Financial Support for Full-time Students
If you're aged 16-18 you may be eligible to receive a whole range of financial support whilst you study at NULC. To download a copy of the Student Financial Support Arrangements 2012/13 please the link below.
Please download the following application form to apply for either the NEWCASTLE MAINTENANCE ALLOWANCE (NMA) or GUARANTEED BURSARY ALLOWANCE.
Guaranteed Bursary Allowance (GBA)
You can apply for a Guaranteed Bursary Allowance (GBA) if:
• you are in care or you are a care leaver;
• you are in receipt of Income Support; or
• you are in receipt of Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance.
If you meet one or more of the criteria above you will receive weekly payments of £30 for up to 36 weeks. The payments will be subject to full attendance on your course. There will be a bonus paid to you on the successful completion of your course. The money will be paid directly into your bank account.
To apply for the Guaranteed Bursary Allowance (GBA) please download and complete the application form above.
Newcastle Maintenance Allowance (NMA)
Anyone with a household income under £21,000 per annum may be eligible for some help with course related costs including Travel, Books, Stationery, Equipment, Essential Trips and Meals. The payments will be subject to full attendance on your course.
You can receive:
• up to 100% of the costs of your travel
• up to 90% of the costs of books, stationery, equipment, essential trips
• up to £10 per week for meals in College.
The College operates a cashless payment scheme called WisePay. So when you enrol you’ll be given an NULC ID card which doubles as your payment card for the College Food Hall, Shop and Starbucks. Your Maintenance Allowance will be credited to your card, which can also be used to purchase bus passes and print credits.
Once your application has been approved you will receive a payment schedule giving you the dates when you will receive your payments and how much the payment will be.
To apply for the Newcastle Maintenance Allowance please download and complete the application form above.
EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance)
The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is now closed to new applicants replaced by the bursary scheme (details above). However some students who successfully applied for EMA in 2009/10 or 2010/11 may be entitled to receive a weekly payment in 2011/12.
• Students who successfully applied for EMA in 2009/10 will received the same weekly payment as in previous college years.
• Students who first applied for EMA in 2010/11 and received the maximum EMA payment of £30 will receive a reduced award of £20 a week in 2011/12.
A ‘Notice of Entitlement’ will be sent automatically to eligible students.
For more details visit http://www.direct.gov.uk/ema
Army FE Bursary Scheme
The Army has teamed up with Newcastle-under-Lyme College to offer the Army FE Bursary Scheme. You get £1000 while you're at college, then join the Army after the end of the course, where you'll train for a job and start an exciting career. Once you have completed Army training, you'll qualify for a further £1000. Read more here.
Travel Costs
Subsidised bus passes are available to purchase from the College Cash Office. The College sells weekly, monthly and 3 monthly First passes and Smart passes. The passes are available from the College’s Cash Office and the costs are:-
o Weekly passes £13
o Monthly passes £43
o 3 Monthly passes £109
Council run travel schemes
If you live in Staffordshire (including Newcastle-under-Lyme, excluding Stoke-on-Trent) and are aged 16-19 when your course starts, you can apply to Staffordshire County Council for an annual bus pass currently costing £430, however, this fee may be waived for people in receipt of certain benefits. Please visit www.staffordshire.gov.uk for the most up to date information and to apply.
'Your Staffordshire Card' is a new scheme available through Staffordshire County Council. If you live in Staffordshire (excluding Stoke-on-Trent) and are aged under-20, you can apply for a free card which will enable you to travel within Staffordshire for £1 per journey. Please visit vwww.staffordshire.gov.uk for further information and how to apply.
If you live in Stoke-on-Trent, and are aged under-19 when your course starts and are living 3 miles or more away from College, you can purchase an annual bus pass through Stoke-on-Trent City Council. The annual pass currently costs £330. For further information about this scheme please contact the Stoke-on-Trent City Council Travel Team on (01782) 233232 or visit www.stoke.gov.uk.
Childcare Funding
Care to Learn is a Government scheme whereby if you are aged 19 or under at the start of your course, you may be eligible to receive help with the cost of childcare and transport (up to £160 per week) whilst you are learning. You can choose to send your child to a nursery or childminder as long as they are registered with Ofsted.
For further information and to request an application pack please visit www.direct.gov.uk/caretolearn or telephone their Learner Support Helpline on (0800) 121 8989.
Emergency Help
If a student requires one-off emergency help in cases of severe hardship, an assessment of need may not be required. The request will be assessed by the College Accountant and Student Finance Advisor.
Conditions of Support
Discretionary financial support including the Discretionary Bursary Scheme is subject to funds being available. Support approved in year 1 of a course is no guarantee of support in future years of study. The college reserves the right to cancel support if a learner withdraws from College or does not fulfil the conditions set by the College.
Further Enquiries
If you require any further information please contact the Student Finance Advisor in Learner Services (Monday to Thursday). Telephone: 01782 254188 Email: faye.emery@nulc.ac.uk