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Financial support

It’s really important that you don’t let money matters get in the way of you attending college.

For many students, courses at NHC are free. If you are aged 19 or over, then you may need to pay some course fees when you start your course. There may also be some small fees involved with equipment costs. We try to keep our fees as low as possible, whilst making sure that we can offer you a really great course that will help you get where you want to be in life.

There is a range of financial support options available to North Hertfordshire College students. For more information, please see below!

If you think you need financial support and would like further information, please contact NHC’s Student Services team or email [email protected]

 

16-18 YEARS OLD

Further education courses

No course fees, the government fully funds your course.

Higher education courses

Usually, higher education is only for students aged 18 or over once they have completed A-levels or level 3 qualifications (not including Access to HE).

19-23 YEARS OLD

Further education courses

It’s possible that you won’t need to pay any course fees if one of the following circumstances applies:

  • You’re studying a level 1 qualification
  • You’re studying your first full level 2 or 3 qualification
  • You’re unemployed and receiving specific state benefits.

HIGHER EDUCATION COURSES

Course fees vary from £4,635 to £6,125 depending on the course you choose to follow. For more information, please check the course information page.

The NHS has you covered if you are thinking of studying for a health-related degree, take a look at what financial support is available here.

All students aged 19 and above will be able to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan for courses at levels 3, 4, 5 & 6, starting on or after 1st August 2016. This is a government-backed loan that you can use to cover all or part of the cost of your tuition fees. There is no credit check and the loan does not depend on your household income. You won’t need to pay back the loan until you are in work and earning over £21,000 per year. Once you earn this amount, you will repay in monthly instalments. These are based on 9% of the difference between any salary earned above £21,000.

DO I QUALIFY FOR AN ADVANCED LEARNING LOAN?

YES IF YOU ARE:

  • Aged 19 or above on the first day of your course
    Living in the UK on the first day of your course and have lived in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man for three years immediately before this
  • Are a UK or EU/EEA resident or meet residency criteria – www.gov.uk/advanced-learning-loans/eligibility
  • Enrolling on an eligible course at Level 3 and above which includes; Access to HE Diplomas; other Diplomas or Certificates, Advanced Apprenticeships or Higher Apprenticeships

HOW DO I APPLY?

You can apply for this loan once you’ve got a place on your chosen course. After you’ve accepted your place we’ll send you a learning and funding information letter which you need to complete your loan application. You can do this online on the UK government website.

HOW MUCH CAN I TAKE OUT AS A LOAN?

This will depend on the course, the tuition fees charged by the College and the maximum amounts set by the Government. The minimum amount you may borrow is £300.

You can take out a loan for the maximum amount of your tuition fee or you can pay all or part of the tuition fee yourself. There is no loan to cover living or maintenance expenses.

Once you have completed your course you will be eligible to apply for more Advanced Learning Loans to help you progress in your studies. You can have up to a total of four loans, but only one at any time.

HOW’S THE LOAN PAID?

Student Finance England (SFE) will pay your tuition fees to College once the course has started and we have confirmed your attendance on it. Your loan will start to accrue from the course start date.

You will only start to repay the loan after you have completed your course and are earning over £404 per week, £1750 per month or £21,000 per year. You will only pay 9% of any income earned over this threshold.

HIGHER EDUCATION

If you are studying on an HE course (i.e. HNC/HND, extended or foundation degrees), you will be able to apply to Student Finance England for a full tuition fee loan and additional funds (if on a full-time course) to help you with living costs while you are studying.

Please chat with us on open days and evenings, or give us a call. You can also visit www.gov.uk/student-finance to apply.

If you are struggling with course-related costs (e.g. childcare, travel, kit, uniform, books, exams or lunch fees), you may be able to apply for help from the Learner Support Fund. The fund is available to assist students from low/no income families, those who are living independently or those who receive a state benefit.

If you are 18 or under you may be eligible to receive a free lunchtime meal at College if you or your family are in receipt of certain benefits.  If you think you might be eligible, visit the Student Services team at your campus to fill in a free school meals application form.

If your application for free college meals is successful, you’ll get £3 a day in your sQuid catering purse to spend on college meals.  To pay, you can simply scan your student ID card.

Please remember that if you don’t spend your full £3, this amount won’t be carried over to the next day.  All students are able to get a sQuid catering account, so your eligibility for free college meals is discreet.

For more information, visit Student Services on your campus or contact 01462 424242.

You could be entitled to a bursary of up to £1,200 per year. Speak to Student Services if any of the following describes you:

You’re aged 16-18 and are:

  • a young person in care (including unaccompanied asylum-seeking persons)
  • a care leaver
  • a young person getting Income Support or the equivalent Universal Credit (UC) in their own name
  • a young person claiming both Disability Living Allowance (or the new Personal Independence Payments) and Employment Support Allowance (ESA) (or Universal Credit as a replacement for ESA) in their own name

Speak to Student Services for more information or email [email protected].

There are a number of ways to gain support:

  • If you are up to the age of 20, you can contact Care to Learn on 0800 121 8989 for an application.
  • If you are claiming working tax credit, you can contact 0844 496 6511.
  • If you are over the age of 20, contact our Student Services team to discuss further.

Some of the other places you could be able to access grants of bursaries from include:

Did you know you may be able to do an adult course without paying a penny?

You will need to meet one of the following criteria to qualify:

  • If you don’t have English and/or maths at grades 4-9 or A*-C you are entitled to study English and maths for free until you get the grade.
  • If you are aged 19-23 and don’t have a level 2 you can study a level 2 qualification for free
  • If you are aged 19-23 and don’t have a level 3 you can study a level 3 qualification for free
  • If you are unemployed, looking for work, on state benefits and want to study a qualification at level 2 or below that will help get you into work, you can do it for free
  • If you are not eligible for any of the above as you are working but on low wages, you can study up to level 2 for free. You need to be earning less than £17,004 if you are working 37 hours a week. You can still qualify if you work part-time pro-rata.

For more information about the Adult Education Budget visit here.

Don’t let course fees stop you from furthering your career. Explore our range of adult courses here.

For more information or to apply, please call us on 01462 424242 or email [email protected]

Click here to find out more.