Financial advice

Adult Learning Grant (ALG)

Adults on full-time courses may qualify for an ALG of up to £30 per week during term time for learning-related costs such as books, equipment and travel. How much you get depends on your income.

You can use the ALG to study full-time for your first full level 2 or 3 qualification. Level 2 qualifications are equivalent to five or more GCSEs at grades A-C or NVQ level 2. Level 3 qualifications are equivalent to two A levels or NVQ Level 3.

Visit DirectGovto find out if you qualify and how much you might be entitled to.

For an application pack, call our Guidance and Welfare Service on 0800 068 8585.

Childcare assistance

If you're responsible for at least one child or young person who normally lives with you, and you are studying for a full-time course, you may get assistance with the costs of childcare through Child Tax Credits. To find out more visit DirectGov or call 0800 882 200.

The government has launched a ‘Free Childcare for Training and Learning for Work’ scheme, which provides childcare support for adult students whose partner is working and the household income is below £20,000 (not including any tax credits).

Application forms are available from receptions or by phoning the Learner Support Service on 0800 121 8989.

The college also has limited funds available to assist adult students with childcare responsibilities. Please contact the Learner Support Service on 0800 121 8989.

Other sources of financial help

There is a range of other types of financial assistance available for students with dependants, for lone parents and for students with a disability. You can find out further information from

• your local education authority (LEA)
• Student Finance England’s and DirectGov's information pages
• the college’s Guidance and Welfare Service on 0800 068 8585
• Connexions

Student loans

Full-time higher education students are entitled to a range of loan products administered by the Student Loans Company (SLC) to help with the cost of their studies.

Tuition fee loan – this is a non-financially assessed loan to meet the cost of tuition fees. All full-time higher education students are entitled to apply for this type of loan. A student may request some, but not all, of the loan available, and in this case the student is responsible for paying to the college any fees which are not covered by the loan. SLC distributes tuition fee payments directly to the college for all eligible students.

Maintenance loan – this is available to help with living costs for full-time undergraduate students. Maximum entitlement is affected by place of residence, (parental home, away from parental home), year of course (final or non-final), and entitlement to other financial support. Maintenance loans are paid directly to the student in three instalments.

Your total debt to the Student Loans Company will, therefore, be a combination of your tuition fee loan and your maintenance loan. The repayment of loans is repaid through the tax system, and only begins after you have left higher education and are earning over £15,000. Please note that if you have previously studied in higher education, there may be limits to the amount of money you can borrow.

Student grants – full-time courses

The Student Loans Company administers a non-repayable Higher Education Maintenance Grant for full-time higher education students from households with lower levels of income.

Certain full-time students may be eligible for a Special Support Grant which will not be taken into account when assessing benefits (this is instead of the Maintenance Grant).

For further information and an application form, contact your local education authority (LEA) or Student Finance England to apply online.

If you need any further advice (for example, as a European Union student), please contact the college’s Guidance and Welfare Service on 0800 068 8585.

Student grants – part-time courses

Part-time higher education students can apply for a means-tested, non-repayable Fee Grant of up to £1,180 towards tuition costs. There are three pre-set rates of part-time tuition fee support available. These reflect the fact that some part-time courses include more study hours than others and, therefore, have higher costs. The amount of Fee Grant you receive will also depend on your household income and personal circumstances. As a new part-time student you will have to complete a couple of weeks of the course before you will be able to apply for any money.

For further information and an application form, contact your local education authority (LEA)
or Student Finance England to apply online.

If you have applied for tuition fee support and do not receive the maximum tuition fee support
available, you may be eligible for some support from the Additional Fee Support Scheme. This scheme can help students who still have to pay some, or all, of their part-time tuition fees. Any support from the scheme depends on your personal circumstances. Please contact our Guidance and Welfare Service for further information.

At the same time, you may also be entitled to a part-time Course Grant of up to £255 per year, to help meet the cost of books, travel and other expenses related to studying. Details are available from the Guidance and Welfare Service.

The Manchester College Bursary

The Manchester College Bursary is a discretionary fund to help higher education students overcome any financial difficulties they may have whilst studying. More information on this fund is available from the college’s Guidance and Welfare Service on 0800 068 8585.

HE Access to Learning Fund (HEALF)

Through the Access to Learning Funds (ALF) within The Manchester College, HE students who are experiencing continual financial difficulty, and are directly funded, can apply for help to meet the extra costs of study. Full-time and part-time students are eligible to apply, but particular groups of students are a priority for assistance. For more details, contact the Guidance and Welfare Service.

Disabled Students’ Allowances

Disabled Students' Allowances provide extra financial help if you have a disability or specific learning difficulty like dyslexia. They are available on top of the standard student finance package and don't have to be repaid. Eligible full-time, part-time and postgraduate students can apply for Disabled Students' Allowances.

For more information and to find out if you are eligible

• download the booklet 'Bridging the gap' from DirectGov or ask your local authority to send you a copy
• visit Skill, the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities

Childcare assistance

If you're responsible for at least one child or young person who normally lives with you, and you are studying for a full-time course, you may get assistance with the costs of childcare through Child Tax Credits. To find out more visit DirectGov or call 0800 882 200.

If you're under 20, Care to Learn can help pay for your childcare costs while you learn. To find out more

• call the government's Learner Support Helpline on 0800 121 8989
• visit the Learning and Skills Council's C2L information website
• email C2L@lsclearnersupport.co.uk

Other sources of financial help

There is a range of other types of financial assistance available for students with dependants, for lone parents and for students with a disability. You can find out further information from

• your local education authority (LEA)
• Student Finance England’s information pages
• the college’s Guidance and Welfare Service on 0800 068 8585
• Connexions

Student finance is complicated and funding options differ according to whether you are from England and Wales, other UK regions, the EU or other countries. Most of the financial information on our website applies to students who are from England and Wales.

If you are from another UK region, or outside of the UK, please see the government’s information for students who are not from England and Wales, on the DirectGov website.