Welcome To Wirral

Students living on the Wirral should apply to their Local Education Authority (LEA) the address is:

Personal visits:
Student Support Section
Conway Centre
Conway Street
Birkenhead
Wirral
CH41 6JD

Student Support Helpline Number (0151) 666 4637
email: studentsupport@wirral.gov.uk

 

Student Finance Direct

Student Finance Direct is an on-line service for students applying for a range of Student Financial Support products. The service is managed by the Student Loans Company (SLC) in partnership with Local Education Authorities (LEAs) and the Department for Education and Skills. It provides assistance to students and their parents or guardians, throughout the annual cycle via the internet, telephone or through their Local Education Authority.
The Customer Support Office (CSO) can be contacted on telephone number 08456 077 577 Minicom 08456 044 434.

It is important that students apply to the LEA for assistance as soon as they have an offer of a place on a course, even if the offer is conditional. Students should apply even if they don’t think they will receive any help with fees as the LEA also deals with applications for living cost loans and supplementary grants.

The LEA is responsible for assessing your eligibility and entitlement to the following:

• Tuition fee support.
• A student loan.
• Supplementary grants.

 

Tuition Fee Support

Support towards tuition fees, around a quarter of the student loan and most supplementary grants are means-tested. Tuition fee support will depend on how much you and your family are expected to contribute.

 

Student Loan

The maximum loan that students can apply for depends on the following:

• Where you live and study
• Which course you study.
• Which year of the course you are on
• How much you and your family are expected to contribute.
• The length of your course.

  

You will not be asked to start paying back any loans, which you take until the April after you have finished or left your course. The amount you will repay will be linked to your income.

 

Supplementary Grants

 Some students will be able to apply for extra help depending on their circumstances, these include;

•  Disabled Students Allowances. These allowances are not means-tested.
• Adult Dependants Grant. Means-tested support available to students with adult dependants
• Child Care Grant. Means- tested support available to students with dependant children.
• Parents Learning Allowance. Means-tested support available to student parents.
• Travel Grant. Those who incur travel costs in certain circumstances.

 

 Higher Education Grant. Means-tested grant available to students commencing their courses from 2004/05.

 Further information and application forms will be available in March each year from the LEA, address given above.
You can apply on line or down load application forms from the following website http://www.studentfinancedirect.co.uk

The Tax Credit from the Inland Revenue came into force in April 2003 and students with children will be entitled to claim the Child Tax Credit, which, will be paid to parents regardless of whether or not they are working or studying. Child Tax Credit and pass ported free school meals replace the Child Dependants Grant and the School Meals Grant.

For further information on Child Tax Credit, contact the Inland Revenue on 0800 300 3900 or on line at http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/taxcredits

 

Part Time Undergraduate Students

Means-tested assistance is available if you are studying a course that lasts at least one academic year and is equivalent to 50% or more of a full time course. Depending on the income assessment, you may qualify for the following:

• A grant for tuition fees of up to £885
• A course grant of £250
• Help from the Access to Learning Fund

 

Application forms are available from July each year, you should contact your LEA or telephone the DfES information line on 0800 731 9133.

 

If you have a disability or specific learning difficulty and are studying at least 50% of a full time course you may be eligible for a Disable Student Allowance (DSA). DSA’s are not means-tested and the allowances can help pay the extra costs involved in studying for a course of higher education.

 

Post Graduate Students

The student support system does not provide the same support for students on postgraduate courses except for initial teacher training. While there are studentships and research grants available for postgraduate courses from the Research Councils, the Arts and Humanities Research Board and some other charitable sources, there are no subsidised loans for postgraduates.

Disabled Student Allowances (DSA’s). DSA’S are available from the LEA for disabled students following postgraduate courses. An application form is available from the DfES information line, telephone number 0800 731 9133, application forms are also available from your LEA, address given above. This form should be completed and returned to your LEA.

Social Work Bursaries

Please see information below regarding undergraduate Social Work Bursaries.
Further information should be available from the General Social Care Council (GSCC) website.
Student should refer to http://www.gscc.org.uk

A Social Work Bursary for Under Graduate students is available from the 2003/2004 academic year to new and continuing students on Social Work Courses.

Broadly the GSCC will pay the students tuition fee contribution once the means test under the Student Support regulations has been performed.

In addition to the assistance with tuition fees the GSCC are awarding a bursary. There will also be a 'hardship fund' for those undergraduate students with high travel costs. This funding is in addition to support payable under the Student Support Regulations.

Process:

Undergraduate students should apply to their Local Education Authority (LEA) in the usual way and once they have the Financial Notification form issued by the LEA they should then apply to the GSCC for the non-means tested grant.

Information:

GSCC undergraduate application forms will be available from the universities and in downloadable format on the GSCC web site.

 

Future HE Funding

On the 22nd January 2003 the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Charles Clarke, announced publication of the White Paper "The Future of Higher Education ", which sets out the Government’s plans for radical reform and investment in universities and HE colleges. The paper includes proposals for changes in the student finance system. For more information visit the following web site http://www.dfes.gov.uk/highereducation/hestrategy

 

Learner Support Funds (School Sixth Form Students)

Learner Support Funds are grants made to post 16 students who are attending full time courses at school who can demonstrate that they have additional costs not covered by Education Maintenance Allowances (EMA). Grants will be made at the discretion of the Director of Education & Cultural Services.

 

General Conditions of Eligibility

Students,

• must be at least 16 years old and under 19 on 1st September 2005
• be following a full time course at school. Full time is defined as having at least 12 class contact hours per wee
• have been resident in the United Kingdom and Islands throughout the three year period preceding 1st September 2004 be resident in Wirral on 30th June 2005.

 

Application forms are available from this Department at the address given above.