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Help available to both undergraduates and postgraduates

This page outlines what’s available for ITT students from England who started their course in or after September 2006.

Full-time undergraduate ITT students can apply for Student Loans, grants and bursaries on the same terms as other full-time students doing a first higher education course.

This package of financial help isn’t usually available to part-time and postgraduate students. But you’ll qualify elements of it if you’re doing a course of ITT - whether you’re studying full-time or part time, and whether you’re an undergraduate or a postgraduate.

Finance for full-time courses

Student Loans

If you’re doing a full-time ITT course, you can apply for Student Loans on the same terms as other full-time higher education students.

You’ll be able to get a Student Loan for Tuition Fees to cover your fees in full (up to £3,145 in 2008/2009 or £3,070 in 2007/2008). You’ll also be able to take out a Student Loan for Maintenance to help with your accommodation and living costs.

Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant

You may be able to get a Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant of up to £2,835 for 2008/2009, or up to £2,765 for 2007/2008. If you’re doing a postgraduate course full-time, a proportion of this is guaranteed - you’ll get at least £1,260 for 2008/2009 or £1,230 for 2007/2008, no matter what your household income.

Bursaries

You may also qualify for a bursary from your university or college.

Finance for part-time courses

You may be entitled to the Student Loans and grants aimed at full-time students if you’re doing a part-time ITT course - as long as:

• it doesn’t take more than twice as long to complete than the equivalent full-time course, or
• it’s classed as a flexible postgraduate ITT course

Help with tuition fees

Generally there’s no maximum tuition fee for part-time, non-ITT courses, but the rules are different for certain part-time ITT courses. There’s a limit of £1,570 for 2008/2009 or £1,535 for 2007/2008 if your course involves studying full-time for a total of less than ten weeks within the academic year.

You’ll be able to get a Student Loan for Tuition Fees to cover your tuition fee payments in full.

Help with living costs

The maximum you can get through the Student Loan for Maintenance - and whether you can get a grant - depends on how many weeks of the academic year you spend on full-time study and full-time teaching practice.

Exactly how much help you’re entitled to depends on an income assessment - and on some other factors, including where you study.

Help with living costs: if you attend your course full-time for six to ten weeks

If you spend six weeks or more on full-time study and full-time teaching practice - but less than ten - you could get:

• a Student Loan for Maintenance of up to £6,475 for 2008/2009, or up to £6,315 for 2007/2008
• a Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant

If you’re doing a postgraduate course, a proportion of the Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant is guaranteed - you’ll get at least £630 for 2008/2009 or £615 for 2007/2008, no matter what your household income.

Help with living costs: if you attend your course full-time for fewer than six weeks

If you spend fewer than six weeks on full-time study and full-time teaching practice, you could get a Student Loan for Maintenance of up to £3,235 for 2008/2009, or up to £3,100 for 2007/2008. You won’t qualify for a Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant.

More about Student Loans, grants and bursaries

You can find out more about Student Loans, grants and bursaries by following the links below.

• Student Loans
• Maintenance Grant: help with living costs
• Bursaries, scholarships and awards

How to apply for Student Loans and grants

Whether you’re studying full-time or part-time - and whether you’re following an undergraduate or postgraduate route - you can apply for Student Loans and grants in the same way as students doing a first full-time higher education course. Follow the link below that’s relevant to you.

• How to apply for Student Loans, grants and bursaries - new students
• How to apply for student finance - after your first year

Extra help

You may qualify for extra financial support if you have a disability or specific learning difficulty.

If you’re on a low income and run into financial difficulties, additional help may be available through your university or college’s Access to Learning Fund.

You may also be able to get the Childcare Grant, Parents’ Learning Allowance and/or the Adult Dependants’ Grant. These three grants and allowances aren’t usually available for part-time courses, but as a part-time ITT student you may qualify - as long as you spend at least six weeks on full-time study and full-time teaching practice within the academic year.

• Extra financial help for disabled students (disabled people section)
• Access to Learning Fund: extra help if you need it
• Extra help for students with children
• Adult Dependants' Grant

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• Finance for Initial Teacher Training