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Financial Support

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Visit our Student Support Team for advice on financial issues.


College Publications

The Tower Hamlets College Student Support Team have a number of leaflets to help you find out about financial assistance available to you. These are available free of charge at any of our centres or online at Support Publications »

Support for your learning - Finance

Support at THC Support for your learning-Finance  » (100kb pdf file)


Studying and Receiving Benefit

Students in further education may often claim benefits while they are studying. Some of the benefits available are detailed below.

Income Support/Jobseekers Allowance

You may be allowed to study full time and claim Income Support if you are:

  • A single parent looking after a child/children
  • Eligible for Disability Premium or Severe Disability Premium.
  • Receiving Disability Students Allowance (DSA) where the award was made partly or wholly on grounds of deafness.

Students Over 18 Doing Non-advanced Education
If you are enrolled on a course which is 16 hours per week or less, aged 18 or over, resident in the UK, available for work you may be able to claim Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) depending upon your income and savings.

16 to 18 year olds
16 to 18 year olds can claim Income Support/Job Seekers Allowance in certain circumstances if studying full time, for example:

  • If you are an orphan
  • If you are estranged from your parents (if you have fallen out with them and have had to leave home)
  • If you have a child
  • If you are disabled

Check with a Student Adviser if you think you may be eligible. If you receive Income Support/JSA (and fall into one of the above categories) you may still be eligible for a maintenance grant. Please check with your LEA.

Signing On
To apply for Income Support or JSA you can go to your local benefits office or call 0800 055 6688 to make an application over the phone. You can also get further information and College leaflets on JSA/Income Support and the details of local offices from
College Student Advisers.

Links / Further Information


Jobseekers Allowance

Lots of information on Student support in Tower Hamlets Borough

Housing Benefit

Council Tax Benefit

      

Financial assistance is given to students through Student Advisors and specialist Administrators.  Advice on the Adult Learner Grant (ALG) and  the student Hardship Fund (amongst others) are provided to help aid your studies whilst at college.

Student Advisers

The Student Advisers are based with our Student Support Team at Poplar.  Appointments can be made at the student reception at the following times:

POPLAR:

  • Monday - Friday: 9.30am - 12pm and 2pm - 4pm
  • Drop-in sessions run from: 12pm-1pm

ARBOUR SQUARE:
Room LG11B

  • Monday – Friday 9.30 – 12pm and 2 pm – 4 pm
  • Drop –in sessions run from 12 pm – 1 pm

Alternatively call 020 7510 7665 or email advice@tower.ac.uk »

Students with emergency issues can drop in at any time to see an Adviser. (On Fridays students need to contact reception first as administration is carried out on Fridays.)


Welfare Advice

Welfare at THC Welfare Advice  » (50kb pdf file)

Tower Hamlets College Student Hardship Fund

The College has a Student Hardship Fund, which is made up of the Learner Support Fund and donations from other charities, to help students who are in extreme financial difficulty. If you find yourself in an urgent financial crisis during your time at College ask the Student Advisers if the Learner Support Fund can help. You may be able to get help with the following:

  • Books and equipment
  • Tuition Fees
  • Examination Fees
  • Childcare
  • Emergency Payments
  • Other Educational Costs

Discretionary Grants

You may be able to get a discretionary grant from your Local Education Authority. All LEAs have their own policy with regard to how many students get grants and what sort of courses they give grants for. Discuss this with Tower Hamlets College Advisers if you wish to apply.

Educational Trusts And Charities

There are many charities and trusts that will make small grants to help with the costs of studying. Please note that the amount and availability varies. For further information please seek help from a Student Adviser.

Housing

You may be eligible for housing benefit and in some cases Student Advisers may be able to help you find temporary housing with the help of Social Services.

Remitted Fees

Applicants who receive benefits may receive some remission of tuition fees.

Rules and regulations around fee remittance can change on an annual basis.  Please check eligibility rules with a Student Adviser.

 

Council Tax

Full-time students are fully exempt from Council Tax.
If you receive a bill for Council Tax, ask at the College Office for a letter to confirm your student status or see your Student Adviser immediately.

19+ Bursary

Students over 19 who pay substantial tuition fees, on a course with more than 3 hours guided learning a week and earn less than £16,190 can apply for a College 19+ Bursary to cover expenses such as travel, stationery, learning materials and enrichment costs.

At a later stage in the year other students who are over 19 can apply for the 19+ Bursary.  Details will be advertised through tutors, student intranet and on plasma screens.

EMA and ALG

Students who successfully applied for EMA in 2009/10 will continue to receive payments at the level set out in their EMA Guarantee until the end of the 2011/12 academic year.  

Students who successfully applied for the maximum weekly EMA payment of £30 in 2010/11 will be eligible for £20 for each week that they are in education or training until the end of the 2011/12 academic year.  A Notice of Entitlement will be given the qualifying students.

The Adult Learning Grant (ALG) budget will be combined with discretionary learner support, and allocated directly to the college  No current learners receiving ALG, and whose courses are continuing will lose out, as they will continue to receive payments during 2011/12.

16-19 Bursary

A Guaranteed Bursary of £1200 will be paid to students who are:
  • Claiming income support
  • Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance
  • In care or leaving care up to the age of 21
The Bursary will be paid in three instalments – November, February and May and subject to 75% attendance or at the tutor’s discretion.

A Discretionary Bursary will be paid to students who are not eligible for EMA and whose parental/carer income is up under £16,190.

The application deadline is 28th September 2011 and evidence of household income must be produced.  This should be a copy of a bank statement showing receipt of benefit or income, payslips or an original letter on parents’ employers’ headed paper.  Evidence must be dated within 3 months of the closing date.

The Discretionary Bursary will be paid in 3 instalments – November, February and May and will be subject to 90% attendance or at the tutor’s discretion.

Students studying less than 30 weeks and eligible for the Guaranteed and Discretionary Bursaries will be paid on a pro-rata basis.

Our Support Policies



The information on this web page and in the above leaflets is accurate at the time of production. However, as the information is occasionally subject to change, students are asked to seek further advice from our College Student Advisers.