Statutory Support - LEA/Student Loan Company

 
You will be able to apply for a £250 part-time course grant from the DFES to help with your course costs and a fee grant of between £590 and £885 depending on the intensity of your course (i.e. how many credits your doing). There is no special help given for travel costs to and from The University of Bolton. You can apply for the grants if you meet the following conditions:
 
You are a single student whose income is less than £14,970 a year.
 
You have a partner and your combined income is less than £19,970 a year
 
You have dependant children. Your income threshold will rise according to the number of dependants.
 
The grants are available to all students under 54 years of age but if you are aged between 50 - 54 you will need to sign a declaration that you intend to return to work after completing your course. Your benefits will not be affected by receiving the part-time course and fee grant. To obtain an application pack contact the DFES on 0800 731 9133 or download a form their website at www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport.
 

Discretionary Funding

 
Access to Learning Fund
 
This is public money given by the government to the University of Bolton to distribute to students in severe hardship.
 
Part time students are eligible to apply providing you are studying at least 60 credits and are eligible for the part time course grant. You should seek advice first.
 
The University of Bolton has a large community of part-time students who may be in receipt of means-tested benefits such as Income Support, Housing Benefit and/or Job Seekers Allowance for the duration of their course.
 
This section aims to clarify the rules relating to part time study, benefits and Student support.
 

Welfare/State Benefits

 
What is the definition of a part-time course?
 
The DWP and Job Centre Plus will class your course as part time if it is officially classed as a part-time course by The University of Bolton. You can study part-time as long as you keep to the rules for 'part-time study' are 'available for work and actively seeking work' and have a valid Jobseekers Agreement.
 
Will my benefits be affected?
Remember you can follow any course withoutlosing benefit if you are:
Receiving Income Support (not required to sign on)
Over pension age
 
Receiving Incapacity Benefit (IB) or Severe Disablement Allowance. This is technically a 'safe' benefit as you cannot be treated as capable of work simply because you studying either a part or full time course but if youare challenged by the DWP regarding your ability to work, you should seek representation from the Advice Unit immediately.
 
Receiving Carer's Allowance. You are allowed to study up to 21 hours in 'supervised study'. If you are challenged by
the DWP regarding your study, you should seek representation immediately.
 
Availability for work and actively seeking work
Your availability for work should not be affected by your part-time course if your study hours are at times outside your agreed pattern of availability or you are studying outside 'working hours'. Example, if you attend the University for evening classes, this will be ignored if you are looking for daytime work.
 
You can sign on if:
 
You sign a Jobseekers Agreement which will clarify the steps that you are undertaking to actively find work
You can demonstrate that you are following the agreement
You agree that you are willing to work for a minimum of 40 hours a week. If you have mental health or physical problems or caring responsibilities the hours can be reduced.
You are prepared to give up your course or re-arrange it outside working hours immediately a job comes up
You actively seek work
Your part-time course will not be regarded as affecting your availability for work if:
You can show that you could continue your course, even if you started work by re-arranging your study hours to fit around your job
 
AND for 3 months before your course started you were claiming JSA, IB, IS (as sick) or on a government training scheme and you keep to your jobseekers agreement
 
OR
 
in the 6 months before the course started you had a total of 3 months claiming JSA, IB, IS (as sick) or on a government training scheme and the rest of the time you were unable to claim benefit because you working full time or earning too much and you keep to the agreement. If you fit in with these rules then you should not be asked any more questions about your course when you complete the student questionnaire.
 
The Student Questionnaire
 
You must inform Job Centre Plus that you intend to enrol or have enrolled on a parttime course at the University. You will be given a questionnaire to take away and complete.
Always get advice before completing the form as the form tests your commitment to the course! If you are too committed and unlikely to abandon your course then you will not satisfy the 'availability for work and actively seeking work' condition. For example, you may lose JSA if you say you need to complete the course in order to get the job you want, you have paid significant tuition fee costs, etc. You may also be asked about unsupervised study. You will need to make it clear that the hours do not clash with your Jobseekers Agreement. You may also be asked if you will be allowed to miss lectures or other classes to attend interviews and still complete your course. Speak to your tutor then contact the Advice Unit if you need further practical help on 01204 900850.