Parents' Learning Allowance
Overview
If you’re a student with children, you may be able to apply for help with your learning costs. This is called Parents’ Learning Allowance.
You could be eligible if you’re either:
- in full-time higher education
- studying a course worth at least 120 credits in the year you’re applying for, funded through the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE)
How much you get depends on your household income.
The allowance:
- does not have to be paid back
- is paid on top of your other student finance
- will not affect your benefits or tax credit
You may have to pay back any money you are overpaid because of a change in your circumstances or course.
You cannot get a Parents’ Learning Allowance if you’re getting a Postgraduate Loan.
This page is Part of Get undergraduate student finance: step by step
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Step 1: Check if you're eligible for student finance
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Step 2: Find out how much loan you could get
You may be able to apply for:
- a Tuition Fee Loan to help pay your course tuition fees
- a Maintenance Loan to help with your living costs
Find out how much you could get if you're a:
How much Maintenance Loan you get depends on where you'll study and your household income.
You'll have to pay back any loan you get.
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and Check if you can get extra help
You might be able to get extra money if you:
- are under 25, have no contact with your parents and support yourself
- pay for childcare
- You are currently viewing: are a full-time student with children
- have an adult who depends on you financially
- have a disability, mental or physical health problem or learning difficulty like dyslexia
You might also be able to get other financial help, for example from your university or the government.
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Step 3: Prepare your application
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Step 4: Apply or reapply
You can apply online or by post depending on the type of student finance you’re eligible for.
If you apply in the wrong way, it could delay your application.
It takes 4 weeks to process your application. You might have to provide extra evidence.
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Step 5: Update your details if your circumstances change
You must update your application if your circumstances change. For example if you:
- change your course through clearing
- change where you're going to live - for example with your parents instead of halls
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Step 6: Make sure you can be paid
After you register at your university or college you'll usually get your Maintenance Loan paid directly into your bank account at the start of each term.
Use your student finance account to:
- update your bank details - for example if you open a student account
- check how much you'll be paid
- check when you'll be paid
Tuition Fee Loans are paid directly to your university or college.
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Step 7: Check what to do while you're studying
You'll need to reapply for student finance for each year of your course.
You must keep your details up to date throughout your course because some changes can affect your loan payments, for example if your household income or bank details change.
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Step 8: Check what to do when you stop studying
You can sign in to your student loan repayment account to, for example, check your balance and update your personal details.
The log in details will be the same as for your student finance account. You should check your contact details are correct.
You must update your employment details if:
- you leave the UK for more than 3 months
- SLC asks you to update them
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Step 9: Repay your loan
The repayment plan you're on will determine when you start repaying and how much you repay.