Guide to. Student Funding Bursary, Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) and Support Funds. Session 2015/16

Transcription

1 Guide to Student Funding Bursary, Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) and Support Funds Session 2015/16

2 Before you start factors which may affect your funding All students may apply for funding but there are National Policies and Guidelines which must be followed. As a result, not everyone is eligible for funding (although most people are). The following are examples of issues that may affect your eligibility for funding: If you have had funding before If you have undertaken a full time course of study at NC, HNC/D, or degree level, within the last six years and you were 18 years of age or over, your application will be considered subject to guidelines laid down by the Scottish Funding Council. You will be required to give full details of your previous course of study. You will be informed of the outcome. If we cannot offer bursary support, options for part time study may be available. Residency Residency rules apply. In most cases, if you have been living in Scotland for the three years before the start date of the course, you are likely to be eligible to apply for funding. Students who normally live in England, Northern Ireland or Wales will not be eligible for funding from the college (including fees) and should apply to their Local Authority. Students who live in Shetland or Orkney Islands should apply to their Local Authority for funding. Applicants from outwith the UK or who do not have settled status should contact the Student Funding Team for further advice. You may be asked to provide Home Office documentation and will be required to provide proof that you have lived within Scotland for three years such as P60s and/or tenancy agreements. Household Income Income from parents, step parents or parents partners will be considered, as well as any spouse or partner income. This may reduce the amount of award you receive. Fees It is important that all students make an application for fees to be paid for their course. You may not qualify for EMA or maintenance bursary but we will need to know about you to award fees. Most students will be eligible but this is subject to residency status and previous study. Please remember it is the responsibility of each prospective student to ensure that they have secured the relevant funding prior to commencing their course.

3 Which programmes are eligible for financial support? Level of course Funding for Funding body Funding source HNC, HND, full time Maintenance Travel Rent / Mortgage Childcare SAAS SAAS Student loan Student loan HE Discretionary HE Childcare NC, NQ, City and Guilds full time NC, NQ, City and Guilds part time Maintenance Travel Rent / Mortgage Childcare Maintenance Travel Rent / Mortgage Childcare Bursary/EMA Bursary FE Discretionary FE Childcare N/A Bursary N/A FE Childcare What funding is potentially available to me? There are four funds that provide support for eligible students on non-advanced courses. Most of these take into account the personal and financial circumstances of each individual student. There are two funds that provide assistance with living expenses. These are the Education Maintenance Allowance (if your birthday is between 1/9/96 29/2/00) and the Further Education Bursary Fund (for all other students). All funding described is subject to the student meeting specific residency and eligibility requirements.

4 Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) Aged Is your date of birth between 1 September 1996 and 29 February 2000? Yes - Complete the EMA section of the application form. Remember to enclose your full birth certificate. No - Please refer to the Applying for Bursary Funding info Is your household income less than gross per annum ( if there is more than one dependant in the household)? No - If your parents gross household income is more than 20,351 gross per annum ( if there is more than one dependant in the household) you will not be eligible for Education Maintenance Allowance. You do not need to enclose proof of household income. Yes- You will be eligible for up to 30 per week Education Maintenance Allowance. Please enclose proof. This should be your parents Tax Credit Award Notice (TCAN) 2015/16 If you stay more than two miles away from the campus you will mainly be studying at, we will assess from your application form if you can get help with travel expenses If they do not have a TCAN, please enclose P60s for tax year ended April 2015, proof of any pensions they have received in that tax year, and/or proof of any benefits they have received in that tax year. If you turn 16 between 1 st October 2015 and 29 th February 2016, and you live outwith a 2 mile radius of the campus you will mainly be studying at, you will get a Fife Council bus pass until January From January 2016 travel expenses will be paid to you. If you live outwith a 2 mile radius of the campus you will mainly be studying at, we will assess from your application form if you can get help with travel expenses. We will assess what help you can get and we will write to tell you.

5 Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) This applies to you if your date of birth is between 1 September 1996 and 29 February 2000 Education Maintenance Allowance is paid every two weeks in arrears to your bank account. If you do not have a bank account you will need to open one. It is paid for 100% attendance at classes. As payment is based on attendance, no payment will be made for the short holiday weeks i.e. Easter, October Break, Christmas. You need to complete an application form and send it to: Student Funding Team Data and Information Management Department Fife Halbeath Campus Pittsburgh Road Dunfermline Fife, KY11 8DY We will need proof of your parents household income and proof of your date of birth, e.g. full birth certificate or passport. You must attend all your classes and sign an EMA Learning Agreement with the. Rate of EMA If your household income is: You will get 20,351 or less 30 per week 22, per week if there is another dependant in the household Applicants in Care Applicants who are in foster care or other Local Authority cares are eligible to apply for full EMA support. A letter from the Local Authority stating that the applicant is under their care should be sent with the EMA application form. Additional Information Your parents can still claim Child Benefit for you as long as you are attending a full time non-advanced course of education. It is Policy that students who are estranged from parents and under the age of 20 should apply for Income Support during their time at college. EMA funding does not affect any benefits you may receive.

6 Applying for Bursary Funding if you are aged Is your date of birth between 1 September 1990 and 31 August 1996? Yes - Please complete the Bursary section of the application form. Remember to enclose your full birth certificate Are you married or living with a partner? No - Have you been supporting yourself from full time earnings or JSA/benefits for a complete 3 year period? No - Are you a lone parent? No - Your bursary is assessed on your parents income. Please provide proof of gross household income for tax year ended April 2015 and any dependent brothers and sisters you have. Yes - Provide proof of your partner s gross earnings or benefits/jsa as applicable for tax year ended April Please also provide proof of any dependent children you have, and proof of where you live. Yes - We may be able to assess you as an independent student. You need to provide proof of a complete 3 full tax years earnings or benefits or JSA or a combination of these to qualify. Yes - You may be eligible to claim Income Support while you are at college depending on age of child/children. You will not get a maintenance bursary but you may qualify for help with travel and you can apply for help with childcare costs. Please provide proof of your Income Support and proof of where you live. We will assess what you are eligible for and we will write to tell you. It is important that you do not give up work until you know how much you will have to live on while you are attending.

7 Applying for Bursary Funding if you are 25 and over v Is your date of birth on or before 31 August 1990? Yes - Please complete the Bursary section of the application form. Remember to enclose your full birth certificate Are you married or living with a partner? No - Are you a lone parent? No - Are you a single person with no dependent children? Are you eligible to remain on Incapacity Benefit/Employment Support Allowance while you are attending? Yes - Provide proof of your partner s gross earnings or benefits/jsa as applicable for tax year ended April Please also provide proof of any dependent children you have, and proof of where you live. Yes - You may be eligible to claim Income Support while you are at college depending on age of child/children. You will not get a maintenance bursary but you may qualify for help with travel and you can apply for help with childcare costs. Please provide proof of your Income Support and proof of where you live Yes - Please provide proof of single person status, proof of recent earnings or JSA/benefits, and proof of where you live. Yes - It is in your own interests to check this with the benefits agency and your doctor. You will not receive a maintenance bursary to live on, but you may get help with travel. Please provide proof of where you live, proof of your benefit and any other household income this is means tested We will assess what you are eligible for and we will write to tell you. It is important that you do not give up work until you know how much you will have to live on while you are attending.

8 Bursaries This applies to you if your date of birth is on or before 31 August 1996 i.e. 19 or over by the start date of the course The amount of money you receive will depend on household income. It may help pay for:- Travel Expenses (if you do not qualify for separate travel expense funding from the ) Maintenance - food, clothing and other living expenses Bursary is paid every two weeks in arrears to your bank account. If you do not have a bank account you will need to open one. It is paid for 90% attendance at classes. It supports you during the programme and the short holidays but not over the summer holidays. You need to complete an application form and hand it into any reception or send it to: Student Funding Team, Data and Information Management Department Fife Halbeath Campus Pittsburgh Road Dunfermline Fife KY11 8DY We will need proof of your household income and proof of your ID. Additional Information If you are under 20 years of age, your parents can still claim Child Benefit for you as long as you are attending a full time, non-advanced course of education.

9 Bursary Rates - Rates of Maintenance Allowance (weekly rate) These are the maximum amounts per week - you may receive less than this. The actual amount of bursary awarded will depend on your personal situation and household income. Standard (at parental home) Higher (away from parental home) Parentally Supported n/a and over or Self-Supporting n/a n/a The rate of per week maximum may be available to students under 25 years of age who are married/living with partner/self-support status. See self-support section for more information. You are likely to receive the full amount of bursary applicable to your status if your parents /partner s total gross income for tax year ended April 2015 is less than: 19 to 24 years Parental income under 24,275 gross per annum Married/partner Partner s income under 20,643 gross per annum

10 Self-supporting status for students under 25 A student s parents/guardians have a financial responsibility towards the student while he/she is undertaking a full time course of study in accordance with the Family Law (Scotland) Act 1985, whether he/she lives in the parental home or not. This applies up to the age of 25 unless the student can show documentary evidence of three full tax years self-support. Self-support is considered to be periods where the student has supported themselves from earnings from full time employment and/ or been in receipt of JSA or benefits. Annual income must be equal to, or more than current benefit rates to be considered as self-support. If you wish to be considered as self-supporting you must provide complete evidence covering three full years, e.g. P60s, letter from Inland Revenue, printout from Job Centre, letter from Benefits Agency. If you do not have P60s covering the three year period preceding the commencement date of the course you can request a statement of earnings from the HMRC. HMRC can be contacted on Applicants who are unable to provide acceptable evidence of self-support will be assessed on parental income and awarded at parentally supported rate. The reason the self-supporting age is set at 25 is that the obligation for parents to support children undergoing education or training is set out in Section 1 (5)(b) of the Family Law (Scotland) Act This sets out the obligation of aliment and it covers both fees and student support. This can be found via the following link:

11 Travel Expenses You may be given help with travel expenses if you live more than 2 miles away from the, i.e. outwith a 2 mile radius. Costs will be based on public transport rates using the most economical and direct route. The amount you are awarded will depend on where you live. If you are under the age of 18 or if you are 18 and eligible for EMA, this help will automatically be awarded to you. If you are 18 years of age AND know that you will not qualify for EMA, we will require proof of your parents household income to assess your entitlement to travel help. Travel is means tested for all students aged 18 and over. This will be paid every two weeks in arrears into your bank account. Note that travel costs are calculated only on term weeks although you will receive a fortnightly payment. Please note that if you are 18 years of age and you DO NOT qualify for EMA, you may still be eligible for help with travel, depending on your parents household income.

12 Documentation Required You have completed all the relevant sections of this Bursary Application Form The declaration has been signed and dated by the appropriate person(s) You have enclosed your full birth certificate/passport/photo drivers licence /NHS Medical Card Where applicable Full birth certificates of dependants are enclosed Proof that student is estranged from their parents e.g. letter from Social Work Department Proof of all income is enclosed, including child benefit/tax credits (P60s or SF1, SF2 or SF 3 Forms included in the Application Form) Proof of divorce/separation/child support agency payments (received and/or paid) is enclosed (Form SF4 included in the Application Form) Proof of residency Proof of married/single status (e.g. Council Tax letter), proof of parent s single status (e.g. Council Tax letter, Tax Credit Award Notice) Tenancy Agreement/letter from landlord Written supporting statement regarding previous funding Proof of self-supporting status is enclosed e.g. P60s, wage slips (please specify)

13 Benefits and Bursary Award You are not entitled to receive a maintenance bursary and JSA/ESA benefits at the same time. If you are in receipt of JSA or Income Support and are required to be available for work, you must apply for a maintenance bursary and sign off during your time at college. If you are a lone parent in receipt of Income Support you will be able to continue to claim Income Support if you have a child who is under 5 years of age at the start of the course. You will not receive a maintenance bursary, as another source of income is available. You should apply for help with travel where applicable. Help is also available for registered childcare costs. Please check with your Lone Parent Advisor at the Job Centre. Lone parents who have been working prior to starting college and who are giving up work should claim Income Support while they are attending a full time college course if they have a child under 5 years of age at the start of the course. If you are under 20 years of age and are estranged from your parents, it is Policy that you should claim Income Support during your time at. Applicants who currently receive Employment Support Allowance should contact the Benefits Agency for advice. * Applicants in the following categories should continue to claim their benefits and should apply for help with travel where applicable. (Travel costs are means tested for students 18 and over). Students who have the right to certain disability benefits and who are not required to register as being available for work while on a full-time college programme. Students who are not required to register as being available for work AND whose spouse/partner has a right to claim benefits. *Note: Students who are in receipt of Incapacity Benefit/ESA. Students in this category should obtain permission from the Benefits Agency/doctor to undertake a full time course of study. This is to safeguard health and right to benefit.

14 Additional Information If you are a single student, under the age of 21, and you are a tenant, you may be able to qualify for housing benefit/rebate while you are a student, providing you are not studying a course at HNC/HND/Degree level. Please check with your local council. You should consider carefully if you will be able to meet your housing costs from your bursary award. Other help may be available, see section on Student Support Fund. If you live in a flat or house on your own or with other students, the property is exempt and you will not pay Council Tax if your course lasts for 24 or more weeks. If you live with someone who is not a student you will not be counted towards the Council Tax bill and the household may be eligible for a discount if your course lasts for 24 or more weeks. You will have to submit an Application for Council Tax Discount/Exemption Student form to the Council. It is your responsibility to inform the Student Funding Team of any change in your circumstances, or if you leave your course. If you enrol on your course but do not take up your place, it is important that you notify the Student Funding Team immediately. Any overpayment will be reclaimed. Bursaries are assessed in accordance with National and Policies and rules. As part of Policy there is provision for an appeals procedure and information about this procedure will be provided on request. Bursary/EMA applications received more than six weeks after the start of the course will not be backdated. Payment will commence from the date that the application form is complete and all supporting evidence is received. For EMA students (i.e. if you are aged 16, 17 or 18 at the start of your course), applicants must supply one set of clear photocopied documents. For Bursary students (i.e. if you are aged 19 or over at the start of your course), applicants must supply one set of photocopied documents. We do not accept original documents. All documents must be copied in full, i.e. all pages where it is a multiple page document. Please do not post original documents as the will take no responsibility for lost original documentation. If you post original documents to us we would advise that you enclose a prepaid recorded delivery envelope to ensure the safe return of documents. Posted original documents will be returned by standard post if no prepaid recorded delivery envelope is enclosed with the application form. The will take no responsibility for lost documentation returned by standard post.

15 Is there any other financial support available? Students may be able to get additional money to help keep them while they are studying at college. Help can be given for: Registered/formal childcare Housing costs (Mortgage/Rent) Specific hardship Applications are means tested. It is important to read the form carefully and provide your award letter and proof of income and expenditure to allow a decision to be made quickly. A letter will be sent to you telling you what we are supporting you with and the amount of money you will receive. This will only be paid once you have started. If your application is unsuccessful we will write to you to advise you. You can apply to the Student Support Fund at any time during the session. Student Support Application Forms (Money Does Matter) are available from reception at any campus from 3 rd August Will receipt of my application be acknowledged? When applying through the s on-line student funding application system you will receive acknowledgement by .

16 Overpayment of award Your award may be revised by the at any time if: You fail to comply with the conditions of the award; You have omitted to submit any relevant documentation; You have made a false declaration in your funding application; and/or An error has been made in the computation of your award. If this does occur, our Student Funding Team will contact you to discuss this matter and any repayments if applicable. What are your responsibilities? You must ensure that you complete all enrolment procedures. No payment will be authorised until this is done, and your entitlement to support will only start from the date of your enrolment. Your award is dependent on your satisfactory attendance, conduct and progress during the programme for which the award was made. In cases where your conduct and/or progress and/or attendance is, in the opinion of the, unsatisfactory in any given period without any satisfactory explanation, your payments will be withheld. If you withdraw from your course and have been overpaid, you will be required to repay this overpayment. You must cover all absences, as per the Student Attendance Policy. Who to contact if you need help? As everyone s circumstances are different you may wish to contact customer services on or info@fife.ac.uk, if you have any questions.