What about part-timers?
Part-time students doing their first degree course should be entitled to financial help for the duration of their course. However, they don’t get anything like as much help as full-timers because, so the thinking goes, they’ve got time to work for a living.
Like full-timers, the help available boils down to two grants, one for fees (which is paid straight to the university) and one for course-related costs (which goes to the student).
The grants are means-tested and single students with incomes of up to £25,645 should get something.
Partners’ income is taken into account, although the thresholds are slightly higher for those with partners or dependent kids.
In 2008/9, the maximum available for those studying at least 50% of a full-time course is help with fees up to £785 as well as a grant of £255 to meet the cost of books, travel and so on. The fee grant increases to £985 for those studying 60%-74% of a full-time course and £1,180 for those on 75% or more of the full-time course. Once you've worked out the maximum amount you're eligible to, you have to fill out an income assesment to see what you will actually get in the end.
Part-time students with a disability should be eligible for the Disabled Students’ Allowances, including part-time postgrads and those on distance learning courses.
There should also be money in the access to learning fund for part-timers in need.
Other than that, part-timers have to pay their own fees, although there may be extra help available from their university – contact them directly for details.
Find out more from www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport and their info booklet, ‘Financial Support for part-time students in higher education: Guide for 2008/2009’, available by ringing the DfES information line on 0800 731 9133.
To apply for funding, you’ll need to get a copy of form PTG1 (available from the same places) and send it to your LEA or the SLC. Open University courses are slightly different – the OU does its own thing, form-wise, and deals with its own students’ applications for the fee and course grants and DSAs. Contact them directly on reg-fees@open.ac.uk or 01908 653411.
Last updated on: 07 August 2009