Financial help for student parents

If you're a full-time higher education student with dependent children, you may be able to get extra financial help. The Childcare Grant can help with childcare costs, and the Parents' Learning Allowance with costs related to your course. Other help includes Child Tax Credit and the Access to Learning Fund.

The Childcare Grant

The Childcare Grant is available to students entering higher education who have dependent children under 15 years of age, and who have a low household income.

The grant itself is means-tested and is dependent on the cost of childcare and the amount that you and your family earn. You must use a registered form of childcare or approved childcare to be able to claim the grant.

The grant will cover up to 85 percent of your childcare costs, or £148.75 per week for one child (£255 per week for two or more children), and is paid with your student loan in monthly instalments.

Parents' Learning Allowance

The Parents’ Learning Allowance is designed to help towards course costs - such as books, materials and travel. You may be awarded anywhere between £50 and £1,508 for the period 2009 to 2010 and can claim if you are a full-time student with dependent children. You can apply whether or not you get the Childcare Grant.

Access to Learning Fund

The Access to Learning Fund can provide support for students on lower incomes who run into financial difficulty. Universities and colleges decide how to distribute payments, but students with children - and especially lone parents - are a priority for the fund.

Further information

You will need to apply to Student Finance England, where you can fill out the online student finance application.

This is the same place you will apply for student loans and other forms of student finance. You can also call Student Finance England on 0845 300 50 90 to request a paper copy of the application form.