Financial Support for Full-Time & Part-Time Adult Students Aged 19+

A range of our courses are currently FREE to many of our adult students. The fee remission table titled 'Categories' below provides a summary of the circumstances in which you could be eligible to waive some or the entire fee for your chosen course. This is correct as at time of publishing, but may be subject to change.

PLEASE NOTE

• In order to satisfy audit requirements you will be required to give evidence of your entitlements to the benefits stated.
• You must confirm you are actively seeking work to be able to claim fee remission (for categories G and J).
• Non-EU students with less than 3 years' residency in the UK are not entitled to fee remission.
• Students taking self-financing courses are not entitled to either fee remission or financial support.

Please note this is subject to national funding and eligibility criteria.

Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group is pleased to be able to offer financial support to help students meet the costs of attending College.

Financial support payment start dates will be based on the date that the fully completed application form, with the correct supporting evidence, is received in Student Services and no backdated payments will be made. Once your application has been approved you will receive a letter of approval and a payment schedule.

Who can apply for this support?

Anyone with a total household income below £26,000 per year (excluding students enrolled on an apprenticeship, a self-financing course, a higher education (HE) course or students enrolled on a course with another education provider where funding is being claimed). Please note you will need to provide specific evidence when you apply to support your application. More information can be found in the 'Evidence Guidance' document available in the 'Downloads' section on this page.

How much will I get?

Bursary awards are based on individual circumstances. Please provide as much information about your circumstances in your application as possible. We will use the information provided in your application form to allocate bursary funds to best suit your needs.

How will I be paid?

Bursary support is based on individual circumstances and will be allocated to best suit your individual needs. The agreed amount will be paid directly into your (the students) bank account. It is essential that you have a bank account in your own name. Please request a bank details form from the Student Finance Team if you do not receive one following the submission of your application. If you do not have your own bank account, the agreed amount will be paid onto your student ID card and no cash alternatives will be made. Payments will be made in accordance with the payment schedule.

What evidence will I need to provide?

You will be required to provide evidence of current household income upon application and we may request up to date evidence of your household income at any point during the academic year. For guidance about the evidence you need to provide, please see the Evidence Guidance document available at the bottom of this page.

What other College related costs could I get help with?

If you are approved to receive CMA you could also receive help with additional College related costs, determined by the requirements of your course, such as:

Specialist equipment, specialist materials, essential uniform (refund to be claimed within 6 weeks of the course start date) and compulsory trips.

If you are aged 19+ and not eligible for automatic fee remission, you may be able to receive help towards tuition fees for level 1 and 2 courses through discretionary fee remission. Applications are considered by the Vice Principal and Awards are based on individual circumstances. Please speak to a Student Finance Advisor for more details.

How do I apply?

You can apply for the College Maintenance Allowance (CMA) using our new online application form. You will need to submit supporting evidence at the time of application and please be aware that there may be a delay in your application being processed if your form is incomplete, or evidence is missing.

Financial support payment start dates will be based on the date that the fully completed application form, with the correct supporting evidence, is received in Student Services and no backdated payments will be made. Once your application has been approved you will receive a letter of approval and a payment schedule.

If you need to apply for help with course fees, please contact the Student Finance Team.

Please read the Financial Support Guidance before completing the application for financial support.

The online application for financial support is available in the ‘How to Apply’ section on this page. The accompanying guidance documents are available in the ‘Downloads’ section on this page. If you require the application form in a different format, or need assistance completing it, please contact the Student Finance Team.

This is support for students where childcare costs may be a barrier to attending College.

Who can apply for Discretionary Childcare Funding?

Students who are aged 20 or over on 31st August 2023 and have a total household income below £26,000 per year.

How will payments be made?

Payments will be made directly to an Ofsted registered childcare provider of your choice, as long as the provider agrees to our terms and conditions.

How much will the College contribute towards my childcare costs?

The College will contribute a maximum of £32 per full day, £16 for half a day or £16 per day for before and after school club (based on your timetabled lessons and compulsory placements). This support is available on a term-time only basis.

What evidence will I need to provide?

You will need to provide a copy of your current Tax Credit or Universal Credit Award; detailing the support you receive for the child/children for whom you are requesting support. You will also need to provide details of your chosen childcare provider(s).

How do I apply?

You will have to complete an application form for Childcare Support in addition to the Student Financial Support application form and provide all relevant evidence. You can download the Childcare Support application in the 'Downloads' section on this page or by contacting the Student Finance Team to request a copy.

If you require assistance completing the application then please contact the Student Finance Team.

To apply for Student Financial Support, please complete our online application form.

Please ensure that you read the Financial Support Guidance and Evidence Guidance documents available on this page before completing the application.

You will need to upload your supporting evidence within the application. Failure to do so will result in the application process being delayed. You will need to complete all compulsory fields in order for your application to submit successfully. Compulsory fields are marked with a red asterisk.