Other types of funding

The government also offer further packages of non-repayable funding.

Access to Learning Fund (ALF)
If you’re in hardship and need extra financial support, universities and colleges in England can provide it through their Access to Learning Fund. You can apply if you’re a full-time or part-time higher education student, whether you’re doing an undergraduate or postgraduate course.

The Access to Learning Fund can provide extra help if you’re in hardship and need extra financial support. Your university or college will look at your individual circumstances, but you may, for example, be able to get help for course or living costs that are not already covered by other forms of financial help.

These could be everyday living or childcare costs or support over the Summer vacation to cover unexpected financial crises or exceptional costs such as repairs to essential household equipment. In these circumstances you can apply for help from the Access to Learning Fund if you have no-one else to turn to and you are thinking of giving up your course as a result of your financial problems.

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSAs)
DSAs can be awarded to full-time and part-time undergraduate students who can show that they have a disability, mental-health condition or specific learning difficulty which affects their ability to study. The DSAs help pay for extra costs you may have to pay when studying, as a direct result of your disability, mental health condition or specific learning difficulty.

Your local authority will normally be responsible for assessing whether you are eligible for DSAs and how much you will receive. To find out more about the DSA go to: www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance.

You can also speak to Andrew Kendall on 01924 789762 or email a.kendall@wakefield.ac.uk.

Care leavers
Young people up to the age of 25 who have been in Local Authority Care are also entitled to additional support in the form of a bursary and additional funds from their local authority. Care leavers should contact their local authority adviser as soon as possible to find out what support they can offer.

Check if the Higher Education institution you want to go to has signed up to the Buttle UK Quality Mark, which shows a commitment to care leavers. If you are a care leaver and wish to access the extra funding that may be available from institutions, remember to check the box for care leavers on the UCAS application form. You can also speak to Andrew Cawtheray on 01924 789317 or email a.cawtheray@wakefield.ac.uk.

What other help is available?
· Childcare Grant: help for parents in higher education
· Parents’ Learning Allowance
· Adult Dependants’ Grant: Extra help if there’s an adult who depends on you financially
· Child Tax Credits and Financial Support for students on Benefits: part-time students and certain groups of fulltime students are sometimes eligible.

For more information about all forms of funding and eligibility visit www.direct.gov.uk under ‘student finance’.

Applying for Financial Support
Once you have made your application through UCAS, you can then apply for financial help from the Government. Apply as early as possible so that you know what you’ll be entitled to well ahead of starting your course. You can apply online on the Student Finance England website, www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance.

Accommodation
As a first year student away from home, you will need to find somewhere to live, and advice staff at Wakefield College can assist. There are also websites that specialise in student accommodation. Alternatively, look for vacancies in shared houses but remember that it is easier to be evicted from shared housing. In addition, make sure that your landlord abides by the bond protection scheme to ensure repayment of your bond at the end of your tenancy.