Student Finance & Support

• The Advance Learner Loan Online Application service for courses starting from 1^st August will be available from 28^th June

If you are eligible, you will be able to apply here. You will need a 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.

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.

Need more information?
Please click on the link below or email Bursary for more information.

Advanced Learner Loans: a guide to terms and conditions – GOV.UK

Students from low-income families can apply to the Discretionary Learner Support Fund for help with Travel Costs

Don’t worry and don’t let it stop you from applying as there is a ‘Discretionary Learner Support Fund’ which you can apply for which is designed to help 16, 17 and 18 year old students who struggle with the costs of full-time education or training.

Students aged 19 or over are only eligible to receive a discretionary bursary if they:

• are continuing on a study programme they began aged 16 to 18 (‘19+ continuers’) or
• have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

To be eligible for the vulnerable bursary, students must be under 19 and in one of the defined vulnerable groups;

• in care
• care leavers
• receiving Income Support, or Universal Credit because they are financially supporting themselves or financially supporting themselves and someone who is dependent on them and living with them such as a child or partner
• receiving Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments in their own right as well as Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit in their own right

Please email: bursary@brooklands.ac.uk if you have any questions. 

The Care to Learn scheme can help with childcare costs while you study

You must be under 20 years old at the start of your course.

The scheme is available for publicly-funded courses in England.

You can get Care to Learn if:

• You’re a parent under 20 at the start of your course
• You’re the main carer for your child
• You live in England
• You’re either a British citizen or a national of a European Economic Area (EEA) country
• Your course qualifies
• Your childcare provider is Ofsted Registered and qualifies

https://www.gov.uk/care-to-learn

• FEE REMISSION ONLY APPLIES TO CERTAIN COURSES and you need to be claiming one of these benefits: JSA, ESA, Income Support/Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction Benefit, Pension Guarantee Benefit.

  This will need to be dated within 3 months of the start of the course.

• Fee remission may also be based upon the highest level of your last qualification achieved.

Please contact Bursary for more details

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

Are you entitled to Free School Meals (FSM)?

If you think you may be eligible, or if you were eligible in the previous year,  please visit Admissions to check. They can reinstate your FSM or ask you to make a new application.

The government funding rate for for free meals in further education is £2.53 per student per meal for the coming academic year.   

If you are approved for FSM, you will receive an allowance of £2.53 per day. This will be uploaded to your student ID card automatically on a daily basis.

To use your FSM allowance, you must take your student ID card to the college refectory each day that you are in college. You can use your allowance at either breakfast or lunch.

You will need to select from the free school meal deals available. There will be a choice of a breakfast, sandwich, or hot meal deal option each day (there will be posters in the refectory indicating the meal deals available). The deals are all worth £2.53 or less.

Take your meal deal selection to the refectory cashier. They will swipe your card against the FSM card reader entitlement list and complete the free meal deal transaction.

Please ensure you use the full allocation of £2.53 each day you are in college. If you do not use it daily, you will lose it as any remaining balance will not be carried forward to another day.

If you have any further questions about FSM, please contact the Admissions Office.

Free School Meal Eligibility

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.

Please visit the student loans company website for further information.

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

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.

Allowing someone else to manage your student loan account

Please see the links below that can help get you discounted travel in Surrey and London Boroughs.

https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/buses-and-other-transport/tickets-and-discounts/apply-for-a-surrey-link-bus-card

https://www.surreylocaloffer.org.uk/young-people/transport 

https://www.16-25railcard.co.uk/

https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discounted-travel

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.

Please find below some useful links:

Our bursary policy

GOV.UK Benefits for Families information:

https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits/families

https://www.gov.uk/browse/childcare-parenting/financial-help-children

https://www.gov.uk/browse/childcare-parenting/schools-education

Local Charities can also offer help.  Below you will find some examples, there may be others available in your local area.

The Walton Charity

The Weybridge Charity

The Egham Charity

The Charities are not affiliated with the College and are completely independent so therefore the College has no responsibility or liability in relation to any support you may be offered, financially or otherwise. The College is however able to refer you to a charity initially if you would prefer.

If you would like us to assist you in applying or want an informal chat about any charity and what it can provide, please pop in and speak to the Admissions Department. Email us for more information: bursary@brooklands.ac.uk