You May Be Eligible for the Following Financial Support

Information for Undergraduate degree and Certificate of Higher Education students who started before September 2012

The document relates to Undergraduate and Certificate of Higher Education students continuing on study started before September 2012. The information is not relevant for students who started their course after September 2012.

You may be eligible for the following financial support:

1. Government fee and course grants (PTG): PTG forms for 2016/17 are now available. Find out if you are eligible and how to apply for a non-repayable Government grant for part-time students.

2. Birkbeck Financial Support (UG)

Birkbeck Financial Support Awards are used to support part-time undergraduate students who started prior to September 2012 and who, for a variety of reasons, are not eligible for Government funding.

3. Birkbeck Access to Learning Fund (BALF)

Additional help with their course related costs.

To talk to someone directly about the fees and financial support please visit the My Birkbeck Student Advice Centre in the main Birkbeck building or phone us on 020 7631 6316.

1 1. Government fees and course grants (PTG)

The Government offers part-time foundation degree, BA/BSc, LLB and Certificate of Higher Education students non-repayable fee grants towards the cost of your course fees and course grants to help with the additional costs of studying, such as books and travel.

Applications for the part-time grant for 2016/17 are now available. See 'How to Apply' below to download the correct form.

For further information please download the Student Finance Guide to Part-time Grants 2016/171.

How to Apply - 'Home' students

 If you are applying for the part-time grant for the first time, or have transferred courses for 2016/17 you will need to download and complete the PTGN Form2 and also see the Guidance Notes3.

 If you have applied for the part-time grant before, you will need to download and complete the PTGC Form4 and also see the Guidance Notes5.

 Once completed, you will need to get your form authorised by the Registry to confirm that you are enrolled for the academic year 2016/2017 (you can hand in your completed form to the My Birkbeck Student Centre).

 Your form will be stamped and returned to you. You must then send the authorised form with your supporting documents by 31st May 2017 to: Student Finance England: PO Box 210, Darlington, DL1 9HJ

How to Apply - EU nationals

 If you are an EU National who has been living and/or working in the UK, please check if you should apply as a 'Home' student or as an EU national BEFORE completing the EUPTG1 form below.

1 http://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/media/7251/sfe_grants_for_part-time_study_qg_1617_d.pdf

2 http://media.slc.co.uk/sfe/1617/pt/sfe_ptgn_form_1617_d.pdf

3 http://media.slc.co.uk/sfe/1617/pt/sfe_ptgn_notes_1617_d.pdf

4 http://media.slc.co.uk/sfe/1617/pt/sfe_ptgc_form_1617_d.pdf

5 http://media.slc.co.uk/sfe/1617/pt/sfe_ptgc_notes_1617_d.pdf

2  You can apply for the part-time grant by downloading and completing the EUPTG1 Form6 and also see the Guidance Notes7.

 Your form will be stamped and returned to you. You must then send the authorised form with your supporting documents by 31st May 2017 to: Student Finance England: PO Box 210, Darlington, DL1 9HJ.

Additional Forms

 If you are in receipt of means-tested benefits you should complete a Benefits Confirmation Form (CB1)8 and send it to SFE with your part-time grant application.

 If your course, university or contact details change you should complete a Change of Circumstances Form (CO2)9.

When your form can be authorised by Birkbeck

 You must be enrolled for 2016/17 before the Registry can authorise your form.

 For students who have applied for the part-time grant before the earliest your form can be authorised is 01/09/2016.

 For students applying for the part-time grant for the first time, or students who have transferred courses for 2016/17 the earliest your form can be authorised is 15/09/2016.

Eligibility criteria for Government fee and/or course grants

You must:

1. Be an undergraduate student continuing on study started prior to September 2012

6 http://media.slc.co.uk/sfe/1617/eu/eu_ptg1_form_1617_d.pdf

7 http://media.slc.co.uk/sfe/1617/eu/eu_ptg1_notes_1617_d.pdf

8 http://media.slc.co.uk/sfe/1617/pt/sfe_pt_cb1_form_1617_d.pdf

9 http://media.slc.co.uk/sfe/1617/pt/sfe_pt_co2_form_1617_d.pdf

3  This includes students who started a Certificate of Higher Education or Foundation Degree before September 2012 and who have completed and progressed directly onto part-time undergraduate BA/BSc/LLB degree study

2. Be a 'Home'/EU student

3. Not be classed as ELQ for fee paying purposes. i.e. you already hold a qualification which is equal or higher than the one you are planning to study.

4. Not be in arrears to the Student Loans Company: you should contact the Student Advice Service for advice if this applies to you.

5. Plan to study one of the following part-time courses:

 BA/BSc/LLB

 Foundation Degree

 Certificate of Higher Education (usually over 2 years unless designated fast-track)

6. Be completing the course in no more than twice the length of time required to complete the equivalent full-time course

7. Meet the following income criteria:

Either be in receipt of one of the following (means-tested) benefits:

 Universal Credit

 Income Support

 Housing Benefit

 Local Housing Allowance

 Income-based Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)

 Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)

Please submit a Confirmation of Benefits form 10 to Student Finance England, along with your stamped PTG form.

Or your gross annual income for the 2015-2016 financial year (as shown on your P60/s or self employment Tax Return) should be:

10 http://media.slc.co.uk/sfe/1617/pt/sfe_pt_cb1_form_1617_d.pdf

4 If you are single

'Child/ren' in the following table refers to dependants.

0 children 1 child 2 children 3 children Entitlement Maximum fee grant allowed for your course Less than Less than Less than Less than intensity (or the tuition fees charged for your £16,845 £18,845 £19,845 £20,845 course if these are lower) + full course grant Maximum fee grant allowed for your course £16,845 £18,845 £19,845 £20,845 intensity less £50 (or the tuition fees charged for exactly exactly exactly exactly your course if these are lower) + full course grant £16,846 to £18,846 to £19,846 to £20,846 to Partial fee grant (at least £50) + full course grant £25,420 £27,420 £28,420 £29,420 £25,421 to £27,421 to £28,421 to £29,421 to No fee grant + full course grant £26,029 £28,029 £29,029 £30,029 £26,030 to £28,030 to £29,030 to £30,030 to No fee grant + partial course grant £28,065 £30,065 £31,065 £32,065 £28,066 or £30,066 or £31,066 or £32,066 or No fee grant + no course grant more more more more

If you are married/partnered

If you live with a partner, your assessment will be based on your combined incomes, and the basic income boundaries are adjusted by £2000.

'Child/ren' in the following table refers to dependants.

0 children 1 child 2 children 3 children Entitlement Maximum fee grant allowed for your course intensity (or the tuition fees Less than Less than Less than Less than charged for your course if these are £18,845 £20,845 £21,845 £22,845 lower) + full course grant. (See How Much Can You Get below). Maximum fee grant allowed for your course intensityless £50 (or the tuition £18,845 £20,845 £21,845 £22,845 fees charged for your course if these are exactly exactly exactly exactly lower) + full course grant. (See How Much Can You Get below). Partial fee grant (at least £50) + full £18,846 to £20,846 to £21,846 to £22,846 to course grant. (See How Much Can You £27,420 £29,420 £30,420 £31,420 Get below). £27,421 to £29,421 to £30,421 to £31,421 to No fee grant + full course grant £28,029 £30,029 £31,029 £32,029 £28,030 to £30,030 to £31,030 to £32,030 to No fee grant + partial course grant £30,065 £32,065 £33,065 £34,065 £30,066 or £32,066 or £33,066 or £34,066 or No fee grant + No course grant more more more more 5 Information for EU, EEA or Swiss Nationals taking part-time undergraduate courses

If you are an EU national or the child of such a person, and you have lived in the UK and Islands (apart from temporary absences) for the three years prior to start of your course, you should follow the application process for 'Home' students.

If you came to the UK to work and have not lived in the UK for three years before the start of your course, you may still be eligible to apply for a Government fees and course grant if you can prove Migrant Worker Status. If, in your view, you are an EEA or Swiss migrant worker or you are the spouse, civil partner, child or step-child of a migrant worker, you should follow the application process for 'Home' students.

If you are an EU national who has not lived in the UK for three years before the start of your course - but you have lived in the EEA for three years before the start of the course, you should follow the application process for EU nationals.

How much can you get?

For students studying in 2016/17 you can get a fee grant of up to £1,285 and a course grant of up to £280.

Provided you meet the eligibility criteria, how much you can get depends on the intensity of your course and on your household income as outlined under Eligibility Criteria above.

Intensity of your course

Your course intensity Maximum fee grant you can get 50% to 59% of the equivalent full-time Up to £855, or the total cost of your tuition course fees if it’s lower 60% to 74% of the equivalent full-time Up to £1,025, or the total cost of your tuition course fees if it’s lower 75% or more of the equivalent full-time Up to £1,285, or the total cost of your tuition course fees if it’s lower

Deadline for applications

It is expected that your fee grant will be received by Birkbeck by 23rd February 2017. If not, your enrolment and access to Birkbeck services may be affected.

The deadline for receipt of authorised PTG grant applications by Student Finance England or EUPTG1 grant applications by the Student Finance Services European Team for 2016/17 is:

6  31st May 2017: for all courses that start in September/October 2016. This includes all Certificate of Higher Education students, regardless of when your modules start.

If you are eligible for a fee grant you can enrol online without making an upfront payment by selecting the part-time fee grant option and answering the eligibility questions on screen. This is on the understanding that you are eligible and will apply for the part-time fee grant.

Alternatively, enrol by making an initial payment for your course by selecting to set up a direct debit mandate. You can then apply for the part-time grant and if your grant is successful you will be refunded any overpayment later in the year once Birkbeck has received your fee grant.

If you are not eligible for a fee grant based on your income for the 2015/16 tax year but have had a significant drop in income since then, please contact Student Finance England regarding being assessed on your current income.

If you are not eligible for a fee grant please contact the Student Advice Service for further guidance.

7 2. Birkbeck Financial Support (UG)

Birkbeck Financial Support Awards are used to support part-time undergraduate students who started prior to September 2012 and who, for a variety of reasons, are not eligible for Government funding. This can be for example, due to previous study, student loan arrears or length of study. These awards are normally available to help both Home and EU students who have not been classed as Equivalent Level Qualification for fee paying purposes.

What you can apply for

 Full or partial awards to help with the cost of tuition fees. Fee awards are usually based on the standard rates of fee (some courses charge a fee above the standard rate).

 Small awards to assist with general course costs, for example essential books or the cost of travel to and from Birkbeck.

Birkbeck has complete discretion as to how this money is awarded and all assessments will look at students' income and expenditure.

Applicants should not usually be earning more than the standard income thresholds and the percentage of any award will be scaled based on income from the previous tax year. Please see the table below for the standard income bandings:

Band Income % award 1 Below £16,845 100 2 £16,845 - £20,585 75 3 £20,586 - £24,325 50 4 £24,326 - £28,065 25

How to apply

For more information or to apply, please contact us on 020 7631 6316. Application forms for the 2016/17 academic year will be available from September 2016.

The deadline for receipt of applications in the 2016/17 academic year is 26th May 2017. Applications can only be accepted after this date with the prior agreement of the Student Advice Service, and if the student has exceptional circumstances.

8 Eligibility criteria for Birkbeck Financial Support

To be eligible you must:

1. be enrolled on either an Undergraduate degree (i.e. BA, BSc, LLB), Foundation Degree or Certificate of Higher Education11

1. be a 'Home' student (check residence requirements at the end of the document)

2. have started your studies prior to September 2012 and be ineligible for government funding

3. normally, meet the income criteria below

Income criteria

To be eligible you must:

1. Either be in receipt of one of the following (means-tested) benefits:

 Universal Credit

 Income Support

 Housing Benefit / Local Housing Allowance

 Income-Based Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)

 Income-Based Job Seekers Allowance (JSA)

2. Or your gross annual income for the 2015-2016 financial year (i.e. your income before deductions) should be:

Joint income if you are Number of children Income if you are single married/partnered No dependent children Less than £28,065 Less than £30,065 One dependent child Less than £30,065 Less than £32,065 Two dependent children Less than £31,065 Less than £33,065 Three dependent children Less than £32,065 Less than £34,065 Four dependent children Less than £33,065 Less than £35,065

11 Please note: This financial support is not normally for students who already hold a qualification which is equal to or higher than the one you are studying at Birkbeck. If this applies to you, please contact the Student Advice Service for advice.

9 3. Birkbeck Access to Learning Fund (BALF)

Part-Time undergraduate students can apply to the Birkbeck Access to Learning Fund if they require additional help with their course related costs, e.g. essential books, photocopying, childcare (although for this, the fund is normally reserved for single parents), the cost of an essential field trip or help with travel to and from the University.

Full-Time undergraduate students who are in receipt of the maximum maintenance entitlement from SFE and are in financial difficulty can apply to the Fund for help with living costs and course related costs. Full-Time EU students who are not eligible for maintenance funding from SFE can be considered for help towards essential field trip costs only.

Awards are normally made for students who have already received the Birkbeck Cash Bursary or part-time course grant from SFE.

Assessment for Part-Time Students

Part-time students are assessed based on their total declared course-related costs for the full academic year. The percentage of any award made will then be scaled based on income from the previous tax year and will take into consideration if students are in receipt of the Birkbeck Cash Bursary or part-time course grant. Please see below for the standard income bandings:

Band Income % award 1 Below £16,845 100 2 £16,845 - £20,585 75 3 £20,586 - £24,325 50 4 £24,326 - £28,065 25

Assessment for Full-Time Students

Full-Time students are assessed for living costs using a standard calculation which looks at the difference between the expected annual income for a student and their accepted reasonable expenditure. If the expenditure is higher, they are viewed as having a shortfall for living costs and an award may be made. Award amounts are discretionary and are normally paid at 80% of the calculated shortfall.

Further Information

Awards from the Birkbeck Access to Learning Fund are paid on top of the standard student finance package, they are not meant as a substitute for it. Please note that caps are in place with regards to the various costs we can consider and you may not receive everything you

10 apply for. Awards are intended to help towards your costs and will not necessarily cover them in full.

Eligibility criteria

In order to be eligible to apply for an award from the Birkbeck Access to Learning Fund you must:

1. be enrolled on a part-time undergraduate degree (i.e. BA, BSc, LLB), Foundation Degree or Certificate of Higher Education OR be enrolled on a full-time undergraduate degree or Foundation Degree12

2. be a 'Home' student (see residency information at the end of the document)

 Full-Time students assessed as EU by Student Finance England can apply for help towards the costs of an essential field trip only.

3. have applied for and received the Birkbeck Cash Bursary or Government fee and/or course grant (if eligible)

4. normally, meet the following income criteria:

Income criteria for Part-Time Students

To be eligible you must:

3. Either be in receipt of one of the following (means-tested) benefits:

 Universal Credit

 Income Support

 Housing Benefit / Local Housing Allowance

 Income-Based Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)

 Income-Based Job Seekers Allowance (JSA)

4. Or your gross annual income for the 2015-2016 financial year (i.e. your income before deductions) should be:

Number of children Income if you are single Joint income if you are

12 Please note: Full-Time students who already hold a qualification which is equal to or higher than the one you are studying at Birkbeck are not eligible for this funding.

11 married/partnered No dependent children Less than £28,065 Less than £30,065 One dependent child Less than £30,065 Less than £32,065 Two dependent children Less than £31,065 Less than £33,065 Three dependent children Less than £32,065 Less than £34,065 Four dependent children Less than £33,065 Less than £35,065

Income criteria for Full-Time Students

To be eligible you must:

 have been fully means-tested by Student Finance England and have consented to share your income data with Birkbeck

 be in receipt of the maximum maintenance loan and grant entitlement available to you from Student Finance England13

 have applied for all sources of funding available to you before applying to this fund.

When to apply

If you have applied for the Birkbeck Cash Bursary or the Government fee and/or course grant, you should wait until you have received a decision on this application before applying to the Birkbeck Access to Learning Fund.

It is also expected that Full-Time students will have received the first instalment of their maintenance entitlement from SFE before applying to this fund.

How to apply

You will need to apply by contacting the Student Advice Service. Birkbeck Access to Learning Fund application forms for the 2016/17 academic year will normally be available from September.

Deadline to apply

The deadline for receipt of applications for the academic year 2016/17 is 26th May 2017.

13 Students assessed as EU are not entitled to maintenance funding, therefore in order to be eligible for support towards an essential field trip your household income as assessed by SFE must meet the part-time income criteria above.

12 Please note this is a limited fund and applications will be treated on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications will no longer be accepted if this fund runs out, therefore you must apply as soon as possible after you have received your part-time fee grant or cash bursary.

Applications can only be accepted after the deadline date with the prior agreement of the Student Advice Service, and if students have exceptional circumstances.

Residence information:

You may be considered to be a 'Home' student if you fit into one of the following categories:

Category 1 On the first day of the first academic year of the course, you are Ordinarily Resident in the United Kingdom and you are a UK national or a national of an EU country, or the ‘relevant family member’ of such a national, or you have one of the following:  Indefinite Leave to Enter/Remain (ILE/R)  Humanitarian Protection (HP)  Right of Abode and you have lived in the UK for three years before the start of your course and the main purpose for your residence in the UK and islands must not have been to receive full-time education during any part of that three year period.

Category 2 You have full refugee status.

Category 3 You are an EU national who has lived in the EEA for three years before the start of your course, and you are exercising your right to work in the UK.

The first day of the first academic year of the course is calculated as follows:

For courses starting: First day of academic year On or after 1 August and on or before 31 December 1 September On or after 1 January and on or before 1 April 1 January On or after 1 April and on or before 1 July 1 April On or after 1 July and on or before 1 August 1 July

Please note: Assigning Fee Status is a very complex area and therefore the information above is not intended to be an exhaustive guide. For more information, see the information sheet produced by UKCISA on whether you qualify as a 'home' or 'overseas' student14.

14 http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Information--Advice/Fees-and-Money/England-fee-status

13 14