Access to Learning Fund
The Access to Learning Fund is a source of help for students who can demonstrate real financial difficulty in maintaining themselves. They may not be used to pay fees. Students can get help from the fund to meet course related costs, travel expenses, childcare costs or general living costs such as rent. If you qualify for a payment from the fund it will not usually need to be repaid.
Eligibility
- You must be a full time student or part-time taking at least 50 per cent of a full time course. If you are a disabled student and your disability prevents you from studying at least half time you can apply as long are you are taking at least 25 per cent of a full time course.
- You must be classified as 'Home' student for fee purposes. In brief, this means that you must be settled in the UK and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for three years on 1 September of the year prior to the start of your course.
Awards
An award can be anywhere between £100 and £3,000 for the 2009/10 academic year. The exact amount of award will be determined by the University depending on the level of hardship demonstrated by you, but bear in mind that initially these will be at most 60 per cent of your calculated need. If funds remain later in the year, the percentage of need awarded may be increased and extra cheques will be raised for all successful students.
Demand always exceeds the amount of money available and applications may be refused. Please do not assume Access to Learning Funds as part of your budget until you are certain that you will be made an award.
When you should Apply
Students can apply for assistance from the Access to Learning Fund at any point in the academic year up to 5pm Friday 18 June. If a student's application is submitted after this time, the office has discretion to refuse or award the application, depending on individual merit. The University will aim to get a written decision to you within four weeks. However at busy times of year this may not always be possible.
Supporting Evidence
Applicants must submit a completed application form along with supporting documentation, such as evidence of income (wage slips or benefit breakdowns), cost of accommodation, banks/building society statements, travel expenses, study costs and any childcare costs to Central Admissions and Student Funding. Please ensure you read the full guidance notes issued with the form for a detailed list of requested evidence. If the office has to request extra documentation, your assessment will be delayed. Please therefore make sure you read the information with the form, the full guidance notes and supply all the relevant documentation at the time of application.
Further information and application forms are available from your relevant School Office, Student Advisors, Harrow Finance office, or from the Student Funding Office.
The full guidance notes are available to download here:
Access to Learning Fund Guidance Notes
The Access to Learning Fund Application Form is available to download here:
Access to Learning Fund Application Form
Please read the guidance notes carefully before submitting your application. Missing information will delay your application and may lead to it being rejected entirely.
You can get further advice from:
Student Funding
Ground floor, Marylebone Site
35 Marylebone Road
London NW1 5LS
Tel. +44 (0)20 7911 5000 ext 5716
Email: studentfunding@westminster.ac.uk