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The prospect of embarking upon a college or university course can be a daunting one for anybody these days, with the cost of tuition fees and student living rising. For care leavers, who may not have very good experiences of the education system and who will usually lack the support of a family to fall back on, it can be even more intimidating.
However, education is an important and valuable asset and the right of every young person. Therefore, if a care leaver wants to pursue it after the age of 16 or 18 they should.
The next few pages are aimed at providing as much advice and information as possible to help care leavers who are considering, or are currently enrolled on, a further, or higher education course.
Available Support
When applying to university, you will be able to apply for a student loan, to help pay for your fees, accommodation and living costs. These loans will not have to be paid back until you have left university and are working in a job where you earn over £15,000. For more information on the new student loan system, visit the DfES website.
There are also other types of support available, including some non-repayable financial grants, which you may want to pursue. Information on the different types of support available is detailed below.
Also, it might be worth bearing in mind when applying that certain universities were recently awarded a quality mark for their support of care leavers. The universities that currently possess the quality mark are: Southampton, Sheffield Hallam, Edge Hill, Leeds and Bradford.
University Access Funds
The government provides all UK universities with an Access to Learning Fund (ALF) to dispense each year. The funds are distributed to home students who, without financial help, might not be able to consider undertaking a university course. The amount of the payments varies between universities and based on the individual students circumstances, but they can be anything from £200-£2000. care leavers have been identified as a priority group for this funding.
In order to apply for the Access to Learning fund contact the Student Services department of the university you plan to attend.
Government Maintenance Grant
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Household income
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Help Available
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£17,500 or less
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Full £2,700 grant
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£17,501 - £37,425
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Partial grant
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£37,426 and over
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No gran
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From September 2006, new full-time UK students from low-income homes will be eligible for a maintenance grant of up to £2,700 a year. This does not have to be paid back. The amount you get will depend on your income and that of your household. See the guide on the right, although the figures will probably change.
To apply for the maintenance grant, contact your Local Education Authority - see www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport/ for more guidance.
Special Support Grant
A Special Support Grant is being introduced for new students who start their course in September 2006 and who are eligible to receive mainstream benefits such as Income Support and Housing Benefit. It will cover additional course costs such as books, equipment, travel or childcare that result from attending your course. The amount of support, the income assessment arrangements and the payment arrangements are the same as for the new Maintenance Grant. New students who are receiving the Maintenance Grant, existing students and gap year students will not be entitled to receive a Special Support Grant. Applications for this grant should be made through your LEA.
Bursaries
All universities, which charge over £2,700 for course fees are required to provide bursaries for students who receive the maintenance grant. The amount of the grant will differ depending on the institution you attend and the amount of maintenance grant that you receive. You should not have to complete a separate application form for the bursary. The university will receive the financial assessment of your household income made by your LEA and should use this to assess your entitlement to a bursary.
Local Bursaries
Some universities provide local bursaries, in addition to the general bursary. If attending a university in close proximity to where you live, or where you attended college, you may be eligible to apply for a local student bursary. To apply for this, you should contact the university, which you intend to attend.
Care Leavers Grant
The Care Leavers' Grant is available to full time undergraduate students who were in care before October 2001. To be eligible you need to have been in care on your 16th birthday or afterwards for at least three months, and under 21 at the start of your course. You can claim help with accommodation costs during the long holidays. Up to £100 per week is available. Full-time undergraduate students who have been in care can claim extra help. You could get up to £100 per week.
The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 applies to most children leaving care after 1 October 2001. Young people leaving care services since that date and who are eligible will get help until they are 21. Your Council has a duty to meet your needs in relation to education, training or employment. This will include helping you with the costs of accommodation during the holidays. To apply for this you should contact your personal adviser or the local authority responsible for you.
Disabled Students' Allowance
If you have a disability, including a chronic health condition, a learning difference or a mental health condition, you should be eligible for the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA). This helps with costs you incur, in attending your course, as a direct result of your disability. For example, it may pay for specialist equipment, or a non-medical helper such as a note-taker.
DSAs are available to full-time and part-time students with disabilities although part-time students must be studying at least 50% of a full-time course. They are available to both undergraduates and postgraduates. The amount you receive does NOT depend on your income or that of your household. This financial assistance is non-repayable.
To apply for a DSA, you should contact your LEA, NHS or Research Council for an application form. Once you have completed the application you will need to return it to your funding body, along with evidence of your disability, to be approved. The final stage is to attend an assessment centre to assess your individual needs.
Parents' Learning Allowance
This provides financial help for full-time students with dependent children. The amount you receive depends on your income and that of your dependents.This should not effect your benefit entitlements. However, you are not entitled to apply for this if you are receiving the Lone Parents' Grant. To make an application for the PLA, contact your LEA.
Mentoring Services
Most universities will offer some sort of mentoring service to students who are experiencing physical or mental health problems. These could be short-term (for instance coming to terms with a bereavement) or long-term problems. The help provided usually covers areas such as help managing the academic workload, time management and organisation, support with motivation and morale and other advice. If you feel like you need extra support, whether it be for a short, or long time, contact your university's student services department to find out more about the services offered.
Learning Support
If you have dyslexia, dyspraxia, or another learning difference, you should be able to get assistance from your university. Almost all universities will have a learning support centre, which will provide help such as, individually tailored tutorials, special examination arrangements and equipment to help offset visual problems when reading. For more information, contact your individual university.
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