Advanced Learner Loan
Available to learners aged 19 & above | Courses Level 3, 4, 5, 6 | More courses now available & eligible for loan
Who can apply for an Advanced Learner Loan?
If you’re 19 or older you can apply for a loan to help with the cost of certain college or training courses. Repayments don’t start until the course is complete and you won’t have to pay anything back until you’re earning over £25,000.
About the loan:
- The type of course you take
- How much the fees are
The minimum loan you can get is £300.
You don’t have to borrow the full cost of your course. You can choose to pay for some of it yourself.
The money will be paid directly to your college or training organisation once they’ve confirmed you have attended the course for two weeks.
You are entitled to access up to four loans, which you can take out either simultaneously if you are studying multiple courses, or one after the other. You can only have one loan for an Access to HE qualification.
Eligibility
To get a loan you must be:
- 19 or older on the first day of your course (there is no upper age limit)
- Be a UK national or have settled status (no restrictions on how long you can stay)
- Be studying an eligible course
Please note that if you withdraw from an Access to HE Diploma you may not be eligible to apply for another Access Loan in the future. You may also be eligible if you have a different residency status. Please speak to one of our team for more information.
How to apply
- You will need to apply for a loan once you have an offer/conditional offer, and have received a “Learning and Funding” information leaflet from the College.
- It can take four weeks to process your application. During busy periods it can take a maximum of six weeks.
- You will need to supply your National Insurance number before any money can be paid.
Repayments
If you are starting your course on or after 1st August 2023, you will be on repayment Plan 5. You will pay back your loan plus interest once you start earning over £25,000 a year. The liable repayment period is 40 years.
If your income drops to below £25,000 your repayments stop. Each month you pay back 9% over £25,000.
Please note this information does not form any part of formal financial advice. You can get independent financial advice from the Money Advice Service. Please visit www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk
If you’re an employee your employer will work out your repayments and take them out of your salary with your tax.
If you’re self-employed you make repayments as part of your Self-Assessment tax return. You can pay back part or all of your loan at any time without an extra charge.
If you leave or change your course after two weeks, you’ll have to pay back any money that’s been paid to your college or training provider. The interest rate will be at the rate of inflation. Speak to your college or training provider to see if they can transfer the loan to another course.
If you get a loan to cover tuition fees for an Access to Higher Education course and then go on to complete a higher education course, such as a foundation degree or a degree, you won’t have to repay the loan for the access course.
Many employers are now sharing Advanced Learner Loan repayments with their staff. It’s an affordable way for them to invest in their workforce development and encourage loyalty. For you, it is a great way to share the cost of taking the next step to boost your career with further training and qualifications.
Need more information?
If you wish to talk to an adviser about eligibility for a particular course or more details about the Advanced Learner Loan, please contact: