Access to Learning Fund 2010/11
Guidance Notes
PGCE Students
Full-Time Undergraduate Students
You should read these guidance notes whilst you complete this form. They will help you ensure
that you fill out the form correctly and include all the evidence you need. Your application may
be delayed if you do not follow the guidance notes carefully.
1. What is the Access to Learning Fund?
The Access to Learning Fund (ALF) is a discretionary, non-repayable fund provided by the
government and intended to help students who are having unexpected money troubles.
The ALF is mainly aimed at:
 Students who may be considering leaving university early because of financial difficulties
 Students who have higher than average costs, such as
o Lone parents
o Disabled students
o Final year students, especially those on materials-intensive courses such as Fashion
 Students who have sudden financial emergencies or who have serious financial problems
As the ALF is discretionary and cash-limited (there is a fixed amount of money available for the
whole of the academic year) there is no guarantee that you will receive an award. Because of this
it cannot be viewed as a reliable source of financial support for your studies.
2. How do I apply?
You will have to complete the ALF application form, but before you start you must read these
guidance notes carefully for important information about eligibility, the assessment process, and
how long you can expect to wait for a decision.
If you do not complete all applicable sections of your application form we will return it to you
as incomplete applications cannot be processed.
3. Am I eligible to apply?
Whether or not you are eligible to apply is dictated by the following:
 If you are eligible to apply for a maintenance loan and tuition fee loan you must have applied
for the full amounts to which you are entitled. With your application you must submit a copy of
your Student Finance Breakdown and Payment Timetable.
 For NHS students, if your bursary is means-tested then you must have applied for your student
loan before you can apply to the ALF. Similarly if you are an NHS-salaried student you must
have applied for your student loan before you can apply to the ALF.
 If you have an outstanding Emergency Hardship Loan (from any academic year) you must
repay the debt in full before submitting an application to the ALF.
 You are expected to have applied for all other statutory support to which you are entitled;
particularly tax credits and social security benefits.
 Overseas and EU students cannot apply to the ALF. You must be a home student attending a
full-time undergraduate or PGCE course, or be a full-time student repeating some credits of
your course part-time.
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 If you have temporarily suspended your studies due to health problems, for caring reasons, or
for some other unavoidable circumstance then you can apply to the ALF.
 If you are studying a franchised course you may also be eligible to apply to the ALF.
4. What additional information do I need to include?
Ensure you include:
 Your Student Finance Breakdown (SFB) and Payment Timetable (PT), which are included in
your award notice from Student Finance England (SFE). We need to see both sections of this
document because the SFB indicates the amount of loan you are entitled to and the PT
confirms the amount you have actually applied for. These two amounts must be the same; if
they are not it may be that you have not applied for your full loan entitlement, and you will not
be eligible to apply to the ALF. You can get a copy of this document by logging in to your
student finance account at www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance/
 Your last three months’ bank statements for all bank accounts held.
 A copy of your tenancy or mortgage agreement, showing the weekly or monthly amount paid.
If you share a house with other independent adults your tenancy agreement should show how
much of the rent you are personally responsible for.
 The complete award letter for any means-tested benefits you receive. For example, Housing
Benefit is means-tested and will be included in your assessment, but Child Benefit and Disability
Living Allowance are not means-tested and so will not be included as income in your ALF
assessment.
 The complete award letter for any Child or Working Tax Credits you receive.
 Evidence for any additional, exceptional costs you want included in your assessment.
Remember, if there is no evidence to support a cost you claim, it cannot be included as an
expense in your assessment. For example, if you needed to visit a specialist medical clinic far
away from your home, and you want your travel costs for that visit included in your
assessment, you could provide a letter from the clinic showing the date(s) you attended.
Do not include utility bills, credit card or store card bills, mobile phone bills, or supermarket till
receipts, unless they relate to an exceptional cost as indicated above; they are not normally
included in the assessment process.
5. When can I apply?
Applications can be submitted from the start of term in September 2010, throughout the academic
year 2010/11, until 8 April 2011 for final year students and 20 May 2011 for continuing
students. No applications can be accepted after the closing date.
Applications are assessed for the entire academic year, irrespective of when you apply.
Remember that demand is usually very high towards the end of the academic year so it is best to
apply early. Applying early will also help you budget for the coming year.
6. Can I apply to the ALF for help with my tuition fees?
No, the ALF cannot be used to meet the cost of tuition fees.
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7. Am I likely to receive an award?
Not every application we receive can be supported. The government has asked that priority be
given to the following student groups when deciding how to allocate funding:
 Students with children, especially lone parents.
 Mature students, especially those with existing financial commitments, including priority debts.
 Students from low-income families.
 Disabled students, especially where DSA is unable to meet particular costs.
 Students who have entered higher education from care.
 Students from foyers or who are homeless.
 Students receiving the final year loan rate who are in financial difficulty (including those who
are unable to take paid work because of academic pressure).
8. I am not in any of those priority groups; can I still apply?
Yes, you can still apply. You must provide detailed evidence to show why you have a need.
9. I am a disabled student; is there anything else I can apply for?
The ALF is not intended to provide the additional study support that is available from the Disabled
Students’ Allowance (DSA), unless the DSA is unable to cover the whole cost, or the cost cannot
be met from the DSA.
If you have a disability and you are applying for a diagnostic test (such as from an educational
psychologist for dyslexia) the ALF can be used to meet the costs of the test. It is not necessary
for you to have taken a student loan first. Contact Learner Development on the 1st floor of the All
Saints Building (or telephone 0161 247 3491) for further information, or visit
http://www.mmu.ac.uk/learnerdevelopment/
10. Can I apply more than once? If so, when do I apply?
Yes, but because we assessed your first application for the whole of the academic year we would
expect you to show a significant change in your circumstances. You will need to complete a new
application form and submit documentation showing your change of circumstances in addition to
all the other evidence requested on the checklist.
11. Am I able to apply during the summer vacation?
We aim to reserve funds for students who may run into unexpected financial difficulties over the
summer vacation. This Summer Fund is part of the main Access to Learning Fund and the
existence of a summer fund is dependent on demand on the main fund from September to May.
Confirmation of whether we will be able to run a summer fund will be made on the Student
Financial Support web pages at www.mmu.ac.uk/studentfinance at the end of June 2011. Please
note the Summer Fund will be open to applications for a two-week period only, if it runs.
12. How is my form assessed?
There are two types of assessment made: ‘standard’ and ‘non-standard’ assessments.
Standard assessments look at the difference between accepted reasonable expenditure and
expected income. If the student’s assessed expenditure is higher than their income, the student
is viewed as having an ‘additional need’, and an award is made.
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The University has the discretion to carry out a non-standard assessment where a standard
assessment has demonstrated no additional financial need, but the student’s application shows
evidence of exceptional circumstances that may merit consideration for a non-standard award.
This can only occur if the University deems it necessary, and only after a standard
assessment has been completed.
Non-standard awards are considered on a case-by-case basis and are dependent on the
availability of funds. They are used for students who have to meet exceptional costs, such as:
 Repairs to or replacements for essential household equipment;
 Priority debts;
 Costs caused by emergencies, including travel costs associated with family illness or
bereavement, and hardship caused by a burglary or fire;
 Costs for students with disabilities that are not met by the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA).
Documentary evidence must be supplied for any of the above circumstances to be considered.
13. What will be included as income?
We take the following into account as income when we assess your application:
 HE Maintenance Grant (the first £1649 is not included);
 Special Support Grant (the first £1649 is not included);
 Student Loan for maintenance;
 MMU Bursary (the first £329 is not included);
 Parents’ Learning Allowance;
 Childcare Grant;
 Adult Dependents Grant;
 NHS/Social Work Bursaries and Grants;
 Parental contributions;
 Means-tested benefits;
 Assumed income.
14. What is ‘assumed income’?
The government sets an assumed level of income, which means that when we look at your
application we have to assume that you will be able to obtain some additional income, over and
above your student support. Sources of income may include part-time work, a bank overdraft, or
additional support from parents and partners. Regardless of what your actual income is for these
categories, only the assumed income figure is used.
Assumed income is discounted for students who are unable to work due to caring responsibilities,
disabilities, or health difficulties.
15. What benefits are included as income?
Only means-tested benefits and credits (such as tax credits and housing benefit) are included in
your assessment, in addition to your statutory support and Assumed Income. Benefits that are
not means tested, such as Child Benefit or Disability Living Allowance, are not included as income
in your assessment.
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16. What will be included as expenditure?
We take the following into account as expenditure when we assess your application:
 Rent or mortgage – we use a standard capped amount for this for all students.
 Council Tax – you should not have to pay this unless another adult in your household is in fulltime employment. Contact the MMUnion Advice Centre on 0161 247 6533 if you are unsure
whether your household should pay Council Tax.
 Childcare costs
 Travel
 Composite Living Costs
17. What are ‘composite living costs’?
This is a figure set by the government that establishes a fixed living cost for all students, and is
intended to cover the basic costs for food, household bills (gas, electricity, water, TV licence,
etc.), clothes, and entertainment. Additional costs are included if you have a partner and/or
children. This figure is included as expenditure in all assessments regardless of what you actually
spend on these items to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly.
18. What travel costs are included?
Daily travel costs to and from university and once-per-term travel costs to see family during
holidays are included using the cheapest means of public transport available. For students with
disabilities, or students with children or caring commitments, a contribution towards the cost of
running a car may be included, but the full cost will not be met.
19. What about my debts?
We know that many students struggle to manage on the statutory support provided, and will incur
debts, but we can consider only certain debts under the scheme.
Priority debt is where non-payment could lead to the loss of your home, liberty, or essential
goods and services; this includes rent or mortgage arrears, Council tax, utility charges, etc. In
order for priority debts to be considered you must submit copies of all relevant evidence. If you
have an agreed payment plan with your creditors and are making regular repayments you will
need to provide written confirmation of this from your creditors.
Please note that the standard assessment process includes expenditure for rent for the academic
year; if you have fallen behind with the payment of your rent this may not automatically be
considered a priority debt. You should seek advice from the Student Union Advice Centre if you
fall into rent arrears, as you may face the possibility of eviction if you do not keep up with your
rent/mortgage payments. If you have been issued with a Notice Seeking Possession you should
supply evidence of this with your application.
Non-priority debt is where payment will not result in the loss of your home, liberty, or essential
goods and services. Mobile phone bills and credit card or store card repayments cannot be
considered or included in an assessment.
20. What happens next? How long will my assessment take?
Applications are checked in by Student Financial Support staff the next working day after
submission. We will read through your application and check that you have filled in all relevant
information and signed the form, and we will make sure that you have included all the
documentary evidence we need.
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At this point we will only contact you via your MMU student email address; you should check
your email regularly. We will email you within five working days of submitting your application
form to confirm the status of your application. This can be to confirm that your application is
complete and to confirm the date of receipt, or we will ask for more information or evidence
needed for the assessment and give the date by which it will be required.
Please note that at some times of year, due to the volume and complexity of the applications
submitted, it may take longer than five working days to check your application in. Please be
patient.
Once your application has been confirmed as complete it is put in the queue to be assessed.
Applications are assessed in strict date order from the date they were marked as complete.
We may need to contact you for further information or documentary evidence during the
assessment stage, so please make sure you keep checking your MMU student email address.
We aim to notify you of the outcome of your application within four working weeks of this date,
but this can vary due to the volume and complexity of applications submitted.
Decisions on the outcome of your application will be notified in writing by external mail and will be
sent to the correspondence address indicated on your application form only. If your application is
successful, information will be included regarding the payment of your award.
We are not able to discuss the progress of an application as this slows down the application
process, nor can we confirm the outcome of your assessment over the telephone.
21. Who will see my application form?
Applications are seen only by Student Information Point and Student Financial Support Unit staff,
who are bound by confidentiality. It may be necessary for additional supporting information to be
sought from other University staff in order to reach a decision on your application. Your
application will be treated confidentially throughout the process.
22. How much can I get?
If a deficit between your income and expenditure is identified you will receive a contribution
towards this. The minimum amount we can award in a given academic year is £100, but
remember that if no additional need is identified, and there is no justification for a non-standard
award, then no award can be made.
23. How am I paid?
Awards of £500 or less are normally paid in one lump sum. Awards of more than £500 will be
paid in instalments each term. Note that subsequent instalments are usually paid two or three
weeks into the Spring and Summer terms, once your continued attendance on your course has
been confirmed by your department.
We will write to you in advance of every payment date. Payments are made directly into your
bank account and can only be paid into an account bearing your name.
24. What if I change my bank details?
If you change your account details you must immediately notify the Student Financial
Support Unit. Go to our website at www.mmu.ac.uk/studentfinance/application_forms.php and
download the form Change of Bank Details. This must be received seven working days before the
payment date given on the letter to ensure the changes are made in time. As payment runs are
organised several days in advance, we cannot make any changes after they have been submitted
to Finance.
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All changes to your bank details must be on the correct form.
It is your responsibility to ensure that we have your correct bank details. If you are considering
opening a new account but have not yet received your account number, or you are having
difficulties with your account, then you should ask us to hold any possible payments until you
have these details.
Once a payment has been authorised it is not possible to reissue the amount to a new account.
No consideration is given to requests for advance payment of instalments.
25. Will I get the same each year?
If your application is successful this year this does not mean that an application made next year
will also be successful. Because decisions are made year-on-year and the allocation of funds we
receive decreases each year, there can be no guarantee of a successful application, and no
guarantee that you will receive the same amount you did before.
26. Do I have to repay the money?
No.
Awards from the Access to Learning Fund are grants, unless otherwise specified.
27. What if I’m not happy with the decision?
We hope that by reading these guidance notes and the aims of the scheme you will understand
why and how we will come to a decision on your application. If, however, you are unhappy with
this decision you may appeal the outcome.
Appeals must be made within four weeks of the date of the original decision as
indicated on the letter.
You must email [email protected] to request an Appeals Pack; please ensure the
subject heading of your email is ‘ALF Appeal’. Student Financial Support will then issue an appeal
pack which will provide you with information regarding the appeals process, the timescale, and
detail what action you are required to take.
Appeals are handled by staff independent of the Student Financial Support Unit, and as such we
cannot discuss, update or advise you on your appeal.
28. How do I complete the application form?
Answer all questions on the form, printing clearly in black or blue ink, and ticking each appropriate
box. Refer to these notes as you answer each question.
Part 1: Personal details
Complete all sections. Your MMU email address (e.g. [email protected]) will be used
to contact you to request additional information and to confirm the receipt of a completed
application. You should check your MMU email address regularly. Within five working days of our
receiving your application form you will receive a notification from us confirming receipt of your
application and notifying you of its status..
Fill in the names and dates of birth of any adults or children who are financially dependant on you
(note that you will need to include your Child Tax Credit letter). Tick the box that matches your
living status.
Part 2: What course are you on?
Complete all sections. We have requested details of your Course Tutor/Leader in the event that
we need to make further enquiries regarding your attendance on the course. We need to know
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what year you are in and whether you are repeating in order to determine that you have applied
for the maximum amount of statutory support you are entitled to.
Part 3: Your bank accounts
Include full details of all accounts you hold, including student accounts, current accounts, ISAs,
etc. Do not include credit card or store card accounts.
Part 4: Your bank or building society
Complete in full. If you receive an award it will be paid into this account. It is important to
complete this section carefully because we cannot reverse a payment that has been made to a
valid account, even if it is your old bank account. Ensure you enter your full sort code and
account number.
Most bank accounts include six digits for the sort code and eight digits for the account number. If
you have a building society account this may include a roll number; we do not require this, only
your eight-digit account number.
It is important for you to indicate whether you have received a payment into this account from the
University. It is also extremely important for you to inform us if you change your bank details;
see section 24.
Part 5: Your income and expenditure
Complete all sections. You must be as accurate as possible. For your student loan and for grants
and bursaries you should fill in the complete annual amount; for all other sections use weekly
figures.
If you have a partner who is living with you, enter their net weekly earnings plus any other
income they receive in partner’s net income and submit documentary evidence (e.g. bank
statements, wage slips, benefit award letters, etc.). Failure to provide such evidence will result in
your application being rejected.
In the expenditure column include all household expenditure for you and your partner (if
applicable). If you have children, the expenditure should include costs related to them as well.
Please provide weekly figures where possible; mark clearly any figures that are not weekly.
Remember, when we consider your application we will use a set figure, called Composite Living
Costs, for food, clothing, entertainment, and utility bills, so you do not need to specify costs for
these separately. If you receive Housing Benefit, please include the amount of rent, if any, that
you are responsible for paying.
If you and your partner have any other essential costs these should be included in ‘other costs’.
You must give full details of these other costs in your supporting statement, and provide
documentary evidence of any such expenditure, or it will not be included in your assessment.
If you have childcare costs you must submit evidence from your childcare provider indicating the
exact cost involved. This can be a letter, bills, or receipts, and must clearly show the regular
weekly, monthly, or annual amount you have to pay.
Daily travel costs to and from university will be assessed using the cheapest means of public
transport available: usually yearly or termly bus passes.
For assessment purposes travel costs to your permanent address are included at the rate of one
return journey per term, using the cheapest means of public transport available. Additional trips
home can only be taken into consideration if you provide evidence to show that these trips were
necessary.
In partner’s travel and essential costs enter your partner’s weekly travel costs commuting to
and from work, and any other essential costs they are solely responsible for. Include evidence to
support these costs.
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Part 6: Do you have any debts?
Complete in full, if applicable.
Part 7: Your supporting statement
You must submit a statement outlining the reason(s) for your application, and specifically stating
why you need support from the fund. You may continue on separate sheets if necessary.
Such factors may include disability; e.g. applying for financial assistance towards specialist
equipment that may not be covered by your Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA).
Include details of any financial difficulties you were experiencing at the start of the academic year.
List any priority debts you have, any agreed payment plans, and any other factors you think are
relevant to your financial position. If you have experienced health problems or other unforeseen
events please outline them clearly in your statement, and provide documentary evidence to
support this (e.g. letters from your doctor or hospital).
Please indicate if you have been prevented from finding employment, and what steps you have
taken to gain part-time work.
If you have had to repeat a year of study, you should detail the reasons why here.
Include anything else that you feel is relevant, particularly if it has not been touched on by the
questions in the application.
We cannot accept your application without a supporting statement, and supporting documentary
evidence.
Part 8: Declarations
Tick all boxes that apply to you. You must meet these residency requirements to qualify for help
from the ALF, and your eligibility will be established by completing this section.
If you are a UK national you need to tick the first box in section (a) and then complete section (c).
If you are not a UK national you must tick all that apply to you in sections (a), (b) and (c).
Remember to sign and date your application form! If you are typing your form you must
sign with a genuine signature. If you type your name instead of signing we will return your
application.
29. Checking over my application form
Use the checklist on the final page of the application form to make sure you have not forgotten
anything. Tick the boxes to indicate which forms of evidence you have submitted so that we can
see which documents you have enclosed. Remember, applications without all necessary
supporting evidence cannot be processed.
Do not include utility bills, credit card or store card bills, mobile phone bills, or supermarket till
receipts.
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30. Where do I send my application form?
Completed application forms, together with all relevant supporting documents, should be
posted to:
Student Financial Support Unit
Student Services
Student & Academic Services
Manchester Metropolitan University
All Saints Building
Oxford Road
Manchester M15 6BH
You can also hand in your application form at the Student Information Point on the Ground Floor
of the All Saints Building.
If you are posting your application form it is your responsibility to ensure that it arrives by the
applicable closing date (see page 2). Please ensure you pay the correct postage, as applications
received after the closing date due to an insufficient postage payment will not be assessed.
31. Is there any other assistance available?
Supporting information, including budgeting tips and useful contacts, can be found on our website
at www.mmu.ac.uk/studentfinance/
The Students’ Union Advice Centre offers a free service on all the main issues that affect students
at MMU, including advice on how to budget and manage your finances. They may be able to offer
you further help and advice in completing your application form. Please see their web pages at
www.mmunion.co.uk or contact them on 0161 247 6533 or [email protected]
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