Is there any extra help available?
In addition to the Maintenance Loan and Maintenance/Special Support grant, there are a range of non-repayable grants and bursraies avilable to continuing students.
However, your eligibility for this additional support will depend on your personal circumstances.
Additional support from Student Finance England
Additional support from the University of Leicester
You can also apply to the University for some additional financial assistance.
Adult Dependants’ Grant
Adult Dependants' Grant (ADG) is a non-repayable grant for full-time students who financially support and/or care for an adult dependant whilst studying (e.g. a partner who is unemployed or on a low income).
The ADG is fully means tested, so the amount you receive depends on your household income. The maximum award available for continuing students in 2012/2013 is £2,642.
You will not have to re-pay your Adult Dependants Grant, unless you receive an overpayment.
An adult dependant is someone who is dependent on you and could be your spouse, civil partner (or cohabiting partner, if you are over 25 years of age).
Partner is defined as a student’s husband, wife or civil partner. A person living with the student as if s/he were the student’s husband, wife or civil partner is also covered by this definition if the student is aged 25 or over at the start of the academic year.
If a student’s partner is in receipt of a statutory award towards a Higher Education course they will NOT qualify as an adult dependant
If you do not have a partner, you may still be eligible for this grant if an adult is wholly or mainly financially dependent on you. This will usually be a member of your family, but you can't count grown-up sons or daughters as adult dependants.
You can apply for ADG by completing the main student finance application and providing financial information about your income, along with details of your dependant and their income.
If you are awarded the ADG it is normally paid into your bank account in three instalments, at the start of each term.
Any Adult Dependants’ Grant you receive WILL be taken into account as income if you apply for any income-related benefits.
further information on Adult Dependants’ Grant can be found on the Student Finance England website.
Childcare Grant (CCG)
If you need support with childcare costs whilst you are studying a full time undergraduate degree course, you may qualify for a Childcare Grant from Student Finance England.
This grant will help pay childcare costs if you have dependent children aged under 15 at the beginning of the academic year (or under 17 if they have special educational needs) and they are in registered or approved childcare.
The Childcare Grant replaces the childcare element of Working Tax Credit. You cannot claim the Childcare Grant if you, your husband, wife or partner is in receipt of the childcare element of Working Tax Credit.
You may also be able to get a Childcare Grant if
• you normally live in England and are studying abroad as part of your UK course; AND
• you can use childcare provided under a Ministry of Defence accreditation scheme while you’re abroad.
The amount that you receive will depend on your household income. You can apply for 85% of your actual childcare cost during term times and holidays. The maximum payable during 2012/2013 is £148.75 a week for one child or up to £255 a week for more than one child.
Students are usually paid their Childcare Grant in three instalments, one at the start of each term, direct to your bank account. You will not have to repay any Childcare Grant, unless you are overpaid.
Your initial award is based on;
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anticipated household income for the actual year of study
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anticipated childcare costs based on costs information provided in advance by your childcare provider.
You are required to provide evidence of actual income and costs retrospectively in order that a final assessment can be calculated. If you have been overpaid you will be required to repay Student Finance England (if underpaid you will receive an additional payment).
It is your responsibility to be as accurate as possible with these estimates, and to provide evidence of actual costs as soon as possible otherwise you may be overpaid. Any overpayment will normally be deducted from the next year's CCG.
Applying for a Childcare Grant (CCG)
To apply for a Childcare Grant you will need to complete and return an additional applictaion form. Once you have submitted your application Student Finance ENgland will send this form out to you in the post.
This form is called a CCG1 form and can also be downloaded from the Student Finance England website.
When completing the CCG1 you are required to provide:
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details of the children receiving childcare,
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the estimated costs of this childcare, and
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information about the childcare provider, including evidence that the type of childcare being provided is recognised for funding through the scheme.
Once your application has been approved you must then complete a CCG2 form at the end of each term, providing the actual childcare costs for the last completed term and holiday period.
The CCG2 is used to reassess your overall entitlement which could lead to future payments being adjusted if it is clear that you have either been under or over paid.
Free childcare
All three- and four-year-olds are entitled to a free, part-time early-learning place (for 15 hours a week, 38 weeks a year) in a pre-school setting such as a nursery. You do not have to pay any fee for your child’s free early learning place and therefore cannot receive a Childcare Grant for a period covered by this. Your childcare provider will be able to advise whether your child qualifies.
If you can are entitled to income-related benefits, your Childcare Grant will not be taken into account as income when assessing your benefit entitlement.
Parents’ Learning Allowance
A Parents’ Learning Allowance (PLA) of up to £1,508 is available to students with one or more dependent childrn. The PLA is intended to cover some of the additional costs incurred by students with dependant children, such as higher travel costs, books and equipment needed for the course.
The amount you c receive depends on your income and the income of your husband, wife or partner (if applicable) and any dependants. You will not have to repay your PLA unless you are overpaid.
There is no additional application form to complete. You can apply fopr Parents' learning Allowance by completing the main student finance applicaion and providing financial information about your income and the financial information of your husband, wife, partner and their dependants.
The award is normally paid in three instalments, one at the start of each term, direct to your bank account.
If you can are entitled to income-related benefits, your Parents' Learning Allowance will not be taken into account as income when assessing your benefit entitlement.
Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs)
Disabled Students' Allowances are additional grants to help with the extra costs a student may incur whilst studying in Higher Education, due to a disability, learning difficulty, mental health condition or long term illness.
You are encouraged to make contact with the AccessAbility Centre as soon as possible - before you commence your studies. They will assist you in applying for all relevant financial support and advise you on assistance available from the University.
