To help you cover your course fees, students who are 19 and over may be eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan– whether it is for a full-time or part-time course or training programme at levels 3, 4, 5, or 6. Moreover, you will not even have to start paying it back until you earn more than £27,228 a year.
Who is eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan?
- Those aged 19 or above at the start of the course
- Those studying or training at level 3, 4, 5 or 6
- Those legally residing in the UK for the past three years
- UK nationals and those with settled status (there are also some exceptions)
- Those who have not had a loan to study the same type/level of qualification before. More eligibility information can be found here.
The loan is not dependent on your employment status. It is not means-tested or subject to any credit checks.
How Do I Apply?
- First, apply for your chosen course at Leicester College.
- If your application is successful, we will send you an offer letter. This tells you how to apply for the loan (via Student Finance England) and how much you can apply for.
- Complete either an online or paper-based application form.
- We will let you know when your application is approved.
- Online applications will be processed within two to four days with a valid UK passport. Other applications will be processed in two to four weeks.
If your course is eligible you can get a loan for up to 100% of the cost of the training, including course and material fees. You will have one loan to cover the length of your course, so do bear this in mind when budgeting.
Advanced Learner Loans work in a similar way to the Student Loan System. You apply for the loan via Student Finance England, and the payment will then be made directly to the College. You will apply for one single loan to cover the whole length of your course. You will pay your loan back after the course has finished and when you are earning more than the income threshold. If you take out a loan to pay for an Access to HE course and continue on to a higher education course, the government may write off the loan for your Access course.
The loans are available for courses at levels 3, 4, 5 and 6. Loans are only available for full qualifications not for individual units or awards.
To find out more about Advanced Learner Loans please contact Leicester College on 0116 224 2240 or email us.