CITY ACHIEVERS BE PART OF IT MONEY WHILE YOU LEARN 2016/17. A guide to the funds available to help 19+ year olds study at City College Plymouth

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1 CITY ACHIEVERS BE PART OF IT MONEY WHILE YOU LEARN 2016/17 A guide to the funds available to help 19+ year olds study at City College Plymouth

2 If you would find it easier to read this guide in a larger type or a different format, please call Fraudulent Claims The College must protect itself against the possibility of fraudulent claims. We ask for detailed information and may invite applicants for interview so we can distribute the funds fairly. If a claim is considered fraudulent, we will ask for any money given to you to be repaid in full. If you fail to repay your grant we may take court action. You will not be allowed to collect any course certificates until all costs have been paid. The College reserves the right to notify the police and/or any other relevant agencies with regard to our suspicion of fraudulent actions. Disclaimer Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that this guide is correct at the time of going to press, due to circumstances beyond our control changes may occur and funding eligibility, availability and criteria etc may change. The College will use its reasonable endeavours to notify you of any such changes, wherever possible. No responsibility for loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action as a result of the information contained in this guide can be accepted by the College. City College Plymouth 2016

3 CONTENTS What Help Can I Get? 2 Fee Concessions 3 Getting help with 3 tuition fees Advanced Learner Loans 4 What is an Advanced 4 Learner Loan? Who can apply? 4 Key facts 4 How do I apply? Student Funding 5 What is Student Funding? 5 What financial support 5 could I receive? Who can apply? 5 How do I apply? 5 Travel Support 6 Replacement bus passes 6 Free College bus services 7 Cycling to College 7 Driving to College 7 Childcare Support 8 What help is available? 8 How will I know if my 8 application is successful? Care to Learn 9 Other Support Available 10 Course related costs 10 Assistive technology 10 Tuition fee support 10 Residential (lodgings) 10 Additional funding/ 11 emergencies Breakfast Club 11 Terms and Conditions 12 Attendance 12 Withdrawals 12 Appeals 12 Further considerations 13 studentfunding@cityplym.ac.uk

4 WHAT HELP CAN I GET? Before you start your course you will need to consider how you will afford some of the following: tuition costs travel costs to and from the College the cost of course-related items such as uniform, special equipment and materials the cost of childcare meeting your day-to-day cost of living. Finance is an important factor when deciding to come to College. However, you don t have to let a lack of money prevent you from attending your chosen course here at City College! There are various funds which may be able to help you with some of the costs, especially if you have a low income or are entitled to help from state benefits studentfunding@cityplym.ac.uk

5 FEE CONCESSIONS Getting help with tuition fees To enrol on a course you will usually have to pay tuition fees. However, you may be eligible for reduced tuition fees depending upon your age, residency in England and any benefits you may be receiving. Fee concessions usually apply to residents of England, aged 19 and over, in the following circumstances: you are aged between 19 and 23 and this is your first eligible* full level 2 or level 3 qualification you would like to gain a level 2 qualification, but first need to gain an entry/level 1 qualification (certain other criteria applies) you would like to study adult literacy and numeracy or functional skills in literacy and numeracy - excluding English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) you would like to study GCSE English or GCSE Maths and you do not already hold an A to C grade in these subjects you are unemployed and in receipt of one of the following benefits**: - Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) - Employment and Support Allowance (work related activity group only) - Universal Credit you are unemployed or earning less than 330 per month AND in receipt of a state benefit (other than JSA, ESA (WRAG) or Universal Credit) and the course is directly relevant to your employment prospects and the local labour market needs. For examples of qualifying benefits visit funding. Please note that if you are aged 19 and over (at the start date of your course) and are undertaking a level 3 or above course then there will be no fee remission available. However, should the course be eligible, you may be able to apply for the Advanced Learner Loan to cover your course fees only. Full details on the Advanced Learner Loan can be found on page 4. If you are aged and studying your first full level 3 qualification then you may be entitled to a fee waiver, this means you will not be required to take out a loan. * The specific courses eligible for students to use their free entitlements against are published by the Government on a regular basis. Please note that these rules are subject to change. ** To claim fee remission you will need to provide evidence of any benefits, and this will need to be dated within six weeks of the date on which you enrol. Please note that students, regardless of age and circumstance, may be asked to pay ancillary course costs (material fees) at enrolment. Unless you are funding your course through an Advanced Learner Loan, then these will be included within the loan fee. If you do have to pay tuition fees, the College can allow you to spread the cost over four equal instalments (subject to course and other criteria). You can pay via instalments by using the College s epay system which can be accessed through our website, and by clicking on the white e along the blue banner. For further information on instalments please contact the Finance team on Support funds may be available - please see page studentfunding@cityplym.ac.uk

6 ADVANCED LEARNER LOANS What is an Advanced Learner Loan? The Advanced Learner Loan will enable those aged 19 or over to apply for a loan to cover their course fees if they are studying a further education course at level 3 or above. Who can apply? To qualify for an Advanced Learner Loan you must: be aged 19 or over at the start of your course be resident in the UK have not previously had a loan to do the same qualification be studying a course at level 3 or above (including QCF certificates and diplomas, Access to Higher Education and A Levels {maximum of four}). If you are aged and studying your first full level 3 qualification then you may be entitled to a fee waiver, this means you will not be required to take out a loan. Key facts You will only be able to apply for a loan to meet the upfront costs of your qualification, which will be paid directly to the College. The loan is not means tested or credit checked so if you meet the criteria you will be able to apply for a loan whether you are employed or unemployed. You don t have to pay anything upfront for your course fees. You don t have to pay anything back until you are earning over 21,000 (certain criteria apply). How do I apply? Once you have been formally offered your place on a College course you will receive a Learning and Funding Information letter; with this you can then apply online at If you are receiving the Advanced Learner Loan you can also apply for financial support for course-related costs, travel and childcare under the 19+ Student Funding scheme. You do not have to pay this back and it is not added to your loan, please see page 5. The College is running a number of application support sessions to help you with the online application form - please visit or call for dates and times. If your loan is to cover the fees for an Access to Higher Education course and you progress and complete a university-level course, you will not have to pay back your Advanced Learner Loan studentfunding@cityplym.ac.uk

7 19+ STUDENT FUNDING What is Student Funding? This fund provides financial or in-kind help to eligible students aged 19+ (as of 31 August 2016) with a number of courserelated costs. You may also be eligible for help if you are receiving the Advanced Learner Loan. This fund is cash limited and operated on a first-come, first-served basis for September and January applicants. What financial support could I receive? I am aged and completing a level 1, 2 or 3 course I am aged 24 or over and completing a level 1 or 2 course I am aged 19 or over and completing a level 3 or above further education course AND am in receipt of the Advanced Learner Loan* I have a household income of 21,000 or less I have a household income of 21,000 or less I have a household income between 21,000 and 30,000 I may be able to receive help with: course-related costs childcare travel tuition fees I may be able to receive help with: course-related costs travel assistive technology childcare I may be able to receive help with: childcare * Please note that if you are eligible for the Advanced Learner Loan but are paying for your fees then you are not eligible for this fund. Who can apply? Eligible students must: be enrolled on a full or part-time course funded by the Government be aged 19 or over as of 31 August 2016 be aged 19 and over and be fully approved for the maximum Advanced Learner Loan have good attendance fulfil normal UK residency rules have a household income of less than 21,000. How do I apply? Complete the 19+ Student Funding 2016/17 application form. Enclose the required evidence as indicated on the application form - please only send photocopies. Send the completed form and full evidence to the Student Funding team, whose address can be found on the reverse of the application form s Guidance Notes. Application forms will be returned if supporting evidence is not provided. studentfunding@cityplym.ac.uk

8 TRAVEL SUPPORT Assistance will be given to students who live more than three miles from the College site attended and who meet the eligibility criteria (this excludes those on the free College bus route - see page 7). The financial amount awarded will be dependent on your home address. Support will be provided as monthly payments into your bank account. Alternatively, full-time students can opt to receive a bus pass. Bus passes will be issued in conjunction with the main bus provider for your area (based on home address). Bus companies are Plymouth Citybus and Stagecoach South West. Part-time students will receive cash travel payments to the value of 50% of the cost of a bus pass. Travel support is issued monthly, subject to attendance. Please contact the Student Funding team to ensure we can provide you with a bus pass. If you leave or complete your course during the academic year, the entitlement to the travel support will end and if a bus pass was provided, it will be blocked. You will not be able to change your bus pass once it has been issued, eg changing from Plymouth Citybus to Stagecoach Southwest. For full-time students, where the household income is over 21,000, you could still receive a bus pass from the College Travel Fund - at the subsidised cost of for the year. Application forms are available from the Student Funding team. Replacement bus passes There is a 5 administration charge for any lost, damaged or stolen bus passes. Replacement Plymouth Citybus passes can be obtained directly from the Plymouth Citybus Travel Centre, located at 32 Royal Parade, Plymouth. For replacement Stagecoach South West bus passes, please contact the Student Funding team. Stagecoach South West bus passes will be issued on a termly basis, subject to you remaining on your course. Passes in conjunction with Plymouth Citybus will be electronically activated termly, subject to you remaining on the course studentfunding@cityplym.ac.uk

9 Free College bus services The College provides a number of free bus services, in conjunction with Plymouth Citybus, for travel between the main College sites at Kings Road and Goschen and the City Centre (services 21/21A or 36). You will need to produce your 2016/17 College student ID card when boarding these services. If the card is not presented, you will be charged the normal applicable rate for the journey. Number 36 - shuttle bus This bus is available from Stop A6 (bottom of Royal Parade, near the Theatre Royal). This free shuttle service links the City Centre with Kings Road and Goschen. The service runs at various times of the day and is available term-time only. Please check the timetable as some services do not stop at Goschen. Number 21/21A Students may travel free of charge between the City Centre, Kings Road, Goschen and St Budeaux Square on this service between 7.00am and 10.00pm, term-time only. For students travelling to Goschen in the morning, the number 21 service is a quicker and more direct route from the City Centre. Copies of the Plymouth Citybus timetables are available from City College students can travel, free of charge, on the number 36 service without their student ID card, for the first six weeks of the academic year. Cycling to College The College provides free secure bicycle lockers (these will be issued on a strict first-come, first-served basis) and shower facilities at Kings Road and Goschen. There is also a drying room available at Kings Road, in room KW027. Please contact the Estates office on for more information. Driving to College There is limited parking available to students at Kings Road and Goschen. There is also some on street parking at all centres, but some areas are for residents only. Disabled parking is located by the main entrance at both Kings Road and Goschen. There are also some designated areas for motorcycle/moped parking. The College encourages car sharing where possible, and has a green travel policy which aims to reduce the environmental impact of student and staff transport. studentfunding@cityplym.ac.uk

10 CHILDCARE SUPPORT Students aged 20* or over (as of 31 August 2016) may be entitled to assistance with childcare costs. You will have to complete both the 19+ Student Funding 2016/17 and the 20+ Childcare 2016/17** application forms and also fulfil the following criteria: have a household income below 21,000 (unless you are in receipt of the Advanced Learner Loan and have a household income between 21,000 and 30,000) be using an Ofsted registered provider be the main carer for the child/ren (eg partner is unable to care for them). ** You will need to complete a childcare application form for each childcare provider. The form will also need to be completed by the childcare provider. Please provide a copy of your child s birth certificate or recent Child Tax Credit notice with the form. For childcare costs to be fully backdated you MUST apply within 28 days of your course starting. Childcare application forms received after this time will only be backdated to the Monday of the week the application form was received by the Student Funding team. What help is available? Childcare costs will be covered for the time spent in timetabled classes at the College only. Term-time only costs will be covered, the College will not pay for any of the holiday periods eg Christmas, Easter, half terms. Full-time students can receive up to 160 per week. Part-time students can receive up to 80 per week. One day s additional placement will also be covered if compulsory for your course. If your child qualifies at any point during the academic year for the Early Years Funding (EYF) or ME2 funding, this cost will be deducted and the College will only cover any remaining cost (during term time only). Payment is made monthly, direct to your childcare provider - once you are enrolled and subject to attendance. If attendance is below 90%, your childcare payments will be stopped and you will be liable for all remaining amounts. * If you are under 20 at the start date of your course you can apply for help with childcare costs through the Care to Learn (C-2-L) scheme, please see page 9. How will I know my application is successful? You will hear from the Student Funding team within six weeks of your childcare application form being received. If you do not hear from us within that time, do contact us as we might not have received your childcare application form studentfunding@cityplym.ac.uk

11 Once your childcare application has been processed, a payment schedule will be sent to you and your childcare provider to sign. Payment will not be released until the signed copy is received by the Student Funding team. By signing the form, you both agree that the details are accurate. You and your provider only have 28 days to query the costs/days being paid (from the date the form was signed). The only exceptions being due to a timetable change/change in nursery fees when we are informed in advance. Until the offer letter is sent to you and your provider confirming your entitlement to childcare assistance, the College does not have any obligation to pay any childcare fees. You therefore, need to consider how you will pay childcare costs if your application is unsuccessful. If there are any changes in your childcare needs (ie timetable changes, fee amount changes), please inform the Student Funding team in advance. If this information is not passed to the Student Funding team, any additional costs may not be covered. Care to Learn (C-2-L) If you are a young parent, Care to Learn can help pay for your childcare, and any additional travel costs, whilst you are studying. In order to apply, you must be: aged under 20 on the start date of your course living in England (normal residency rules apply) the main carer for your child/ren using an Ofsted registered childcare provider (this can be a child-minder, nursery or pre-school). To apply for Care to Learn: you must register with the Student Bursary Support System and complete the online application form at you will need to know your childcare provider details including name, address and Ofsted registration number (available from your childcare provider), details of the College (please contact the Student Funding team for details), details of any additional travel costs you may wish to claim and details of your support worker (if applicable) the Student Bursary Support Service will make contact with your chosen childcare provider and the College and ask them to provide further details to confirm the course or study programme details and the childcare requirements. Your application will not be processed until all parties have completed their part of the application process you will receive support of up to 160 per week towards costs (based on your College timetable). This is paid directly to your childcare provider. This will include any additional award for travel costs that may be applicable. If eligible, travel costs will be paid to the College and paid to you by BACS. The College is running a number of application support sessions to help you with the online application form - please visit or call for dates and times. Alternatively, you can contact the Student Bursary Support helpline on for help and advice. studentfunding@cityplym.ac.uk

12 OTHER SUPPORT AVAILABLE Course related costs Support is available to help students pay for compulsory course-related materials (books, uniform, trips etc). The amount will depend on the particular course you will be attending. Please note you may need to purchase items before you start the course and the grant is not guaranteed. Not all students may be eligible for this support. Assistive technology Students eligible for funding and in receipt of the Advanced Learner Loan may receive a voucher to help with assistive technology (ie update software such as Microsoft Office packages, pay for repairs for their personal PCs or laptops or put towards the purchase of IT equipment). The amount will depend on the particular course you will be attending and the voucher will be issued with your Student Funding offer letter. Please note that the voucher is not guaranteed. Not all students may be eligible for this support. Tuition fee support This is awarded to students who have to pay their own course fees (please refer to page 3 for eligibility). This support is not guaranteed and will cover up to 25% of the cost. You will need to make provision to pay your course fees in full as there are only limited funds available. You will not receive this support if you are receiving the Advanced Learner Loan, or if you are eligible for the Advanced Learner Loan and are paying your own course fees. Residential (lodgings) Support with term-time only lodgings costs are available to students who have had to move as they cannot undertake their course closer to home. To be eligible you must: have a journey time of more than two hours a day, or a distance of more than 15 miles from your current home address be undertaking your first full level 2 or 3 qualification be studying a course which is 15 hours or more per week and of a minimum duration of ten weeks provide a tenancy agreement and receipts of rent payments, each term studentfunding@cityplym.ac.uk

13 Additional funding/ emergencies Any student with exceptional hardship or emergency needs can apply for financial assistance to enable them to remain at College. This is normally a one-off support payment or very short-term support. It cannot be used to substitute state benefits or living costs. Breakfast Club A FREE breakfast of tea or coffee and cereal, toast or fruit will be available for students on their normal College days in the College refectories at Kings Road, Goschen and Picquet Barracks (Monday to Friday, term-time only): Kings Road, 7.45am to 9.15am Goschen, 8.00am to 9.15am Picquet Barracks, 9.30am to 10.30am. This initiative supports the College s Healthy College quality mark and sets you up for the day! The College provides a Breakfast Club for all students aged 16 and over, on production of a valid 2016/17 student ID card. studentfunding@cityplym.ac.uk

14 TERMS AND CONDITIONS Attendance To receive financial support from any of the national schemes or any other funds from the College, you must attend 100% of your classes. For all travel and childcare schemes, this will be checked on a monthly basis. The residential support element and those in receipt of a bus pass, on a termly basis. Failure to achieve 100% attendance will lead to the non-payment of assistance for the following week/month/term. Withdrawals If you withdraw from your course you will not receive further financial assistance. You may also have to repay any financial assistance you have been awarded and pay any outstanding fees. Appeals If your assistance is stopped or withdrawn due to poor attendance then you have the right to appeal. You should appeal to the Student Funding Officer in writing, explaining the circumstance as to why payment/s should be reinstated and providing as much information as possible. If you believe your Student Funding application has not been assessed correctly, you do not receive a grant or you are not happy with the level of support allocated, you can appeal. Appeals should be made in writing and addressed to: Appeals, Student Funding Team, City College Plymouth, Kings Road, Devonport, Plymouth, PL1 5QG. If, for any reason, you are not happy with the outcome of the appeal, please let us know by writing to the: Student Services Manager, City College Plymouth, Kings Road, Devonport, Plymouth, PL1 5QG. You can only appeal once regarding a specific situation. If your appeal is declined, you are unable to re-appeal for the same reason again, unless you can provide new additional information to support your case. The appeal decision is final. If you are unhappy with the decision of the Student Services Manager you can make use of the College s formal complaints procedure studentfunding@cityplym.ac.uk

15 Further 19+ Student Funding conditions If you enrol and your financial support application is unsuccessful, you will have to pay your course costs in full. If you withdraw from your course, you will have to pay for the course in full. You must supply all necessary evidence with your application. Your application will not be assessed without it. Student funding is only available for one course per academic year. If you are on a two year course you will need to make a new application for help each academic year. You will not receive funding if you have outstanding debts to the College or your household income is above the rates stated. All guidance and eligibility criteria mentioned in this guide are correct at the time of print, but the Student Funding team reserves the right to amend any of this information during the academic year following Government changes to eligibility criteria. studentfunding@cityplym.ac.uk

16 THE STUDENT FUNDING TEAM The Student Funding team will ensure that you get the best advice and support with your application for financial support. If you need help, or would like to speak to someone on an individual basis, please do not hesitate to come to one of our drop-in sessions throughout term-time (at Kings Road and Goschen) or you can arrange a private appointment if you would prefer. The team is available throughout all holiday breaks (except Christmas). The Student Funding team can provide you with more detailed information on any of the schemes mentioned in this guide or help with completing forms. Student Funding Team City College Plymouth Kings Road Devonport Plymouth PL1 5QG / studentfunding@cityplym.ac.uk cityplym.ac.uk facebook.com/cityplym twitter.com/cityplym