Your Quick Guide to Financial Help Available
16-18 Bursary Fund
16-18 Bursary Fund is available to ‘home’ students aged between 16 and 18 on 31st August 2013 studying on eligible courses. Learners do not have to live in Nottinghamshire to be eligible, but support will be based on individual need and related to the household or learner income. Help is usually given in the form of a grant towards specific and actual costs involved in coming to College, such as:
- Required course kit/equipment
- Essential study visits
- Examination re-sits
- Travel to and from College
Applications are accepted from the end of August. Forms are available from Student Services or your Centre Reception.
16-18 Vulnerable Student Bursary (VSB)
Vulnerable students aged 16-18 will be eligible to receive a special VSB of £1,200. Vulnerable students are specifically named as:
- young people in Care or Care Leavers
- young people in receipt of Income Support
- young people in receipt of both Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance.
The £1,200 support package will be tailored to meet the needs of the individual student and may contain help with transport, kit and other course costs.
19+ Student Fund
The 19+ Student Fund is part of the Discretionary Learner Support Funds provided by Government and distributed by Colleges. Grants are available to full or part-time ‘home’ students, aged 19 or over on 31st August 2013, enrolled on a Government funded, priority course, who can demonstrate need. you do not have to live in Nottinghamshire to be eligible for help from this fund.
Help is usually given in the form of a grant towards specific and actual costs involved in coming to College, such as: Transport costs for learners whose home is not within reasonable walking distance (3 mile round trip) from their main centre of study - special consideration may be given to students with disabilities or with caring responsibilities. Discounted travel passes should be available at the beginning of term, details will be available in August. For those students in receipt of benefits, such assistance is normally disregarded by the DSS and therefore help from the 19+ Student Fund should not affect benefits, however, it is recommended that learners declare any assistance given.
If you are aged 20+ and need to arrange childcare while you are at College, we can advise you on whether financial assistance is available. Please contact the Student Finance Team, by telephoning 0115 914 6414. (Note: students under the age of 20 should be eligible for Care to Learn funding - please ask for an application pack).
If you would like to discuss your individual needs, or would like help in filling out the application form, call in at Student Services or your Centre Reception to arrange an appointment at the Centre of your choice. If you would prefer an application form posting to you, or would like to talk to someone about your particular circumstances, please telephone the Student Finance Team on 0115 914 6414
24+ Advanced Learning Loans
From August 2013, the government is introducing student loans for all students aged 24 and above, who want to study or train at Level 3 and above. The loans will be called 24+ Advanced Learning Loans. Courses or training at Level 2 or below will continue to be funded by the government. 24+ Advanced Learning Loans will enable students aged 24 and above to cover the cost of any tuition and exam fees, so they don’t have to pay these costs upfront.
Applications for 24+ Advanced Learning Loans will be via the Student Loans Company (SLC) and any repayment of the loan won’t start until the student is earning over £21,000 a year. Interest on the loans will be lower than anything on the high street and linked to inflation. Any outstanding balance will be written off after 30 years.
For students studying Access to Higher Education courses, the government has agreed that for those students who move onto Higher Education and complete their Higher Education programme, the Student Loans Company will write off any amount outstanding on the loan for their Access to Higher Education course. Applications for 24+ Advanced Learning Loans will open in April 2013 and will be available via www.direct.gov.uk/educationandlearning.
Find out more information about the 24+ Advanced Learning Loans
International Students
Full-time applications for international students must be made via the International Application Form.
Please contact: Tel: 0115 884 2218 Email: international@centralnottingham.ac.uk