Advanced Learner Loans are for people aged 19 and over who want to complete a programme at level 3-6 and are not eligible for the level 3 entitlement fee waiver.*
The Advanced Learner Loan scheme was introduced by the government to help students pay for their level 3-6 programmes. This means that just like the tuition fee loans for university level courses, if you are aged 19 or over you can apply for a loan to pay for your College fees.
The Advanced Learner Loan is easy to apply for, doesn’t take your household income into account, and doesn’t involve a credit check.
*Please note that students aged 19-23 on the first day of a qualifying level 3 programme, who have not already achieved a full level 3 qualification, are eligible to have their fees waived. Please check the fee information against your chosen course and the detailed explanations on the Concessions and Student Loans page.
Loan Eligibility
To be eligible you need to be:
- Aged 19 or over on the first day of your programme
- Living in the UK on the first day of your programme, and have lived in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for three years immediately before this
- Studying an eligible programme at an approved College or training organisation in England. We are an approved College
- Enrolling on an eligible programme at level 3 and above (this includes Access to HE, Certificates and Diplomas, advanced apprenticeships and higher apprenticeships).
- A UK national or have ‘settled status’ (this means there’s no restrictions on how long you can stay).
You may also be eligible if you:
- Are an EU national or a family member of one
- Are a refugee
- Have humanitarian protection (as a result of a failed application for asylum)
- Are a migrant worker
- Are the child of a Swiss national
- Are the child of a Turkish worker.
When do I need to repay the loan?
Repayments are linked to what you earn, and not how much you borrowed.
You only have to start making repayments when you’ve finished your programme and you’re earning over £25,725 a year. Until then you don’t need to pay back anything, but you can make voluntary repayments at any time
If you take out a loan for an Access to Higher Education course, any outstanding balance on that loan will be ‘written off’ once you complete an eligible higher education course. This means you don’t have to repay it.
When can I apply?
Further information on the application process is available from Student Finance England
Once you are offered a place at the College on an eligible programme, you will be sent an offer letter and a Learning and Funding Information letter which has all the information you will need to make a loan application.
You cannot apply for a loan before you have received the Learning and Funding information letter from the College. We anticipate that we will be able to provide the necessary documentation to applicants from the June before your start date.
Once you have your letter from the College you can download an application or complete it online.
Your loan application is submitted directly to Student Finance England – not the College.
You will need to track your loan application to ensure that the application process is fully completed. Once your loan has been approved, you will still need to sign and return the Declaration Form directly to Student Finance England to enable them to pay your course fees to the College.
For further information and to apply on line for an Advanced Learner Loan please go to www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan
Find out more:
- Advanced Learning Loan Bursary
- Call our student financial support team on 01634 383300
- Please also read the section on Additional Course Costs.
