What is Student Support? If you are a student currently studying in a course in university, you may be eligible. This Your Benefits article will walk you through everything you need to know.
What is Student Support?
Student Support is a financial aid that is provided by the government. If you live in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, you are likely eligible. You will receive financial support to help cover costs while studying for certain courses.
Through this, you will be able to receive support to cover school and living costs and mental health in student life. Your Benefits also offers advice. For example, you might want to join students union to have a full university experience.
Am I eligible to receive Student Support?
You can be eligible to receive Student Support if you live in the United Kingdom. More specifically, if you live in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Each country has their own terms of eligibility. Additionally, this is also the case for how much money you could earn.
Then, the government responsible to assess your eligibility will do so. Once that is done, your household income will be determined. This will be to determine how much aid you are entitled to.
You might be in a course or have a condition that entitles you to additional aid or another kind of it. Then, your institution will likely be able to help you further. They should be able to access more Government support. For England, this might be Access to Learning Funds. For students in Wales, it can be Financial Contingency Funds. Those studying in Northern Ireland can benefit from Support Funds, and students in Scotland from Discretionary Funds.
If you are a student who receives Student Support, you might be able to receive extra payments to account for specific needs. For example, some people might be dependent on you, or you might have a disability
What courses make me eligible to receive Student Support?
You may receive Undergraduate Student Support can only be received by those taking certain specific courses. They include:
- undergraduate degrees
- teacher training courses
- Diplomas of Higher Education
- Higher National Certificates (HNC) and Diplomas (HND)
- Diplomas, Advanced Diplomas and Certificates in Higher Education
- Only for those studying in Scotland
These are higher education (HE) undergraduate courses. However, you might currently be in a HE postgraduate course. If this is the case, you might be eligible for other funds.
You might be studying in a further education (FE) course. If this is the case, you may see if you can receive funding through your institution.
Note that you are likely not eligible for Student Support if you have already taken a course either at the same level or lower than currently. This also applies if you received a qualification in another country.
How do I apply if I normally live in England?
Student Support is composed of multiple different things. They include the following:
- loan to cover living costs
- loan to cover tuition fees
- additional grant for other conditions and circumstances
- an example includes for students with a disability
- a Maintenance Grant
- you do not need to pay this back. If you can earn a full maintenance grant, you might also earn an extra bursary
Below is a table of how much you could earn with a Maintenance Grant. Indeed, it is a benefit you do not have to pay back, and which can help you pay for living costs. This is for students living in university.
| Maintenance grant amounts in relation to location and household income | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Household income needed to receive partial grant | Household income needed to receive the full grant amount | Maximum grant amount |
| Wales (for those living in London in University) | £18,371 or more | Maximum of £18,370 | £10,124 |
| Wales (for those living outside London and not at their home) | £18,371 or more | Maximum of £18,370 | £8,100 |
| Wales (for those living at home) | £18,371 or more | Maximum of £18,370 | £6,885 |
| Northern Ireland | Between £19,204 and £41,065 | Maximum of £19,203 | £3,475 |
If you apply to one or more of the bullet points above, then you are entitled to some Student Support. Then, the website on which you should apply is Student Finance England. There, you will find details on what you need to apply.
The deadline for your application depends on the start date of your course. However, note that usually, you must apply no longer than within 9 months of when the academic year begins. This amount of time is reduced to 6 months for courses that are part-time.
Your circumstances might change throughout your study of your course. As such, if you are ineligible for Student Support at first, you might become qualified later on. So do not despair if you believe you cannot earn this benefit. You might be able to at a later date.
How do I apply if I normally live in Wales?
If you normally live in Wales, Student Support is composed of multiple different things. They include the following:
- loan or grant to cover tuition fees
- loan to cover living costs
- additional grants for other conditions and circumstances
- an example includes for students with a disability
- Assembly Learning Grant
- you do not have to pay this back. Additionally, if you receive this, you are likely eligible to receive an extra bursary (given by your university)
The deadline for your application depends on the start date of your course. However, note that usually, you must apply no longer than within 9 months of when the academic year begins. This amount of time is reduced to 6 months for courses that are part-time.
Your circumstances might change throughout your study of your course. As such, if you are ineligible for Student Support at first, you might become qualified later on. So do not despair if you believe you cannot earn this benefit. You might be able to at a later date.
How do I apply if I normally live in Northern Ireland?
If you normally live in Northern Ireland, Student Support is composed of multiple different things. They include the following:
- money to cover living costs
- additional grants for other conditions and circumstances
- an example includes for students with a disability
- a Maintenance Grant
- This is for students coming from a low-income background. You do not need to pay this back. If you can earn a full maintenance grant, you might also earn an extra bursary
If you apply to one or more of the bullet points above, then you are entitled to some Student Support. Then, the website to apply to is Student Finance Northern Ireland. There, you will find details on what you need to apply.
The deadline for your application depends on the start date of your course. However, note that usually, you must apply no longer than within 9 months of when the academic year begins. This amount of time is reduced to 6 months for courses that are part-time.
Your circumstances might change throughout your study of your course. As such, if you are ineligible for Student Support at first, you might become qualified later on. So do not despair if you believe you cannot earn this benefit. You might be able to at a later date.
How do I apply if I normally live in Scotland?
If you normally live in Scotland, Student Support is composed of multiple different things. They include the following:
- loan to cover tuition fees
- for those studying outside Scotland
- payment to cover tuition fees
- for those studying inside Scotland
- loan to cover living costs
- additional grants for other conditions and circumstances
- an example includes for students with a disability
- Young Students’ Bursary
- this does not have to be paid back, and you may only be eligible if you both study in Scotland and the course starts before you 25th birthday
- Students’ Outside Scotland Bursary
- this does not have to be paid back
- Additional Loan
- this is for students coming from a low-income background
If you apply to one or more of the bullet points above, then you are entitled to some Student Support. Then, the website to apply to is Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS). There, you will find details on what you need to apply. The deadline for your application depends on the start date of your course.
Your circumstances might change throughout your study of your course. As such, if you are ineligible for Student Support at first, you might become qualified later on. So do not despair if you believe you cannot earn this benefit. You might be able to at a later date.
What if my application is rejected?
Your application for Student Support might be rejected. If this is the case, you can demand to see why it was rejected in writing. Additionally, you might then feel that the decision is either incorrect or unjustified. If this is the case, the decision can be challenged.
If you are not eligible for this benefit, there are others you can earn as a student. This includes student grants, maintenance loans, the Turing scheme and more.
You may be unsure of what you are entitled to. Your Benefit can help. Indeed, we offer a free simulator that can calculate the total amount of aid that you are entitled to. Simply start a simulation to take advantage of it. And again, it’s free!
