Support for Scottish domiciled students attending at one of the colleges of adult education in the United Kingdom is paid under the Adult Education Allowances ( Scotland ) Scheme (AEAS). The colleges of adult education offer a route into higher education for mature students who may not have the formal entry requirements for a course of higher education. In Scotland , Newbattle Abbey College offer eligible courses that attract student funding, but there are several other colleges throughout the United Kingdom . This section provides information about eligibility and the level of student support. If there is anything that you do not understand, or if you feel that we have not covered your circumstances, contact us on 0845 111 0244 for advice.
Eligibility
To be eligible for an allowance under the scheme, a student must.
- satisfy the normal residence eligibility criteria for student support; and
- have reached the age of 20 by 1 August of the year the course starts; and
- have been accepted for an approved full-time course of not less than one year's duration at an eligible college of adult education; and
- not already be in possession of a higher education qualification or have received previous assistance from public funds.
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Support available
Under AEAS, we will pay your tuition fees and an income-assessed maintenance grant, plus other supplementary grants, if these apply.
Tuition fees
We will pay your tuition fees of up to £1,175 straight to Newbattle Abbey College . If you are studying at an adult education college elsewhere in the United Kingdom then the tuition fee arrangements may be different. Please contact us for further information.
The Standard Maintenance Grant
The Standard Maintenance Grant is income-assessed and covers the standard academic session of 30 weeks plus the Christmas and Easter holidays. If your course is more than 30 weeks and three days or shorter than 25 weeks, you will receive a different amount of Standard Maintenance Grant. If your course is more than 45 weeks, you will receive a grant for all 52 weeks of the year.
The maximum Standard Maintenance Grant rates for courses that last for 30 weeks are as follows.
- £2,780 if you are living in your parents' home.
- £3,675 if you are living in a hall of residence or in lodgings and studying at institutions outside the London area (the
- area covered by the Metropolitan Police District).
- £4,660 if you are living in a hall of residence or in lodgings and studying at an institution in the London area.
You can get extra payments for each week you must be on the course over 30 weeks and three days. The amounts you can get are below.
- £44 if you are living in your parents' home.
- £74 if you are living in a hall of residence or in lodgings and studying at institutions outside the London area (the area covered by the Metropolitan Police District).
- £96 If you are living in a hall of residence or in lodgings and studying at an institution in the London area.
Supplementary grants
There is also extra help available through supplementary grants for certain categories of students such as lone parents, those claiming travel costs or those who need extra costs because they have a disability . Please see our section on supplementary grants for more information.
If you apply to us for tuition fees only, you cannot claim supplementary grants other than the Disabled Students' Allowance.
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Closing dates and Applying
You should apply on-line or send your application to us as soon as possible. If we receive your application after the final closing date, you will receive no support, including tuition fees.
The final closing date for receiving applications for session 2008-2009 is 30 June 2009.
If you can't apply online, you can download a copy of:
- the SAS7 application form for your main support ;
- the SAS7 Notes to help you apply for your main support;
- the SAS8 Guide to student support (see note below);
- the AB4 travel expenses claim form (available mid December 2008); and
- the AB4 Notes to help you apply for your travel expenses
The SAS8 guidance booklet gives you more information about postgraduate student support. Please note that this is 27 pages long, so only print the pages you need.
It is important that you read the SAS 7 notes that come with the application form carefully before you fill in your form. If there are any mistakes in your application or you don't give us all the information we ask for, we may have to send the form back to you and you might not get your money for the start of your course.