Student Finance

The Advanced Learner Loan online application service for courses starting from 1 August will be available from 28 June.

Eligible learners will be able to apply online on GOV.UK. Learners will need their Learning and Funding Information Letter (LAFIL) to make an application.

What is the Advanced Learner Loan?
Advanced Learner Loans are there to help learners aged 19 and over to cover the cost of course fees of a level 3, 4, 5 and 6 college or training course. The course must have started on or after 1st August 2016. Your loan application will last for the duration of the course so there is no need to reapply if your course is longer than a year.

Who is eligible?
Learners aged 19 or above (at the start of their course) and who are resident in the UK and studying an eligible Level 3, 4, 5 or 6 course.

Does the loan depend on my income or credit history?
No, the loan doesn’t depend on your income and no credit checks are carried out.

Do I have to take out an Advanced Learner Loan?
No, it’s up to you to decide on your best option, depending on your circumstances.

How much will I get?
The amount you’ll receive depends on:

• the type of course
• the course fees
• the maximum loan available for your course

The minimum loan you can get is £300. You don’t have to borrow the full amount of your course fees, you can pay for some of it yourself.

How many loans can I take out?
Unless you are studying an Access to HE Diploma you are entitled to access up to four loans which you can take out one after the other or at the same time. You can only access one loan to complete the Access to HE Diploma.

How is the loan paid?
The funds are paid directly to the college.

When do I have to pay back my loan?
Repayments don’t start until the April after your course has finished and you don’t have to pay anything back unless you earn more than £25,000 a year. If your income is over £25,000 a year your annual repayments will be 9% of any income you earn over £25,000.

For example:
£15 a month – if you earned £27,000 a year
£37 a month – if you earned £30,000 a year

Repayments are based purely on income, not on the amount borrowed or the number of loans. If your income drops below £25,000 the repayments stop and only re-start if your income increases to more than £25,000. Repayments are taken directly from your wage in the same way as tax. Rates of interest on the loans are lower than anything available from banks.

Bursary fund
If you need help with your learning or living costs, you may also be eligible for money from the Advanced Learner Loan Bursary Fund. The money can help with things such as: childcare costs*, accommodation, travel, classroom assistance for a learning difficulty or disability, course materials/equipment. You need to apply to the college directly for the Bursary Fund. You can apply once you have received a letter confirming your Advanced Learner Loan.

*Learners aged under 20 on the first day of learning must apply to the ‘care to learn’ programme.

For more information contact our Admissions Team

Tel: 01932 558990
Email: bursary@brooklands.ac.uk

Click here for further information on how to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan.

Means-tested grants towards course-related costs for students meeting the eligibility criteria.

Click here for Students aged 16-19
Click here for Students aged 19+

If you would like to apply, you will need to complete the relevant form.  
16-19 Bursary Application Form
19+ Bursary Application Form

Once completed, please email the form to: Bursary@brooklands.ac.uk

If you are in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance (JSA), Employment Seekers Allowance (ESA), or currently unemployed, actively seeking work and in receipt of benefits you may be eligible for fee remission (does not apply some courses). You must bring along evidence of receipt of one of the benefits listed below with you when coming to enrol. This evidence must be current and dated within three months of the start of the course.

Benefits to support fee remission – JSA, ESA, Income Support/Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction Benefit, Pension Guarantee Benefit.

Fee remission may also be based upon the highest level of previous qualifications achieved.

Please check your eligibility with our Admissions Team

Tel: 01932 558990 
Email: bursary@brooklands.ac.uk

Click here for more information about Financial Advice and Assistance.

There are various grants and allowances available, dependant on your age and circumstances. If you would like to talk to a member of the Admissions team about possible financial support, please contact the Admissions Office at Brooklands College.

Tel: 01932 558990
Email: bursary@brooklands.ac.uk

Students aged between 16 and 18 on 31 August, may be eligible for a daily free meal in the current academic year. Students who are 18 at the start of their course and will 19 during their study programme will remain eligible for a free meal until the end of the academic year, or to the end of their study programme, whichever is sooner.

Students aged between 19 and 24 who are subject to a Learning Difficulty Assessment (LDA) or Education Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan) and ESF students aged between 16 and 18 on 31 August are also entitled to a free meal while attending their course, if they meet the eligibility criteria.

To find out if your child is entitled to free school meals, contact Admissions Bursary Administrator

If you receive any of the following you/your child may be entitled to receive free school meals:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• the guarantee element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit) and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs
• Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• during the initial roll out of Universal Credit

A student is only eligible to receive a free meal when they, or a parent/carer on their behalf, have made a successful application to Brooklands College Bursary. On approval for FSM this will be linked to their Student ID card which they must take to the Refectory to claim their free meal.

Free meals in further education funded institutions: guide for the 2023 to 2024 academic year – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Student Finance – Student Loans Company Overview
If you’re studying full-time
You may be eligible for student finance if your course is in the UK and one of the following:

• a first degree, for example BA, BSc or BEd
• a Foundation Degree
• a Certificate of Higher Education
• a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)
• a Higher National Certificate (HNC)
• a Higher National Diploma (HND)
• an Initial Teacher Training course
• an integrated master’s degree
• a pre-registration postgraduate healthcare course

Full Information

You may be able to borrow money to help pay for university or college tuition fees and to help with living costs.
You might get extra money on top of this, for example if you’re on a low income, are disabled or have children.
If you’re a continuing student or you’ve already created an account, log in to your account.

Before you apply
You start repaying once you earn over a certain amount. The size of your monthly repayments will depend on how much you earn, not what you owe.

You’ll be charged interest on the loan from the day you take it out. The terms and conditions can change.

Student loans: a guide to terms and conditions 2020 to 2021

Student loans: a guide to terms and conditions 2021 to 2022

The rules are different if your course started before September 2012.

Read the student finance privacy notice to find out how the information you provide will be used.

How to apply
Find out how to apply for student finance.  

Applying for Student Finance Gov UK – Information

If you’re under 25 and have no contact with your parents, you might be able to apply as an ‘estranged student’.

There’s a different process if you’re a student from Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. Contact the education authority if you live in the Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey) or Isle of Man.

You can give someone perm

If you are signing up for an adult learning course you are able to pay in instalments. 

The first instalment should include the £25 administration charge. Debit/credit card details must be provided so that instalments can be taken at an arranged date automatically.

Brooklands College cannot arrange payment by instalments retrospectively.

The College commits staffing and resources to courses on the basis of learner enrolments and will only refund fee payments in the following circumstances.

• When a course is cancelled by the College.
• When a learner withdraws their enrolment at least 10 working days before the planned start of the course.

No refunds will be given once the course has commenced, except in exceptional circumstances as outlined in section 2.10 of the College fees policy. No refunds will be given if a learner withdraws their enrolment from the course after their enrolment date or if the College withdraws the offer of a place as a result of disciplinary action or non-attendance on behalf of the learner.

New student support fund from Walton Charity

We are delighted that Walton Charity has provided us with an Opportunities Fund to help students facing financial hardship.

Walton Charity is a local charitable foundation working across Elmbridge. The new Opportunities Fund can support Brooklands College students who live in Elmbridge.

Here are a few examples of the kind of support available: 

• Help with the cost of low-cost equipment, materials or uniform.
• The cost of travel in the short term.
• A contribution towards the cost of college trips and activities associated with your course.
• Counselling or therapy sessions (specific criteria applies).

This list is by no means exhaustive so please contact Brooklands College Admissions Service, Bursary Administrator, Sharon Bosch sharon.bosch@brooklands.ac.uk to find out more or to make an application.

Applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.