Financial support
Possible sources of funding for AAT student members wishing to study in the UK.
We've compiled a short directory of potential sources of funding, which we hope will be of help to you. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained, details should be checked directly with the organisation in question.
Local Education Authority (LEA) grants
Access Funds
Learner Support Funds
Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)
New Deal
Jobseeker's Allowance
Modern Apprenticeship
Work-based learning (Scotland: Training for work)
Career development loans
Student loans scheme
Educational grants advisory service
Educational trust funds
Useful Contacts
Non-UK funds information
Local Education Authority (LEA) grants
LEAs have a responsibility for funding further education that falls outside the remit of the Learning and Skills Council. This is generally via courses such as non-accredited adult education classes and leisure type facilities (non-schedule 2). LEAs also fund post-16 student members in sixth forms. Eligibility varies from one authority to another and cases are often treated on an individual basis. Enquiries should be made directly with the LEA in question. A directory of LEA contact details can be found on the Employment Services website by accessing www.employmentservice.gov.uk
Access Funds
Access Funds are available to full-time and some part-time student members who are facing financial difficulties. Colleges and universities set their own criteria and are allocated differing amounts of funds, depending on a variety of factors.
Payments are made in accordance with the needs and circumstances of individual student members. Support can be provided in cash direct to the student or to a third party, through the provision of items or services, or via a grant or repayable loan. Students must be able to demonstrate a serious commitment to learning through regular attendance.
If you are interested in Access Funds, you should talk to the student services at your college who will ask you to complete a form giving details of any income and financial support you may be receiving.
Note: New Deal students and those receiving an Education Maintenance Allowance may not be eligible. Contact AAT Student Services for advice.
Learner Support Funds
Similar to Access Funds, these funds were set up to assist students in post-16 education who are, or whose families are on low income or experiencing particular financial difficulty.
The Learner Support Funds are not intended to cover living costs, however they can be awarded toward any cost associated with your studies, depending on the particular need. This could include childcare, exam fees or materials.
Like Access Funds, the criteria for eligibility is set by your college/LEA and support will be provided according to individual need, by either grant or repayable loan.
Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)
This is currently operating as a pilot scheme (introduced in Sept.1999) in 56 different areas of England, providing weekly allowances for young people during term time. The scheme is running for up to three years and is designed to test whether extra funds will encourage more young people aged 16-19 to stay on in full-time education and training. If successful, EMAs may be introduced throughout the rest of England and possibly Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
To qualify for an EMA to assist with your AAT qualification you must:
- live in a pilot area
- be aged 16-19
- be currently in year 11 and continue in full time education
- your parents' (or carers') annual gross income is below £30,000, £25,000 or £20,000, depending on the area.
- be enrolled on a full-time course (12 hours or more).
The 56 pilot schemes pay a weekly allowance, dependent on parental income, a bonus payment at the end of each term (retention bonus) and a bonus payment at the end of the course if you have achieved your agreed learning goals (attainment bonus) for a maximum of two years (although in some areas this may be three years). The scheme may also give discounts on transport and other costs.
For further information contact your local LEA.
New Deal
The New Deal aims to support individuals preparing for work by the development of skills and training relevant to a local job. Prospective participants for the New Deal are categorised into the following groups:
- Young people (18-24yrs) - eligible if they have been claiming job-seekers allowance for 6 months or more.
- Aged 25 plus - job-seekers 25 and over who have been claiming job-seekers allowance (JSA) for 18 + months out of the last 21months.
- Aged 50 plus - people over 50 who are claiming benefits other than job seekers allowance and want to get work.
- Self-employment - for people who wish to work for themselves.
- Lone parents - anyone who is looking after at least one school-aged child on their own and claiming income support.
- Disabled people - if receiving job-seekers allowance and have a disability.
- Partners - the partner of a person who has been receiving job-seekers allowance for six months or more may be able to apply for the NDPU (New Deal for Partners of Unemployed People).
AAT student members interested in securing funding based on the New Deal scheme should contact their local job centre. All applications for funding are treated on an individual basis.
The New Deal website can be accessed on www.newdeal.gov.uk. For details or to find out your nearest centre call: 0845 6062626. Textphone - 0845 606 0680. From Northern Ireland - 0800 353530. For appointments and general leaflets on the ?New Deal for Lone Parents' program call: 0800 868 868
Jobseeker's Allowance
If you are not eligible for a New Deal programme but are claiming jobseekers allowance, you are allowed to take a part-time course of training or study while looking for work. So you can continue to claim JSA and still work towards the AAT qualification provided that:
- you are a part time student and
- you are available to start work immediately
- you are willing and able to take time off the course to attend a job interview
- you can be contacted promptly while attending the course
- you can rearrange the hours of the course to fit around a job
- you are prepared to abandon the course immediately to take up any job of over 24 hours a week
- you are actively seeking work
If you are planning to start a course of study or training while claiming benefits, it is very important to get advice from college guidance staff, welfare rights officers, careers officers or advisors in education guidance services for adults before or when you enrol, to make sure you understand how the issues and regulations, which are often complex and may change at short notice, will affect you.
Further information can be obtained from the following sources:
Training Employment Network (TEN),
322 St John Street,
London,
EC1V 4NU.
Tel: 020 7582 7275.
Child Poverty Action Group,
94 White Lion Street,
London,
N1 9PF.
Tel: 020 7837 7979. Fax: 020 7837 6414
Job-seekers advice line: 020 7833 4627 (2-4pm, Mon-Fri).
Modern Apprenticeship
Modern Apprenticeships combine workplace training with off-the-job learning, by allowing you to undertake training whist in paid employment. Funding may be open to young people aged between 16 and 25, irrespective of gender, ethnic origin or disability. The Modern Apprentice program is also suitable for training people over the age of 25, although assistance with funding is not available.
NOTE: For apprentices in Wales, from April 2001, there will be no upper age limit for completion of the scheme.
For further information contact your local LSC (Learning & Skills Council) or LEC (Local Enterprise Council) in Scotland.
Work-based learning (Scotland: Training for work
This is designed to be a work-focused and work-based scheme for those out of work for six months or longer. Work-based learning consists of training to help unemployed people aged 25-63 update existing work skills or learn new ones. For more information contact your local Job Centre, a directory of which can be found on the Employment Services website at www.employmentservice.gov.uk
Career development loans
Career Development Loans (CDLs) are available throughout Great Britain to help pay for vocational courses that last up to two years or a three-year course that includes up to one year of work experience. A CDL is a deferred repayment bank loan for between £300 - £8,000 to cover up to 80% of the course fees, plus the full cost of books, materials and other related expenses including travel, childcare and costs related to disability.
You can apply whether you are employed, unemployed or self-employed. If you have been out of work for three months or longer immediately before making your CDL application, you may be able to apply for up to 100% of the course fees. You may also be able to borrow money to help with living expenses, if the costs are not already covered by other grants or state benefits and you are studying full-time.
If receiving financial support from an employer, student members can still use a CDL to cover additional costs but the application must be endorsed by a local LSC, CCTE or LEC.
The DfES pays the interest on the CDL while you are studying or training but payments start one month after the course ends or up to a further five months, if you are registered unemployed and claiming benefit. APR varies but it is normally less than other bank loans and of course payments are deferred. It is also possible to apply for a further two extensions for a period of no longer than 18 months.
CDLs are available as a result of a partnership arrangement between the DfES and four major banks - Barclays, Clydesdale, The Co-operative and the Royal Bank of Scotland. You need to complete a DfES application form and a bank loan application form. CDLs are not available as a right.
For further help and advice, contact your local college or LSC, CCTE (Chamber of Commerce and Training and Enterprise), LEC (Local Enterprise Company). Application packs are also available to download, as well as monthly budget planner and other information from the DfES Lifelong Learning site at www.lifelonglearning.co.uk or telephone freephone 0800 585 505, 8 am - 10 pm Monday - Sunday.
Student loans scheme
Detailed information about Student Loans for 2008/2009 is available on the DfES web site under Higher Education Student Support and Student Loans Company UK. More information is available from LEAs (Local Education Authorities) in England who are involved in the administration of the system and from AACs. There is also a DfES telephone helpline on 0800 731 9133.
Educational grants advisory service
This is a potential source of funding available to AAT student members in the European Union.
The Educational Grants Advisory Service may be able to provide financial aid from its own fund, or supply a list of charitable educational funds available to those students in most need.
For further information and an application form send a stamped addressed envelope to:
Educational Grants Advisory Service
501 - 505 Kingsland Road,
Dalston,
London, E8 4AU
Tel: 020 7249 6636
Educational trust funds
Priority is given to those with little/no source of income and those not able to get financial help from other sources. For more information on educational funds you can also use the free search facilities at the following website:
Useful Contacts">Useful Contacts">Useful Contacts
Learn-direct helpline
Free, impartial & confidential advice on learning/career opportunities.
0800 100 900
9am - 9pm (Mon - Fri)
9am - 12 noon (Sat)
Lifelong Learning
www.lifelonglearning.co.uk
Learning & Skills Councils (LSCs)
Replaced TECs (Training & Enterprise Councils) in Apr 2001. Responsible for all post-16 Education & Training.
General Enquiries helpline: 0870 900 6800
To find deatils of your local LSC go to www.lsc.gov.uk
Department for Education and Skills (DfES)
Freephone Information Line: 0800 731 9133
E-mail: info@dfes.gov.uk
Northern Ireland - Training & Employment Agency (T&EA)
Belfast Headquarters
(028) 9025 7793
9am - 5pm
www.tea-ni.org.uk
Job Centres
www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
For a Job Centre search, visit the Employment Services website at www.employmentservice.gov.uk
National Association for Managers of Student Services
www.namss.org.uk
Non-UK funds information">Non-UK funds information">Non-UK funds information
International students hoping to study AAT courses in Great Britain should contact the following sources for guidance and advice:
The British Council
The British Council is a worldwide organisation with a network of offices in 109 countries. Regional British Council offices will be able to provide information on scholarships and grants and welfare opportunities/packages (eg information on finance, finding somewhere to live, healthcare, bringing a family and student support).
For further information on the location of international offices contact the Council on line at www.britcoun.org. Alternatively the British Council can be contacted at:
The Information Centre
The British Council
Bridgewater House
59 Whitworth Street
Manchester
M1 6BB
Tel: + 44 0 161 957 7755
Fax: +44 0 161 957 7762
E-mail: general.enquiries@britishcouncil.org
UKCOSA (The Council for International Education)
UKCOSA provides information, advice and training on the recruitment and support of international students.
UKCOSA also provides specialist advice and information directly to students by telephone on + 44 020 7354 5210 between 1.00 - 4.00 pm (UK time), Monday to Friday. Contact by e-mail at enquiries@ukcosa.org.uk
Indigenous government bodies
You should also contact your own Ministry of Education or government Education department, as they should have details of scholarship opportunities for students wishing to study overseas. They will also be able to advise you on your own government?s conditions for studying abroad.
Corporate Sponsorship
Some companies may pay for your studies and living expenses. Contact the British Council and your own government bodies for appropriate contacts. The British Council may have reference books that will list companies that regularly sponsor student members. Multi-national companies are most likely to have the resources and administration to support sponsored student members.
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