Financial support for higher education students

What information will I need to apply for support?

Whether you are entering university for the first time or you are a continuing student, if you aren’t being fully supported by your parents, you should consider applying for financial support. Student Finance Direct has been set up by the Government to allocate thousands of loans, grants and support every year. To see what kind of support you are eligible for, download a PR1 form from the website at http://www.studentfinancedirect.co.uk/ or collect one from your Local Education Authority (LEA).

Set aside a few evenings to complete the form, as the document will require details which may not be immediately on hand, such as your household income. When the form has been processed by both your LEA and Student Finance Direct, you might receive several thousand pounds, depending on your circumstances, better equipped for your life in higher education. Because of the number of students applying for support, applications take between six and eight weeks to process. This is why, if you are starting your course in September, you should send your PR1 form off by May, in order to receive the first instalment of your loan when you start university.
What information will I need to apply for support?
To fill in the PR1 form you will need to give your contact details, bank account and national insurance number. If you are a continuing student you will also need your nine-digit UCAS application number, the UCAS code for the course you are taking and if you have one, an ART ID and Student Support Number. Any money you will be earning in the coming year will have to be reported as an estimate. Although generally this applies only to mature students, you also have to report income from property, lettings, rent or trusts. As well as your own details you will need the details of your parents’ income and any benefits they receive, as well as their date and place of birth and current address. The form also requires two contacts, such as a relative or close friend, that Student Finance Direct can contact in the event that they lose touch with you.
What kind of support can I get?
The kind of support which is available includes help towards Tuition Fees, Higher Education Grants, Student Loans and special grants for students with particular circumstances, such as having children of their own, or disabilities.