Financial support for mature students

Advanced learner loans are available to people studying at level 3 or above.

Level 3 courses include A-levels and vocational qualifications, like BTECs. They bridge the gap between secondary education and higher education or professional training.

An access to higher education diploma is a level 3 course. If you take out an advanced learner loan for this qualification, the loan will be written off if you go on to complete an eligible university-level course.

How advanced learner loans work

Apply for a loan for course fees or £300 or more – there are no credit checks and it doesn’t matter what your income is.

If you’re successful, the money will be paid directly to your course provider - you won’t pay anything up front.

You won’t pay anything back until you’re earning more than £25,000 a year.

You can get more than one loan at a time.

The maximum number of loans you can take out is four.

Who can get an advanced learner loan?

You must be at least 24 when your course begins, or aged 19-23 and already taken a full level 3 course.

The financial support you’ll be able to get if you’re entering higher education as an undergraduate, i.e. you don’t already have a degree, will depend on your situation. Let’s find out more…

Student loans

Student loans include:

• money for tuition fees
• a contribution towards living costs

They’re available to people studying their first undergraduate degree. There is no upper age limit for a student loan.

If you’re from England, you can apply for a student loan wherever you plan to study in the UK.

Tuition fee loan

The part of the student loan that covers your tuition fees is paid directly to your university or college.

Tuition fees can be up to £9,250 a year. Check the fees for your course.

Maintenance loan

The part of a student loan that goes towards your living costs is called a maintenance loan. 

This will be paid into your bank account in three instalments across the academic year – usually at the start of each term.

Part of the maintenance loan is means-tested. If you’re 25 or older, the amount you’ll get will be based on your live-in partner’s income (if you have one).

For most students under the age of 25, it will be based on your parents’ income.

Find out if you’re eligible for a student loan, how much you’ll get, how to apply and when you’ll start repaying the loan.

You may also be able to apply for grants, scholarships or bursaries to help cover the cost of returning to education. You don’t usually need to pay this money back.

Who can get a grant, scholarship or bursary?

Awards are offered for a wide range of reasons, including:

• having a disability
• having lived in care
• being from an under-represented background
• being from a low-income household
• showing strong potential in fields like music, the arts or sport
• previous good grades

 Is it worth applying?

 Make sure it’s worthwhile applying by checking:

•  how much money you’ll get, what it can be used for and how many awards are available
• that you meet the eligibility criteria
• what the application process involves – you may simply need to send proof of previous grades or you may have to go through several stages, such as an interview, writing an essay and making a presentation
• the deadline
• if there are any conditions attached to the award e.g. spending a certain amount of time volunteering – awards could be taken back if you don’t stick to the terms

Where to search for grants, scholarships and bursaries

Check if your university, college or training provider offers this type of financial support.

You can also search for education grants on the Turn2Us website.

If you’re studying for a City & Guilds or ILM qualification, you might be able to get a grant from the City & Guilds Foundation.

If you’re looking to return to education as a mature student, there are a number of free courses you may be able to take.

Free courses for jobs

If you’re at least 19 and earn less than £25,000 a year, you might be able to do a level 3 course for free. The courses available are designed to help you boost your earning potential and job prospects by gaining skills that employers value.

Eligibility criteria vary depending on where you live, so check with your learning provider. Some courses can be studied part-time or online.

Find a full list of learning providers offering free courses.

What you can study

See an up-to-date list of the subjects you can study.

How to apply

Find out which free courses are available in your area. You can set the distance you’re happy to travel.

Contact the training provider and apply.

If you’re accepted, the government will cover your course fee.

Extra financial support

Students facing financial hardship may also be able to get learner support to cover childcare, travel, a laptop and other costs. You apply for this through your learning provider. Ask them what learner support they offer.

Skills bootcamps

These are courses that last up to 16 weeks and are designed to help you develop new skills that employers need. Subjects range from digital subjects to health and social care.

They’re available to people aged 19 and above. For most bootcamps, you don’t need to have any knowledge of the subject you wish to learn about.

Find a skills bootcamp.

Multiply

The Multiply scheme offers free courses to improve your maths skills.

These courses are aimed at those aged 19+ who don’t already have a GCSE grade C/4 or higher in Maths.

Find Multiply courses near you.

Essential Skills

The Essential Skills scheme offers free courses in English, numeracy and digital subjects. They can be classroom-based or online, full-time, part-time or in the evening.

English

There are two options for English:

• English for native speakers – this covers basic English and communication skills
• English for speakers of other languages – this covers reading, writing, speaking and listening to help with life in England

Both of these usually take between three to six months to complete.

You can take the English for native speakers course if you don’t have an English GCSE at grade C/4 or above (or an equivalent qualification).

You can take the English for speakers of other languages course if English isn’t your first language.

Numeracy

For numeracy, there are courses that cover:

• addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
• measurements and shapes
• percentages, fractions, decimals and ratios
• basic formulas
• handling data

The courses usually take between three to six months to complete.

You can take one of these courses if you don’t have a Maths GCSE at grade C/4 or above (or an equivalent qualification).

Digital

Topics covered by the digital courses include:

• buying online and registering for services
• creating and editing digital documents
• communicating well online
• handling information securely
• staying safe and being responsible online

The courses usually take 30 to 55 hours to complete.

You can take one of these courses if you have little to no experience of using digital devices.

Find an Essential Skills course.