Student Support Financial Support

If you are completing a level 3 qualification with us this year why not consider applying for the Higher Education Scholarship Programme?

Study a university level qualification with us and you could be rewarded with a Scholarship of up to a £1,000.

There are 3 types of scholarship available and places are limited. So, if a scholarship that includes a payment of up to £1,000 appeals to you, act now.

Download and read the HE Achievement Scholarships document - coming soon to find out more and apply. It's simple to complete an application and will only take a couple of minutes of your time.

The college have an 'Access to Learning Fund (HE Hardship)' known as the ALF. This small fund is available to Higher Education students who find themselves in severe financial hardship at any time during the year.

Download the ALF application form or alternatively a hard copy can be collected from Main Reception in The Hub.

Once you have completed the form and collated all the supporting evidence required as per the checklist, please submit the documents to Main Reception (The Hub) at Loughborough College for the attention of the Student Finance Officer.

If you have any questions please email the Student Finance Team.

You may be entitled to free tuition if

• you are under 19 on 31 August before the start of your chosen academic year or
• you are taking your first, full Level 2 or first, full Level 3 qualification and meet the qualifying criteria

You may also be eligible for free tuition if you are receiving certain means-tested benefits.

For more information, email the admissions team or call 01509 215 831.

The Loughborough College Bursary Fund is designed to help students from low income families to meet some of the costs incurred as a result of studying.

There are two bursary funds available, one for those aged 16-18 and one for those aged 19 and over. Please ensure that you choose the correct information sheet to see what financial support you may be entitled to.

The deadline for applications is 12th September 2025

16-18 Bursary Fund (Discretionary Bursary)

• 16-18 Bursary Application Form
• 16-18 Bursary Fund Information
• 16-18 Bursary Information Sheet - Coming Soon
• Bus Pass and Travel Information
• Free Student Meal Information Sheet

19+ Bursary Fund and Advanced Learner Loan Bursary Fund Information

• 19+ Bursary and Advanced Learner Loan Bursary application form - Coming soon

Enhanced Bursary

The Enhanced Bursary may be available to all “vulnerable students” aged under 19 as of 31st August the current academic year, studying on a Further Education course. Students must meet the enhanced bursary criteria and provide evidence to support a financial need.

The Department for Education (DfE) considers a “vulnerable students” to be

• a young person in care
• a young person leaving care
• a young person in receipt of income support in their own right or
• a young person who is disabled and in receipt of Disability Living Allowance and Employment Support Allowance

Discretionary Bursary

There is also a Discretionary Bursary offered by Loughborough College for students under the age of 19 studying on a Further Education course with a low household income and not receiving the Enhanced Bursary.

For more information, advice, and guidance please do not hesitate to contact us on 01509 215831 or send us an email at studentfinance@loucoll.ac.uk. We are here to help.

Whether you are classed as a domestic or international student is essential as it can impact your course's tuition fees.

Specific criteria define a 'home student'—including UK and Republic of Ireland residents and EU nationals with settled status—to the conditions under which international students, including new EU students post-1 August 2021, are classified.

The guide also provides information for refugees and asylum seekers and details how your fee status affects tuition fees, loans, and grants.

If you're aged 19 or over and want to study A Levels, an Access to Higher Education Diploma, or a Level 3 to 6 Vocational Qualification, you'll need to pay for the cost of your course.

The Advanced Learner Loan is a government-funded loan to help learners. It's easy to apply for, doesn't take your household income into account and doesn't involve a credit check.

Key Facts:

• Repayments are linked to what you earn and not how much you borrowed
• You only have to start making repayments when you've finished your course and you're earning over £25,725 a year (which is £535 a week or £2,143 a month). Until then you don't need to pay back anything, but you can make voluntary repayments at any time
• You pay 9% of the money you earn over £25,725, before tax. For example, if you earn £35,000 a year, it will be £69 per month.
• Interest is charged on a sliding scale between the Retail Price Index (RPI) and RPI +3%, depending on how much you earn

Please visit Advanced Learner Loans for more information or email studentfinance@loucoll.ac.uk or call 01509 215831.

Your child may be able to get a school travel pass or taxi place to go to sixth form or college. For more information and to apply please visit Leicestershire County Council

For everyone aged 16 and 17.

The new 16-17 Saver Railcard offers 16-17 year olds a 50% discount on rail travel, making it cheaper to get to school, college and work. And it also gives you access to great discounts on holidays, dining out, theatre tickets and more.

Find out more

This fund can help provide financial support towards educational costs for students up to the age of 25 who live in the local area.

For more information click here.

Care to Learn provides help with childcare and associated travel costs if you are over 16 but under 20 years of age on the day your learning starts. For further information and an application pack, please contact us directly, visit Care to Learn, or call 0800 121 8989.

This scheme provides help with accommodation costs if your course is not available in your local area and you are unable to travel to College on a daily basis. Students need to be aged 16 to 18 and attending their first full Level 2 or Level 3 course. For information and an application pack, visit www.direct.gov.uk, call the Learner Support Services Helpline on 0800 121 8989, or call Student Recruitment on 01509 215831.

• Residential Support Scheme - Application Form
• Residential Support Scheme - Section C
• Residential Support Scheme - Guidance Notes

This covers loans for tuition fees and living costs. Apply online at www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance. For information and queries, contact Student Finance England on 0845 300 5090.

If you are on a full-time course, you may be eligible for exemption from this local authority tax. Please bring your student ID card to Reception if you want to enquire about exemption.

Alternatively if you would like to enquire about your eligibility for a council tax exemption please contact us via email at admissions@loucoll.ac.uk and a member of the team will be in touch.

Free Student Meals Information Sheet

Loughborough College travel information

Adult learners can access adult English and Mathematics at either Functional Skills or GCSE level. This will be determined by the existing qualification level held and current ability level, which will be determined by undertaking a diagnostic assessment.

All adult learners are entitled to free tuition when studying a Functional Skill or GCSE English or Mathematics qualification as long as they have not already achieved a pass at the same level (Functional Skill) or grade A*-C or 9-4 in GCSE.

Please note the course fees detailed below only apply to UK/EU residents. For International students an hourly rate will apply.

Places on Entry/Level 1 courses are subject to individual circumstances for adult learners and may not be available/suitable for all learners. Curriculum staff will make you aware of these limitations at Welcome Events.

Students eligible to join Entry/Level 1 courses (not including ESOL - See separate ESOL section above) will only be eligible for full funding if they are in receipt of an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP). There will be a disclaimer to sign as part of the enrolment paperwork where applicable. Loughborough College can then use this to claim full funding on your behalf, making the course tuition fee free.

Adult learners who are unemployed and on benefits will be eligible for full funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency. If you are not employed but are not in receipt of benefits then please check with us as you may still be eligible to be funded for your course.

Priority is given to adult learners accessing courses who want to secure employment, are actively looking for work, and where this course will help them to get a job.

There will be a disclaimer to sign as part of the enrolment paperwork. Loughborough College can then use this to claim full funding on your behalf, making the course tuition fee free. You will need to provide your National Insurance number at the enrolment stage.

Adult learners earning less than £35,000 annual gross could be eligible for full funding from the Education Skills Funding Agency. You would need to evidence this with a wage slip dated within 3 months of the enrolment start date, by providing us with a copy of a current employment contract which clearly states gross monthly/annual wages or by providing us with bank statements evidencing income amounts over the previous 3-month period.

Places on Level 2 courses are subject to individual circumstances for adult learners and may not be available/suitable for all learners. Curriculum staff will make you aware of these limitations at Welcome Events.

First Full Level 2. Adult learners aged 19-23 as at 31st August 2024 who will be completing a full qualification at Level 2 for the first time may be able to claim full funding from the Skills Funding Agency if they enrol on an eligible course. There will be a disclaimer to sign as part of the enrolment paperwork. Loughborough College can then use this to claim full funding on your behalf, making the course tuition fee free.

Adult learners who are unemployed and on benefits will be eligible for full funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency.

If you are not employed but are not in receipt of benefits then please check with us as you may still be eligible to be funded for your course.

Priority is given to adult learners accessing courses who want to secure employment, are actively looking for work, and where this course will help them to get a job. There will be a disclaimer to sign as part of the enrolment paperwork. Loughborough College can then use this to claim full funding on your behalf, making the course tuition fee free. You will need to provide your National Insurance number at the enrolment stage.

Adult learners earning less than £35,000 annual gross could be eligible for full funding from the Education Skills Funding Agency. You would need to evidence this with a wage slip dated within 3 months of the enrolment start date, by providing us with a copy of a current employment contract which clearly states gross monthly/annual wages or by providing us with bank statements evidencing income amounts over the previous 3-month period.

Places on Level 3 courses tend to be subject to more stringent entry criteria, but are more readily accessible to adult learners. Funding is slightly different at Level 3, which we will cover below.

If you are aged 19-23 as at 31st August and this will be your First Full Level 3 qualification, then you may be able to claim full funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency if you enrol on an eligible course. There will be a disclaimer to sign as part of the enrolment paperwork. The enrolment team will then check your Prior Learning Records to confirm your eligibility for this funding against national education records Loughborough College can then use this to claim full funding on your behalf, making the course tuition fee free.

From September 2016 the Government extended the Advanced Learner Loans to incorporate learners aged 19 and over studying eligible Further Education qualifications at Level 3. Learners will be able to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan which will cover all or part of the tuition fee costs for the qualification they wish to study. Learners can choose to self-fund and pay these costs themselves should they not wish to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan.

Adult learners without a full level 3 or above, are able to access a qualification on the level 3 adult offer qualifications list. There are over 400 qualifications available in areas such as engineering, social care and accounting.

This offer is also available to adults in England who earn less than the Minimum Threshold of £35,000 or who are unemployed. This is regardless of their prior qualification level.

To find out if the course you wish to study is included in this offer, please contact our Student Recruitment Team and they will advise.

Places on Further Education courses at Level 4 and above tend to be subject to more stringent entry criteria, but are more readily accessible to adult learners.

From September 2016 the Government extended the Advanced Learner Loans to incorporate learners aged 19 and over studying eligible Further Education qualifications at Levels 4/5/6.

Learners will be able to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan which will cover all or part of the tuition fee costs for the qualification they wish to study. Learners can choose to self-fund and pay these costs themselves should they not wish to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan.