Financial Assistance for Part-Time Higher Education

Course Requirement – The DEL will only assist with courses that lead to a Certificate or Diploma of Higher Education, a HNC, a HND or a degree (e.g. BSc or BA). Students in ‘access courses’ to Higher Education are not eligible for support.

Part-time students, who do not already hold a degree, can apply for a Fee Grant if they are studying a course that is equivalent to at least 50 per cent of the full-time option. If a grant is allocated, the actual amount is dependent on your income. Information on the maximum grant available is provided below:

q Studying 50 to 59 per cent of a full-time course - £750
q Studying 60 to 74 per cent of a full-time course - £900
q Studying 75 per cent or more of a full-time course - £1,125

A Course Grant is also available under the same preconditions, for helping with books, travel expenses and other course costs. The maximum course grant for all part-time students is £250.

Part-time students with a disability or learning difficulties can apply for a Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) if they are studying at a rate of at least 50 per cent of the equivalent full-time course.

For information on all your options, you need to contact the student finance office of your local Education and Library Board (ELB), contact details below:

Belfast ELB – Tel: 028 90 564000; Web: www.belb.org.uk
North Eastern ELB (Ballymena) – Tel: 028 25 653333; Web: www.neelb.org.uk
South Eastern ELB (Belfast) – Tel: 028 90 566; Web: www.seelb.org.uk
Southern ELB (Armagh) – Tel: 028 37 512432; Web: www.selb.org
Western (Omagh) – Tel: 028 82 411411; Web: www.welbni.org

The course provider will sometimes provide discretionary funding to students in financial difficulties and who are studying at least 50 per cent (or 25 per cent in the case of disabled students) of an equivalent full-time course.  Students with children are a priority group in the dispensing of these funds. Contact the college in question to see if you are eligible.
The Open University deal with their own students’ applications for the fee and course grant, and the DSA. For information on financial support for Open University students please ring 028 90 245025.

Employers will often pay the fees for an evening course in Higher or Further Education, so long as the subject matter is related to the employee’s role within an organisation. Contact your boss for details!

Financial Assistance for Part-Time Further Education

Northern Ireland’s ELBs (see contact details above) also make funds available to part-time students entering in Further Education in the form of two different means-tested grants:

The Full Value Awards are provided to students taking advanced courses such as Foundation Art & Design and Private Secretary. A maximum fee grant of £554 and course grant of £250 are available.

Further Education Bursaries are provided to students of vocational courses in post-compulsory education. Applicants must be aged 19 or over, and a maximum fee grant of £554 and course grant of £250 are available.

Further Education course providers often charge concessionary fees to students who are in receipt of social security benefits. Similarly to Higher Education colleges, they may also provide discretionary funding to part-time students.
Students applying for support funds must be able to demonstrate that they have exhausted all possible resources of funding and that they are suffering from hardship.
Colleges also provide funds to students with disabilities or learning difficulties (including dyslexia), to help with specialist equipment and tutor support.

The Care To Learn scheme was introduced in 2004 and provides support for childcare to 16 to 18 year-old parents enrolled in Further Education. The scheme is open to part-time students pursuing a vocational qualification. The maximum help available for childcare costs is £5,315 a year per child.
Students should apply for this scheme in their college.

Further Resources

StudentFinanceNI Customer Support Office
- what financial help is available
- the application process
- progress in assessing your application
- when and how your grant will be paid
Tel: 0845 6000662
Web: www.studentfinanceni.co.uk

The Educational Guidance Service for Adults (EGSA)
Tel: 028 9024 4274
Web: www.egsa.org.uk

Careers Service Northern Ireland (DELNI)
A careers library for Northern Ireland
Web: www.careersserviceni.com

Websites for the regional childminding associations providing information and support to parents:
www.northernchildcare.com

www.southernchildcarepartnership.ni.org

www.easternchildcarepartnership.org.uk

www.childcare-west.org