Previous study information for 2011/12 entrants

Support from Student Finance England

If you have not studied a course of higher education before (or if you are studying on a PGCE course and do not already hold Qualified Teacher Status) you can normally apply for the full student finance package (i.e. support towards tuition fees, living costs and, if you qualify, supplementary costs such as childcare). If you are eligible, the full package will normally be available for the length of your course plus, if necessary, one extra year to cover a false start, repeat year or transfer.

In general, you will only be able to get the full student finance package if you are studying for your first higher education (or PGCE) qualification or, in some cases, 'topping up' from a lower-level higher education qualification (e.g. from a higher national diploma (HND) to a degree).

If you have studied a course of higher education before, this is likely to affect your entitlement to the student finance package for any new undergraduate course as follows:

If you have attended a previous course of higher education and already hold an equivalent (or higher level) qualification from a UK or overseas institution you are unlikely to receive any grants or loans towards tuition fees or maintenance for the duration of any new undergraduate course. This means that you will have to fund your tuition fees and living costs yourself. This applies regardless of where you obtained your previous qualification and whether or not you received student finance for your previous course. If you have children, adult dependants and/or a disability or specific learning difficulty, you can apply for supplementary grants (e.g. a childcare grant, a parents' learning allowance, an adult dependants' grant and/or a Disabled Student's Allowance) to help towards your extra costs.

If you have attended a previous course of higher education (e.g. a HND) and now wish to 'top up' to a higher level qualification (e.g. by studying year 3 of a degree course) you should be able to apply for the full student finance package (i.e. support towards tuition fees, maintenance and, if you qualify, supplementary costs) for your new course for the time it takes you to 'top up'.

If you have attended a previous course of higher education but withdrew or transferred before receiving a qualification you should be able to apply for a maintenance loan (and, if you qualify, supplementary grants) for the duration of your new course. However, your entitlement to the tuition fee loan and maintenance grant is likely to be reduced. The reduction will depend on the number of academic years in which you attended your previous course (regardless of whether these were complete academic years and whether or not you received student finance for these years). Student Finance England will remove one year's worth of tuition fee and maintenance grant support for every academic year in which you attended your previous course. This means that, if you attended your previous course for less than one year, you will normally be able to apply for the full student finance package for the duration of your new course but you will not have an extra year's support available to cover a false start, repeat year or transfer. If you attended your previous course for up to two academic years, you will normally lose your extra year's support and you will need to fund your tuition fees and living costs for the first year of your new course yourself. This applies if your new course lasts for three years. If your new course lasts for four years, you will normally need to fund your tuition fees and living costs for the first two years of your new course yourself.

It is important to remember the rules about previous courses if you are thinking about leaving your course or transferring to a new course. This is because the rules can affect how much help you can get if you take another course in the future. If you want to withdraw from your course or transfer courses you should talk to a Student Advisor at the university, and to Student Finance England, as soon as possible. If your circumstances change, you must notify Student Finance England as soon as possible. They will normally expect you to provide details on a 'Change of Circumstances' (CO1) form.

There is more information about the previous study rules on page 5 of the booklet 'Higher education student finance - how you are assessed and paid 2011/12'. You can download this booklet from the 'Forms and Guides 2011/12' section at www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance 

Please visit www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance or complete the 'Application for student finance' (PN1) form for 2011/12 to apply for the student finance package.

More help and advice is available from the Money Doctors in the Students' Union (RUSU)

Visit Money Doctors, telephone 0118 378 4108 or email stu.adv@reading

 

Previous study rules by support type

Tuition fee loans

Support towards tuition fees is not available if you already hold a qualification that is equivalent to (or higher than) the one you are going to study. If you hold a lower level qualification or have previously studied in higher education but not achieved a qualification, support may be available but it will be affected by the time you have previously studied.

Maintenance grants or Special Support grants

Maintenance grants or Special Support grants are not available if you already hold a qualification that is equivalent to (or higher than) the one you are going to study. If you hold a lower level qualification, or have previously studied in higher education but not achieved a qualification, support may be available but it will be affected by the time you have previously studied. Please note that these grants are income-assessed.

Maintenance loans

Even if you have previously studied in higher education, maintenance loans are available for the length of your course as long as you do not hold a qualification that is equivalent to (or higher than) the one you are going to study. They are also available at a reduced rate if you are studying on a course for which you can apply for an income-assessed bursary from the National Health Service (e.g. BSc Speech and Language Therapy).

Adult Dependants' Grant, Childcare Grant, Parents' Learning Allowance

These supplementary grants are available for the length of your course (subject to eligibility) even if you have previously studied in higher education and already hold a higher education qualification. Please note that these grants are income-assessed.

Disabled Students' Allowances

Disabled Students' Allowances are available for the length of your course (subject to eligibility) even if you have previously studied in higher education and already hold a higher education qualification.