FUNDING, BURSARIES & LOANS

Do you have Children and want to study at College?

If so, you may be eligible for financial support towards childcare during your study

If you are 20 or over, have young children pre school age (between 6 months to 4 years) and are in a priority group, you may be eligible for chilcare support. For example:

• If you are under 20 years old and need assistance with the cost of childcare, you may be able to apply for funding through the Government’s Care to Learn Scheme
• For students aged 20+ who have a household income below £25,000.00, it may be possible for the Learner Support Fund or ALL Bursary Fund to contribute towards childcare costs
• If you are 19 years old you should apply to ”Care to Learn” for childcare funding.

For the points above, the following detail applies:

You must be using an OFSTED registered provider which may be a Nursery, pre-school setting or childminder. ‌

If you need support looking for the right childcare for your son or daughter, we have a list of Registered Childcare Providers

*Please also note some 2 year olds and all 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to 30 hours of free nursery education – this entitlement must be used before making a claim for assistance with childcare

You can apply before enrolment or during the academic year.

Important Information: The College can only pay a contribution towards the cost of childcare during the weeks and sessions when you are timetabled to be at College and during the College term-time. The College does not pay for Christmas, Easter or Summer Holidays. Costs incurred above the support granted are the responsibility of the parent to fund.

If you are currently pregnant and need help towards the cost of your baby, you may be entitled to the Sure Start Maternity Grant, which is a one-off payment of £500 to help towards the costs of having a child.

You will usually qualify for the grant if both of the following apply:

• you’re expecting your first child, or you’re expecting a multiple birth (such as twins) and have children already
• you or your partner already get certain benefits

Please contact Student Wellbeing for further information

The Learner Support Fund is a discretionary and limited source of financial help for students who are aged 19 and over and are experiencing hardship. It may be possible for the College to make a contribution towards childcare costs for students who are in receipt of a state benefit. However, please note that there is no guarantee that this will be possible, or what percentage of the overall cost the College will be able to meet.

Please note: There are no guarantees that you will receive money from the fund – not all students who apply will receive an award. You should not therefore base any decisions about coming to Buxton & Leek College on an assumption that you will receive an award.

DOWNLOAD the learner support FUND APPLICATION:

FSFFinancial Support Fund Application Form 2018 19

There are no guarantees that you will receive money from the fund – not all students who apply will receive an award. You should not therefore base any decisions about coming to College on an assumption that you will receive an award. It may be possible for the College to make a contribution towards childcare costs for students who are in receipt of a state benefit. However, please note that there is no guarantee that this will be possible, or what percentage of the overall cost the College will be able to meet.

Please note: There are no guarantees that you will receive money from the fund – not all students who apply will receive an award. You should not therefore base any decisions about coming to Buxton & Leek College on an assumption that you will receive an award.

DOWNLOAD THE A.L.L Bursary FUND APPLICATION:

FSFFinancial Support Fund Application Form 2018 19

Are you thinking of improving your career options, but worried about the cost of tuition? From August 1 2016, if you’re aged 19 or over you can study on a course and pay no upfront tuition fees by taking out a Government Advanced Learner Loan. The loan is easy to apply for, doesn’t take your household income into account and doesn’t involve a credit check. It will fund most college courses at Level 3 and above.

For more information visit www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan/overview

If you are facing financial hardship, you may be able to apply to a charitable trust for support. There are many charitable trusts with different criteria. Support may be limited to students studying certain subjects, living in certain areas, or of a specific age group. If you qualify in some way, you may be eligible for:

• A Bursary – which you wouldn’t have to pay back
• A Loan – which you would have to pay back
• A charitable trust to purchase goods on your behalf

If you feel that you need extra financial support, and are not sure where to start, make an appointment with our Student Adviser for further guidance. Alternatively, visit turn2us for information about applying to charities.

Local Charities:

binghamtrust.org.uk  – Financial support for people who live in Buxton studying in Further Education.
Fairfield School Foundation – Financial support for people living in the Fairfield area of Buxton.
Burbage Education Fund  – Financial support for people living in the Burbage area of Buxton.
gingerbread.org.uk – is a charity for single parents where you can find expert advice and practical support.

Fee REMISSION THROUGH THE SKILLS FUNDING AGENCY (SFA)

If you meet certain criteria relating to your age and/or benefits you may already receive, you may not be charged your tuition fees if – this is known as fee remission. Find out more on the Skills Funding Agency’s website click here. 

You may choose to look at renting private accommodation, either by yourself or with others in a shared house. This can be done through an estate agent, on websites or through local adverts. You may need an adult who can be your “financial guarantor” to pay up for any damage, if you can’t pay the rent. Your landlord may also ask you to pay a bond (deposit) and your first months rent before you move in.

How will I pay my rent? 

Whether you are housed by your Local Council or you rent privately you will be asked to sign a tenancy agreement, which is a legal document, so once you have signed up, you will be required by law to pay your rent.

Your landlord can evict you or take you to court if you do not pay your rent. Some students may be eligible to receive Housing Benefit to help with rent costs.

Seek more advice by contacting Student Wellbeing.

How will I pay my bills and living costs? 

If you live independently, you will need to budget for all your living costs, which include going out, shopping and bills (gas, electricity, water, phone, TV licence) out of your wage, or any other income you may have.

Some students may be eligible for income support to assist with these costs.

Seek more advice by contacting Student Wellbeing.

From time to time, we all experience problems with money.

You may have thoughts such as:

• ‘I am finding it difficult to manage my money.’
• ‘I am worrying about my current debt, or running up debt.’
• ‘How do I keep better track of my financial comings and goings?’

Be reassured that you can take control of your money, with the first steps in doing so being to simply recognise it.

We can assist you by suggesting ways in which you can reduce your spend, make the most of your income, and work with you to take back control of your finances

WELFARE & BENEFITS

Many full-time students are not entitled to claim benefits.

Students who are lone parents or are in receipt of disability benefits however, may be entitled to receive certain benefits as a full-time student.

Please contact Citizens Advice if you would like to discuss your entitlement. Citizens Advice Bureau offer appointments through Student Wellbeing at the Buxton campus throughout term time.

Other useful links
www.hmrc.gov.uk/home – for general information about tax and benefits.
www.entitledto.co.uk – for information on benefits and what you may be entitled to.
www.gov.uk – for guidance on employment, debt, benefits and tax.

TAX REFUNDS

Tax can be a complicated subject. If you think you may be due a tax refund or paying too much tax, find out everything else you need to know about tax and what that means for students. 

If you require further detail or support, book an appointment to see a Student Adviser by contacting Student Wellbeing..

Want to take control of your money? We all do, don’t we?

Many people experience challenges with money at some point during their lives and at Buxton & Leek College, we recognise that some students may have experiences like these during their course of study.

We therefore encourage all to take time to plan ahead, and think, ‘what do I need to spend my money on?’.

Below are ten top tips that may assist you taking control of your money:

1. Use a student bank account
2. Spend some time planning expenses
3. Prepare a budget sheet and list essential spend
4. Keep a record of what you spend – be aware of your spending patterns
5. Avoid credit cards and store cards – interest soon adds up and can be very expensive
6. Consider standing orders or direct debits for priority bills
7. Read the small print in mobile phone contracts. They can be expensive when free offers end
8. Plan for extra expenses at the start of the year like for example birthdays
9. If you need to borrow, use only interest free overdraft facilities
10. Avoid using cashpoint machines that charge for use

MONEY QUIZ:

Take this quiz to explore your attitudes towards finance..

Our Student Adviser is here to help you with any questions you may have, or with any difficulties you may encounter.

We are friendly and approachable and will do our very best to help.

Appointments are available in person or via telephone, please contact us for further details.

Drop In Sessions

Alternatively you can attend a Drop-in session which gives you an opportunity to ask questions and/ or resolve simple issues that you may be experiencing. Individual sessions are expected to last no longer than 15 minutes. There is no need to book to attend a drop in session but please email or phone the Student Wellbeing Service beforehand to ensure the session is on.

 

However if you have a more complex query or a query that you feel will take longer than this, you can make an appointment at the Student Wellbeing Reception.