Earn upto £3,500 for 30 minutes work!!! 'Access to Learning Fund'

jovichick123

Hi Stefan,

I filled the forms in yesterday, took about 45 mins in total to get all the info together. The thing that took longest was writing the personal statement!! Just didn't know what to put! lol they only asked me to justify bank transactions of over £100 (over 3 months, there were about 6 in total), and apart from that the form just asked for confirmation of rent payments and childcare receipts.

First time I have filled this form in and although it was a bit more in depth than the usual student loan forms, I wouldn't say it was overcomplicated.

Good luck if you decide to apply,

Sarah x

Lady_K

Its still a lot of messing around though getting all the evidence together photocopying and working out how much its going to cost for the whole year for things. Sometimes its hard chasing up evidence they want from landlords and other tenants who have the bills when you are sharing. Its a bit easier if you are in the uni accomodation as everythings all in but if its private accom its a bit more work. Not sure how they go about it when utility bills arent in your name. My daughters got so much work on and placements and other problems it is hard to find the time to do it so I try and help a bit. Its worth doing if your going to get something though

Crispy_Ambulance

StefanM wrote:

As far I was aware the ALF had to repaid, added on to the student loan payments after your course has finished. Isn't this the case?

I'm a student in receipt of DSA so I had a computer bought for me many years back (they vastly overpaid for a low spec model compared to what was available, despite the advice I gave them). I'm now taking on a part time job to help fund my learning and pay bills. I had to change university from Aberystwyth in Wales due to the severe lack of work availability there, which was making it impossible for me to study there. I was always put off filling in the forms even though I needed the money, just by the volume of crap you have to give them to prove you're in dire straits.

Has the process been simplified at all?

I think what you are thinking of is the Hardship Loan which WAS added to your student loan but is no longer available.

ALF forms do require evidence because Student Services finance departments can be very thoroughly audited and need to account for all their spending. What you usually need is 3 months bank statements, proof of income/funding, proof of rent and probably bills and proof of any other unusual expenditure. The form usually takes about 20 mins to fill in and most students' unions will have an advice centre where staff will go through the form with you.

It is always worth applying - the worst they can do is say "no".

raju786

Hi, i want to apply to the ALF fund, because i am running out of money! i have at the moment £200 left to live with until april!!!:eek: so..no luck applying for a job and a lot of expenses such as petrol, mobile bill and credit card bill with final demand:( 3 months worth of statements is fine....except £233 was transferred out to my actual student account(using current account mainly and which loan is coming into) £233 was transferred beacause i was that much over my overdraft limit...now would i have to provide 3 months statements of my student account? or would just the one month the money was transferred into be fine...the problem is that if i go to the 3rd month back of statement it shows £300 being withdrawn 3 times in 3 days....this was taken out to buy a car, would this be very ifffy, or could i get away with giving one month of statements but bear in mind i woudl be giving 3 months worth of my main account... any help appreciated..

irishwench69

Just wanted to say a big thanks to Rob for all your help with this - think you're doing an amazing job! :T :A

IW x

Allsetuk

hi , i am a single parent to a disabled child, living in private rental. I had to get a small £2000 loan to run a car to get my son to nursery. I applied to my uni for ALF and they said on paper , i had more income becuase i get full HB than outcome and totally disregarded my 2000 overdraught, credit cards debt of 2000 and other living costs. I cannot claim carers allowance yet i am deemed a carer by the doctors, I havent started claiming DLA yet even though I can for my son ...i am just getting the application ready.

The student loans people have just announced they overpaid me by 1400 pounds in 2005 and are taking it all away in my april payment leaving me with nothing with which to pay my child care bill from april to july , i am scared silly with my debts and what i have to deal with ...i appealed to uni and they gave me 1000 becuase my temporary 2000 overdraught was being reduced to 1000 ....but yet i know they are paying the full 3500 out to single people with no children ... i know one who has a full time job and parents that pay and familes that support them , i dont understand ....??? Any suggestions id be so grateful as im cracking with the stress of it all .

Impet_Limpet

competitionscafe wrote:

I think they need to tighten up the controls - seems a bit unfair to me. Although it's hard to prove someone is lying, why should people who work a day or night or 2 a week (because they have to) be penalised?

I applied for this because myself and my girlfriend were in a bit of difficulty (I'm a mature student and we were paying the mortgage on her wage) but because I work one day a week they said I couldnt have anything. So I now have three credit cards and two overdrafts as well as my student loan. Access to Learning fund my !!!!.

I was turned down on the basis of my income
I'm a mature student and was turned down too I'm a part time student and work 30hours a week and bring in £588pcm. This all goes out on rent/bills/running a car the normal household stuff.

All they guy did was stick my income in, minus my rent and some figure the gov't decided should cover my living costs (£47ish p/w) and said I had plenty to live off. Didn't even ask about council tax/car expensies/loan and credit card and student overdraft outgoings. (I used to have a student overdraft but as I haven't graduated yet but I'm no longer a full time student I am no longer entitled to the interest free OD)

Unfortuntely I'm well into the red now, all the ALF suggested to me was defaulting on my current account and offering to pay my bank about £10pcm off my student overdraft I dread to think the effect this will have on future credit applications as I want to buy a house soon (renting is such a drain).

I may be not as needy as some but some people are getting some when it is not even needed.

lancashireste

Hey. I'm a 2nd year and my parents pay my fees, but I bills and all my living expenses. I work 1 day a week and have a car to get there as I travel home (40miles) to my job. My car insurance has left me with just £42 of my o/d left, but I didnt take out a student loan as I was alright financially until just after new year. How likely would I be to get a grant of somekind, whether this one or another grant. I do not have a student loan at all, as my parents said they'd help out if I didnt get a loan as "they didnt want me to get into debt", (with hindsight I should have got a loan and put it in an ISA) but now I have £42 left until wages go in (expenditure is about the same as income each month give or take £10/20, but obviously the insurance has skwed this, as will the road tax due in march) and I'm now struggling until summer time when I can get o/t at work to clear off the overdraft. Has not taking the loan stumped me completely, should I still apply anyway for this, or can I still apply for a student loan now and/or this fund later once I get the loan?

Sorry there's a million questions but I saw this thread and need advice.

Thanks,
Ste

ps a great thread, you've put a lot of effort into this mate.

Lady_K

You have to have a student loan before they will give you acess to learning fund. Its only there if you have exhusted every other thing available to you

Impet_Limpet

I recommend you apply for the student loan asap!
Take out from the amount you are entitled to the amount you require to get back on track, any excess you don't require put it in savings, I believe it is possible to overpay your student loan back so you could always send the SLC a lump sum of the money in the savings once you graduate (Im not sure of the whole process).
You will not get ALF if you have not applied for a student loan.