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Advanced Learner Loan

Advanced Learner Loans are designed to help adult learners get back into education, by helping you cover the costs of Further Education and training.

Are you eligible for the Advanced Learner Loan?

In order to apply you must be 19 or older on the first day of your course and studying an eligible level 3, 4, 5 or 6 qualification. If you are aged between 19 – 23 and this course is your first full level 3, you may be entitled to fee remission. Please check this with our our team.

All Level 3 + courses are eligible. If you are unsure if a course you are interested in is eligible, please contact us and our team will be able to advise.

  • Once you’ve selected the College course you wish to apply to, HSDC will request that you complete an intention to apply for a 19+ Advanced Learner Loan form.  The College will then provide you with a Learning and Funding information letter.
  • In order to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan, you will need your Learning and Funding Information Letter, your National Insurance Number, and a valid UK passport if you have one
  • You can register and apply by visiting www.gov.uk/advancedlearnerloan, apply online or download the application form and return it to Student Finance England
  • Student Finance England will send you a letter to inform you whether you have been approved for the loan
  • The College will inform Student Finance England when you start your course and regular attendance reports. They in turn will pay your course fees directly to the College.

Please aim to complete and submit your application form as soon as possible to ensure the loan is in place for the start of your course.  If your loan is not in place prior to the start of your course, you will be required to pay a 10% deposit to the College, which will be refunded once the College receives the first payment from Student Finance England.

The amount of your loan depends on the cost of your course and the maximum amount set by the UK government.

  • You can choose to take out the maximum amount to cover your loan or you can pay all or part of the fee yourself
  • You can have a maximum of four Advanced Learner Loans in total.

Loan Bursary Fund
You may also be eligible for money from the Advanced Learner Loan Bursary Fund if you need help with some costs while studying, for example, childcare, travel or books related to your course.

You’ll begin making repayments once you’ve completed or left your course and your income is over £27,295 a year.

Access to Higher Education (HE) courses

If you study an Access course with HSDC and an Advanced Learner Loan covers the cost of your studies, Student Finance England will ‘write off’ any outstanding Advanced Learner Loan balances you owe for an Access to HE course once you complete a higher education course*. This means you do not have to repay it. Find out more on our Advanced Learner Loan page.

*The higher education course must be eligible for student finance.

If you choose to withdraw from the course, you will be liable to Student Finance England for the tuition cost at that point and this would be payable once your earnings exceed £27,295. You would also be liable to pay HSDC for the outstanding total course fees immediately. It’s important you consider your own circumstances and look at the options available to you before taking out a loan.

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