Fee Grant and Course Grant for part-time students

If you’re doing a higher education course part time, you can apply for two grants - a Fee Grant and a Course Grant.

Fee Grant and Course Grant – what are they?

If you’re a part-time higher education student, you may be able to get a Fee Grant and a Course Grant. You won’t have to pay back either type of grant.

The Fee Grant can help towards your tuition fees. The Course Grant is there to help towards other study costs - such as books, materials and travel.

From academic year 2012/13

Northern Ireland domiciled students who wish to attend a Higher Education part-time course, including Open University courses in England and Wales should be aware that part-time tuition fees will face a potential significant increase of up to as much as £6,750. There will be no tuition fee loans available for part-time tuition fees from the Student Finance NI offices and Northern Ireland students will have to financially make up the difference between the current fee grant and the tuition fee charged by the Higher Education institutions in England and Wales.

Do you qualify?

To apply for the Fee Grant and Course Grant, both you and your course must be 'eligible'. For part-time study, this means your course must:

last at least one year
be a higher education course leading to a qualification such as a Certificate or Diploma of Higher Education, an HNC or HND, or a first degree up to Honours level (for example, a BA or BSc)
not take more than twice as long to complete as the equivalent full-time course

However, you won't qualify for the Fee Grant or Course Grant:

if you already have a degree from a UK university or college - the Fee Grant and Course Grant aren’t available to postgraduate students
if you are studying a part-time Initial Teacher Training course (you’ll be treated as a full-time student for student finance purposes)
for more than one part-time course at a time

The standard rules on fee and course grants apply if you live and study in Norhern Ireland. But if you live in Norhern Ireland and go to Wales, Scotland or England to study the amount of help you receive may vary. Contact your university, college or Education & Library Board for more information.

What is the maximum you can get?

Fee grant

The maximum fee grant available depends on your course’s 'intensity' - how long it takes to complete compared with the equivalent full-time course (£1,230 maximum for academic year 2012/2013).

For example, if your course would take three years to complete full-time but you’re doing it part-time over six years, then your course has an intensity of 50 per cent.

Your college or university will be able to advise you about the intensity of your course.

Course grant

The maximum Course Grant available for 2012/2013 is £265. The Course Grant isn’t related to the intensity of your course.

How much will you get?

Once you’ve worked out the maximum available (based on your course’s intensity), follow the link below to find out how much you’re entitled to. This will depend on an income assessment.