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Thinking about uni? Grants to help with living costs

If you’re 16, 17 or 18 and started a course in September, EMA could help out with any money worries while you’re learning. If you qualify, you’ll get EMA payments of up to £30 a week.

Sorting out the financial side of learning can make a real difference - letting you focus on your course and concentrate on doing well.

And if you decide to take your education to the next level, you’re likely to get the higher levels of grant when you’re at university. What’s more, for students who started getting EMA from September 2008 there are plans to offer a guarantee so they know exactly where they’ll stand financially if they go into higher education.

The Higher Education Student Support Guarantee

Many higher education students get help with their living costs through the Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant. These don’t have to be paid back.

Exactly how much grant you get usually depends on your household income. But if you started getting EMA from September 2008, you could qualify for the Higher Education Student Support Guarantee.

Provided it’s approved by Parliament, the guarantee will mean that students who started getting EMA from September 2008 and then go on to university could qualify for the top level of grant whatever their household income - as long as they meet the terms and conditions.

How is the guarantee likely to work?

If it’s approved by Parliament, the guarantee will apply to full-time higher education students who:

• got their first EMA payment in or after September 2008
• got their EMA for a course based at school, college or work (but not students who did an Entry to Employment course)
• live in England

You’ll also need to meet the usual eligibility rules for higher education financial support. See ‘Do you qualify for student finance?’ for information on eligibility.

• Do you qualify for student finance?

Cashing in the guarantee

If the guarantee is confirmed, the earliest you’ll be able to ‘cash in’ is 1 September 2010 - and you’ll need to do so within the time limit.

You’ll have three years from the year you’re awarded the guarantee to cash it in. So if you got the guarantee in 2008/2009, you’d need to do it in 2011/2012 or earlier.

As long as you cash in the guarantee in time, it will last for the whole of the rest of your course - but it won’t apply if you start a different course.

Sorting out the financial side of uni

Grants are only one form of financial help available to higher education students doing full-time courses.

Student Loans from the government

There are two types of Student Loan.

The Student Loan for Tuition Fees covers tuition fees in full.

On top of that, there’s a Student Loan to help with accommodation and other living costs. Students living away from home during term time can get up to £4,625 for 2008/2009 - more if they study in London.

Bursaries and other forms of help

Colleges and universities also offer bursaries. These don’t have to be repaid. Students who qualify will get at least £310 for 2008/2009 - but bursaries are often worth much more. Last year the typical bursary was around £1000.

On top of all this, extra help may be available for students who have children, or have adults who depend on them financially. Students with a disability or those facing financial hardship can also qualify for extra help.

• Finance for full-time students in 2008/2009 - getting started

Getting into uni

The Higher Education Student Support Guarantee is intended to be a guarantee of financial support, not a guarantee of a place at uni – you’ll need to get the right qualifications and apply in the usual way.

But there’s a huge range of courses that could get you into higher education. It’s not necessarily about getting A levels – you study for work-related qualifications or do an Apprenticeship.

• Getting into university and higher education

More useful links

• Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)
• The benefits of higher education
• What is higher education really like?