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Part-time learning
Quick guide
Type of funding | Further education | Higher Education |
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Course fees | • Fees may be paid if you meet certain conditions (p 21)
• Individual Learning Accounts (p 29) | • Fees may be paid if you meet certain conditions (p 23)
• Individual Learning Accounts (p 29) |
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Living costs | • Maintenance bursaries may be available at college's discretion (p 22) | • Student loan may be available if you meet certain conditions (p 24) |
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Disability-related costs | • Additional Support Needs for Learning Allowance (p 22) | • Disabled Students Allowance (if studying at least 50% of a full-time course) (p 24) |
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Travel costs | • Funding may be available from the college or your local social work department (p 22) | • Funding may be available from your local social work department (p 24) |
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Study costs | • Funding may be available from the c ollege (p 22) | |
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Help for dependants | • Childcare costs (p 22)
Dependants Allowance (p 22) | |
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Other support | • Career Development Loans (p 29)
• Hardship funds (p 24)
• Charitable trusts (p 29) | • Career Development Loans (p 29)
• Hardship funds (p 24)
• Charitable trusts (p 29) |
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Part-time further education
Course fees
Most students studying part-time courses at further education colleges will have to pay tuition fees. However, you do not pay tuition fees on part-time courses if your course is specifically for people with learning difficulties or disabilities (ask your college if you are not sure if this applies to your course). In addition, you do not usually need to pay course fees for eligible courses if you meet any of the criteria below:
- Your family receives any of the following:
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit
- Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Income-based Job Seekers Allowance
- Or, you receive any of the following:
- Disability Living Allowance
- Carer's Allowance (or carers who have an 'underlying entitlement' to Carer's Allowance but gave up the allowance to, for example, claim their pension)
- Incapacity Benefit
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- Attendance Allowance
- Or, you are a registered job seeker.
- Or, you can provide evidence to the college that your family's taxable income in the previous tax year is the same or lower than the following amounts:
- £6,993 if one person in the household
- £11,473 if a household with one couple and no children
- £16,718 if household includes dependent children.
- Or, you are an asylum seeker, or the spouse or child of an asylum seeker.
- Or, you are in the care of a local authority and are living in a foster home, or children's home.
Living costs
Bursary grants are not usually available for part-time students in further education, but this decision is at the college's discretion. If both you and the course are eligible for support then the college can still consider you for an award. This award is income assessed. If awarded a Living Costs Bursary, the amount given would be proportionate to the hours you attend college each week.
Help with disability-related costs
Part-time disabled students who have extra costs arising from their disability whilst at college can apply for the Additional Support Needs for Learning Allowance.
Study costs
Some help with study costs may be available - ask your college for details.
Costs of supporting a dependant
Childcare costs
Part-time students are one of the priority groups for help from the college with childcare costs - ask your college for details.
Dependant's Allowance
The college can use its discretion to offer part-time students support for a dependant if you have financial, care or legal responsibility for an adult. This is also income assessed and the dependant's income will be taken into account.
Travel costs
Part-time students can apply to college for help with travel costs for the days you travel to college, depending on college criteria. This allowance is income assessed unless you are under 18. Additional travel expenses may be available for students who have extra travel costs because of their disability.
If you are unable to get funding from the college to pay for your travel costs if you have a disability, you may be able to get funding from your local social work department.
Additional help
Hardship Funds
Part-time students may be able to get some financial help from Hardship Funds - ask your college for details.
Course fees
Most students studying part-time higher education courses at universities or colleges will have to pay tuition fees. However, you do not need to pay tuition fees on part-time courses at university if you are taking an eligible course and you meet any of the following criteria (please note, if you are taking a higher education course at college you should refer to the criteria for the fee waiver scheme in colleges on page 21):
Your family receives any of the following:
- Income Support
- Working Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Pension Credit
- Income-based Job Seekers Allowance
- Or, you receive any of the following:
- Disability Living Allowance
- Carer's Allowance (or carers who have an 'underlying entitlement' to Carer's Allowance but gave up the allowance to, for example, claim their pension)
- Incapacity Benefit
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- Attendance Allowance
- Or, you are a registered job seeker and have been so for a continuous period of no less than six weeks prior to the date of application.
- Or, your family's sole income is DWP benefits.
- Or, your family's net income is less than the level for receiving income support.
If you have to repeat any part of your course, or you have difficulty in meeting the cost of tuition fees but do not meet these criteria, you should ask your college or university about possible eligibility for a fee waiver.
For more information on the fee-waiver scheme and eligibility details please contact your college or university.
Living costs
Part-time higher education students, including those studying by distance learning, may be eligible for a £500 student loan from SAAS provided you are studying at least 50% of a full-time course. The loan is income assessed. If you are:
- a single student, your income must be less than £15,367. This threshold increases by £2,000 for your eldest child and a further £1,000 for each other child;
- a married student or have entered into a civil partnership, your income must be less than £17,367. This threshold increases by £2,000 for your eldest child and a further £1,000 for each other child.
You are automatically eligible for a loan if you, your husband, wife or civil partner, are currently receiving any income-related Income Support, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit.
Help with disability-related costs
Disabled Students Allowance ( DSA)
If you are a distance-learning student or studying part-time and the course is equivalent to at least 50% of a full-time course, you may also be able to apply for the DSA.
The maximum amount you can receive for both the basic allowance and non-medical personal help elements of DSA is in proportion to a full-time course, e.g. if you study for half a week, the maximum amount you can receive is 50% of these allowances. However, the maximum amount for the allowance for large items of equipment is the same as for full-time students.
If DSA does not meet all your disability-related costs, your university or college has responsibilities to make adjustments under the Disability Discrimination Act, or you could consider applying to charitable trusts.
Travel costs
Part-time higher education students are not eligible for funding towards travel costs from SAAS, however you may be able to get funding from your local social work department.
Additional help
Hardship Funds
If you are experiencing particular financial difficulty you can apply for help from your institution's Hardship Fund.
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