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Further Education
Further education courses are those which are taught in colleges and are below Higher National Certificate ( HNC) level. They cover 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).
Information about the help available to those studying for an HNC or HND is available from the Higher Education section on page 12.
Support for further education is through means-tested allowances to meet different expenses. These are not guaranteed to all eligible applicants.
If you are under 18 or eligible for a part-time fee waiver you may be considered for study and/or travel expenses without further means testing.
Study Expense Allowance
This allowance may be used to fund study expenses that you would otherwise have to meet. The specific items allowable depend on the course but only the following types of expenses are included:
- items that are essential to that course, e.g. essential texts but not additional reading
- items that, if absent, do not prevent the course being taught but will prevent the student participating and learning, such as specific clothing, footwear, tools
- items that are required for health and safety reasons
- mandatory study trips.
Travel Expense Allowance
This allowance is dependent on your circumstances and may cover one or more of the following expenses.
Students without dependent children | Students with dependent children | Students living away from their permanent home |
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return travel from your term-time address to the college for the days when you attend college | on the days you attend college, return travel between - • your term-time address and your childcare provider
- • your childcare provider and the college
| travel from your permanent home to your term-time address to start your course, and return to your permanent home at the end of the course - • this does not include weekends, bank and public holidays
- • you may not receive support for more than the equivalent of 8 single journeys between your term-time and permanent addresses in any academic year
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Travel expenses do not include:
- travel between campuses
- additional residential expenses
- post course travel expenses such as job interviews.
Additional Help
Students With Disabilities
Disabled students who have extra costs arising from their attendance at college may apply for additional support towards study and travel-related expenses (an Additional Support Needs for Learning Allowance). This allowance is not means-tested and is paid on a discretionary basis by the college to eligible students. You should contact your college for further details.
Childcare Costs
Part-time students are one of the priority groups for childcare support. Colleges have a Childcare Fund which is used to help pay for registered childcare.
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.
Hardship
You may also be able to get some financial help from your college Hardship Fund. Hardship Funds can help students who have financial difficulties that might prevent them gaining access to education, or continuing their course. Colleges also have discretion to provide payments from their Hardship Fund to students who are moving from the benefit system to take a course and to students who do not have alternative sources of funds. You can apply at the start of your course or during your course if financial problems arise.
Studying Outside Scotland
All the financial support described above is only available if you are studying at a Scottish college. If you want to study a further education course at a college outwith Scotland, you will need to contact your local authority to see what funding they can provide.
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