Refused adult learning grant

sarerb18

Having been told all along by the college that I would be fine for funding I have now (started course 2 wks ago) been told by the ALG that because I am already qualified to level three they won't fund me.
does anyone know where else I can get funding please.
sarer

dmg24

What qualification are you doing, and for how many hours a week are you studying?

sarerb18

foundation art part time 16 hours a week over two years
sarer

Christa1

Hmm, this has got me wondering now.
My son graduated from Uni this summer, he has just got a job where it was strongly suggested he do a Business qualification. he went along to our local college, met course tutor, and they agreed that he could start a 1 year Diloma in Management course. the college gave him some forms, which imply that as he is now over 19, he is classed as independant even living at home and that if his salary is under £16,000.00 a year he can get funding to pay his fees. Does this mean following sarerb's post that he may not get it either?

djdido2

I thought I'd get a least a little bit but it seems I am not entitled to anything also. I am a lone parent and to go to my course yesterday I had to pay for childcare/travel/materials etc.

Asked for help but not available.

Jeonat1

You only get the ALG if you are on your first Level 2 or Level 3 qualification. A level 2 qualification is GCSEs, First Diploma or equivalent. A level 3 qualification is A-Levels, Access Courses, National Diploma etc.

So you would not get the ALG if your situation is (for example)

If you have done GCSEs in the past and want to do another Level 2 qualification (but you would get ALG if you wanted to do a Level 3)

or

If you have done A-Levels in the past and wanted to do, say an Access course.

Christa1, if your son has graduated then I guess he would have had to do a Level 3 course (A-Levels?) of some description to get to uni, in that case he would not be entitled to the ALG.

Unfortunately it does disadvantage people wanting to go back to college to try something new, or who are going back to education after a break.

If you are doing a Foundation Degree or anything like that then your funding arrangements should be handled by the student loan/grant system.

Christa1

Jeonat 1; I knew this was too good to be true! The lecturer he spoke to knew he had a degree already, which I think was one of the reasons for allowing him to take the Diploma as he is not in line management, but the staff gave him the forms he didn't ask for them. It seems unfair to me that he being penalised as it was us/ him who have to bear the cost of his Uni education we got no help from anyone.

bestpud

FWIW, I think it is fair that it is only available to people who don't already have a higher education.

Fees are subsidised by the tax payer so those who have paid in full to their college/uni have only part covered the cost of their education.

If there is a limited pot of money allocated to adult education, then why should those of us who already participated in further/higher education lessen the opportunities for those who haven't even had a chance yet?

Of course, in an ideal world....

Jeonat1

Christa1 wrote: »

Jeonat 1; I knew this was too good to be true! The lecturer he spoke to knew he had a degree already, which I think was one of the reasons for allowing him to take the Diploma as he is not in line management, but the staff gave him the forms he didn't ask for them. It seems unfair to me that he being penalised as it was us/ him who have to bear the cost of his Uni education we got no help from anyone.

If your son is after fee remission, rather than the £30/£20/£10 per week Adult Learning Grant, then colleges tend to take an individual approach. Usually full fee remission is granted to students with a low income or who recieve certain means-tested benefits, however if he is earning ca £16,000 then I suspect this would rule him out.

Colleges also have a Learner Support Fund which is a discretionary fund that is there to pay for certain expenses, like course or registration fees, materials, books, childcare, transport etc. Priority is of course given to students who would otherwise not be able to afford to do the course. It tends to run out fairly quickly after the start of the academic year, but also a possibility.

If the employer suggested him doing the course, could there be the possibility of them paying the fees?

J :cool:

Christa1

Yes, you are right. He isn't applying for the adult learning grant- it's fee remission.It states on the form over 19, you are classed as independant even living at home. If you earn less than £16,000.00( he will be on approx half that) he can claim for his fees to be paid. Whilst his new employer has suggested he do this there is no time given he will have to use his own time, 2nights for 3 hours, but hopefully it will be worth it. Getting the degree was easy, geting a job isn't. Thanks.