Search by personal circumstances

Scroll downwards to find the circumstances relevant to you. Each funding scheme has a link for more information, usually to our partner Directgov’s pages.

Where the funding is for one specific level of course, one of the following letters will be in brackets:

FE – Further education (which can also include training courses, entry level courses and community learning)

HE – Higher education

PG – Postgraduate

Funding sources with no letters in brackets are not tied to any particular level of course.

Whatever your circumstances

• Educational charities and trusts – visit the Educational Grants Advisory Service site for further info  
• Professional and Career Development Loan

I’ve got disabilities

• Discretionary Support Funds (FE)
• Disabled Students' Allowances (HE)
• Professional and Career Development Loan

I’m in work

• Getting training at work

I want to improve my basic skills

• Free courses

• Adult Entitlement to Learning  

I’m studying for my first level 2 or 3 qualification

• Free courses
• Adult Learning Grant (FE)
• Adult Entitlement to Learning

I want to study away from home

• Help if you're studying away from home (FE)

I want to do a dance or drama course

• Dance and Drama Awards

I’m claiming benefits

• Free courses
• New Deal and other programmes

I’ve got children

• Sixth Form College Childcare Scheme (FE)
• Free Childcare for Training and Learning for Work scheme (FE)
• Discretionary Support Funds (FE)
• Care to Learn (FE)
• Childcare Grant (HE)
• Parents' Learning Allowance (HE)
• Access to Learning Fund (HE)
• Tax Credits
• Professional and Career Development Loan

I’m a jobseeker

• New Deal and other programmes

I’m a young person

• Education Maintenance Allowance (FE)
• Adult Entitlement to Learning

I’m on a course and in financial difficulties

• Discretionary Support Fund (FE)
• Access to Learning Fund (HE)

I want to retrain

• Professional and Career Development Loan
• Adult Learning Grant (FE)
• Adult Entitlement to Learning 

I want to know what the standard finance package for university study is

• Eligibility rules (HE)
• Tuition fees and other expenses (HE)
• Maintenance Grant and Special Support Grant (HE)
• Student loans (HE)
• Bursaries, scholarships and other awards (HE)

I want to study for a degree part-time

• Finance for part-time students (HE)

I want to go to university and there’s an adult that depends on me financially

• Adult Dependants' Grant (HE)

I want to train to be a teacher

• Initial Teacher Training: Student Loans, grants and bursaries (HE and PG)
• Funding for postgraduate teacher training (PG)

I want to do a health care or social work course

• NHS and social work students (HE and PG)

I want to fund a postgraduate course

• Financing your postgraduate course - an overview (PG)