The Scottish Government

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Further Education

Further Education courses are those which are not taught in a school and are below Higher National Certificate ( HNC) level. They are levels 1-6 on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework ( SCQF) and include:

• academic courses up to Higher level;
• courses that do not lead to formal qualifications, such as independent living skills courses;
• basic skills courses, such as literacy and numeracy; and
• work-related courses, such as Scottish Vocational Qualifications ( SVQs).

Support for Further Education is generally through means-tested discretionary bursaries, and these are not guaranteed to all eligible applicants.

Check with your chosen college if you are in any doubt.

If you're over 18 and earn less than £18,000* a year you may qualify for an Individual Learning Account of up to £200 each year towards the cost of certain courses. For information on the scheme visit the ILA Scotland website www.ilascotland.org.uk or phone the ILA Scotland helpline 0808 100 1090.

* This amount is subject to Parliamentary approval.

Living Costs

Colleges offer maintenance bursaries to cover living costs.

Depending on your family circumstances and household income, full-time student parents in colleges can apply for a non-repayable bursary of up to £84.69 per week. Plus there are extra amounts for travel and study costs. If your family income is above the levels set out below, your family will be expected to contribute to your support.

The basic allowance per week is:

* Education Maintenance Allowance ( EMA) is for students who are under 18 years and wish to stay on at school or go to college. In addition to the EMA two bonuses of £150 may also be available if you remain on your course and make good progress.
+ This allowance may be paid in addition to an Education Maintenance Allowance.
N/A = Not Applicable

Specific Help for Students with Dependent Children

Each college has a Childcare Fund which is used to help pay for registered childcare. The priority groups for childcare support are lone parent students, mature students and part-time students, though full-time students can still apply.

This support is additional to bursary funding, and applies to registered childcare only. Some colleges, however, may offer different methods of childcare support such as on-site nurseries, or childcare vouchers.

Other Financial Help

Students with an Adult Dependant

If you have financial, care or legal responsibility for an adult, and you study full time, you may be able to apply for a Dependant's Allowance of £48.27 per week. This allowance is income-assessed and family circumstances and dependant's income will be taken into account.

Students with Disabilities

Disabled students who have extra costs arising from their attendance at college may apply for an Additional Support Needs for Learning Allowance. This allowance offers additional funding towards study and travel-related expenses and is not means-tested. You should contact your college for further details.

Travel Costs

This allowance is dependent on your circumstances but on the days you attend college it may cover your return travel between:

• your term-time address and your childcare provider
• your childcare provider and the college.

Hardship

Every college operates a Hardship Fund for students with financial difficulties which might prevent them gaining access to further education, or continuing their course. Colleges can also make payments from it to students who are moving from the benefit system to take a course. You can apply at the start of your course or during your course if financial problems arise.

How To Apply

You can get application forms and guidance notes from your college.

You must apply for your bursary through your chosen college which will also administer the payment and deal with any problems. Welfare Officers, Advisory and Counselling Services, and Student Finance Officers can also help you complete your application.

Further Education
You should contact your chosen college for more information on the support that is available and for advice on how to apply for these funds. More information on ILA Scotland is available on www.ilascotland.org.uk or from the helpline 0808 100 1090.

Here are some examples of how the support may work:

Full-time Student

Hilary, unemployed, is a lone parent with an interest in IT and has been accepted on the course ' NQ Computing - Getting Started' at her local college for academic year 2007/08. The college has told her she will be entitled to receive a non-repayable bursary of £84.69 per week to help with living costs. She may also be able to get help with her travel and study costs. Her children have been enrolled in the on-site nursery, so she knows they will be looked after while she is attending her course. If she gets into financial difficulty during her course she may be able to claim a discretionary award from the Hardships Funds that are administered by the university.

Hilary aims to progress to the HNC in Computing and Information Technology. Her funding will then change from Further Education to Higher Education support. Her fees will still be paid but her living costs will be supported through a mixture of student loans and non-repayable grants, such as the Lone Parent's Grant and the Lone Parent's Childcare Grant. She can also apply for help from the Higher Education Childcare Fund and Hardship Funds.

Part-time Student

Mathew is a parent with three children and is interested in attending a part-time course in graphic design and digital imaging at his local college. No formal entry requirements are needed and as his household income is less than £16,718 he qualifies for free tuition under the college fee-waiver scheme. Part-time students are also one of the priority groups for help with registered childcare costs, and the college Childcare Fund will pay some of his childminder costs. The college will also pay his travel expenses to and from college.

After completing his NQ in Art and Design Mathew intends to study full time taking the HND course in graphic design at the same college. As he will then be studying full time, and an HND is a higher education course, his tuition fees will be paid, and his living cost support will be a mixture of student loans and discretionary college childcare grants.

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