England) and Financial Contingency Funds (Wales)
These funds are to help with course and living costs, including childcare. Your college decides whether you qualify and how much you will receive. The decision is based on your income and circumstances but lone parents on a low income are treated as in priority need for these funds. Contact your college for more information.
Any amounts from these funds that you receive for childcare costs or course costs will not affect the amount of your benefits you receive. If you receive payments for day-to-day living costs as a lump sum, this is treated as savings rather than income when calculating means-tested benefits. If you receive such payments regularly they are treated as income and the amount of means-tested benefits you receive will be reduced. Payments from these funds do not affect tax credits.
Passport to Study Grants (Wales only)
In some areas of Wales, local authorities can offer extra funding for course and travel costs of up to £300 a year if you are aged 16-19 and you:- live with and are dependent on your parent(s) who are out of work or receive benefits because of low income or a disability; or
- live away from your parents and receive Income Support.
Contact your local education authority to see if this is available in your area.
As these payments are for travel, books and/or equipment they do not affect the amount of benefits or tax credits you receive.
Care to Learn for childcare costs (England only)
This is for the costs of registered childcare while you are studying if you are under 20 years old. It can also help with any extra travelling costs you have because of taking your child or children to the childcarer. The maximum amount you can claim for each child is up to £160 a week, or £175 if you live in London.
Receiving these payments will not aff ect the amount of benefi ts or tax credits you receive.
Sixth Form College Childcare Scheme for students aged 20 plus (England only)
You can get help with childcare costs if you are aged 20 or over and studying at a school or sixth form college and your household income is less than £50,502 per year. It can also help with any extra travelling costs you have because of taking your child or children to the childcarer. You can claim up to £160 per week for each child, or £175 per week if you live in London. The amount you receive depends on your income.
Receiving these payments will not affect the amount of benefits or tax credits you receive.
Help from New Deal for Lone Parents
If you are not working, or working fewer than 16 hours per week, it is worth contacting a New Deal for Lone Parents Adviser at your local Jobcentre Plus office. If the course you want to do is up to NVQ level 2 (or level 3 if it could be achieved within one year) and the adviser agrees that it would help you to prepare for employment, you may be able to get help with the costs of training (including childcare) and an extra £15 per week training premium paid on top of your benefits.
Talk to a New Deal for Lone Parents Adviser before you sign up for a course as they will not provide financial support if you have already enrolled.
Career Development Loans
If you are over 18 and can't get funding from anywhere else, you may be able to apply for a Career Development Loan for the costs of a vocational course. This is a Government-sponsored bank loan, which you do not have to repay until you have finished your course. The interest rate is subsidised by the Government and they also pay the interest while you are studying. The course or training must be for 2 years or less, plus up to 12 months' work experience if it forms part of the course. For advice and information contact the Career Development Loan helpline on 0800 585 505.
If the loan is for course costs, it will not affect the amount of benefits and tax credits you receive. If the loan is for living expenses it is treated as income and can reduce means-tested benefits and tax credits.
Funding from charities and trusts
Some charities and trusts offer small grants to people who wish to return to study. They can be specific awards for books and course equipment, or they could be for general living expenses. Awards are totally discretionary and depend on your circumstances and the funds the charity or trust has to distribute.
The Educational Grants Advisory Service (EGAS) can provide a list of sources of funding that may be open to you and help you with your application - see Further help and information.
Any payments you receive regularly from charities and trusts that are for day-to-day living costs may aff ect the amount of means-tested benefi ts you receive. If they are one-off or irregular payments they will be treated as capital (savings) and will not affect your tax credits.
Next page: Can I continue to claim benefits while I am studying in further education?
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