Aged 19+ and looking to change your career?
You could be eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan to cover your course fees!
Funding criteria is set by the government and is reviewed every year. Funding is yet to be confirmed for 2025 and so the information provided here refers to the criteria for 2024 and may be subject to change for September 2025 course intake.
Advanced Learner Loan
If you are 19 or over you may be eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan. These loans will cover the full course fee for Level 3 or 4 courses marked with a ‘+’ in the Adult Courses Guide for the duration of your course. This means you don’t have to pay any money upfront, and you will not make any repayments until you are earning over £25,000 per year (current threshold – this be a different amount by the time your loan is due for repayment).
If you are studying an Access to Higher Education course, your Advanced Learner Loan will be written off when you complete your degree. Further support may be available to eligible applicants via the loan bursary scheme. For more information, please see Access to HE information.
Advanced Learner Loan for Access to Higher Education qualifications.
You can apply for an Advanced Learner Loan to cover the cost of your Access to Higher Education Course. Student Finance England will ‘write off’ any outstanding Advanced Learner Loan balances you owe for an Access to HE course once you complete a higher education course. This means you do not have to repay it (conditions apply).
Key Facts
For a summary of Key Facts about Advanced Learner Loans, an overview of the process, and an eligibility checker, please see:
Click here for Key Facts about Advanced Learner Loans
Click here for more information about the Advanced Learner Loan process
Checking your eligibility for the Advanced Learner Loan
Eligibility Criteria
- 19 or over on the first day of your course
- A UK resident
- Have not previously had a loan for the same qualification and not exceeded the maximum of four loans of which only one Access loan
- For a loan for an Access course, have not had a loan before for that type of course
- Studying at Level 3 or above (Including Access to HE and some substantial part time courses and Advanced and Higher Apprenticeships)
Repayment of Loans
Information for loans from 1st August 2023
You’ll only start making repayments if your income is over the repayment threshold, which is currently £25,000 a year for 2023 admissions, £2,083 a month, or £480 a week in the UK. If your income falls below the repayment threshold, your repayments will stop and only restart when your income is over the threshold again.
You can also make additional voluntary repayments at any time.
You’ll repay 9% of your income over the repayment threshold, which is currently £25,000 a year, £2,083 a month or £480 a week in the UK. If your income changes, either rising or falling, your repayment amounts will automatically change to reflect this:
| Annual salary | Monthly repayment |
|---|---|
| £25,000 | £0 |
| £28,000 | £22 |
| £29,500 | £33 |
| £31,000 | £45 |
For more information please click here or visit www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan
How to Apply:
You can make your online application at www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan.
Click here for support with your application – How to Apply
As part of the application process, you will be asked for details from a Learning and Funding Information Letter. This is supplied by college. If you have received a conditional offer from us, we will email the letter to you by Monday 17th August. If you have not received the letter by that date please contact the Admissions Team by email: advice@riverside.ac.uk
For independent financial advice please contact the Money Advice Service at www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk.
If you have any queries with regards to applying for an Advanced Learner Loan, please email the Admissions Team on advice@riverside.ac.uk
Loans Bursary Fund
The Loans Bursary Fund is available to assist students with learning difficulties or disabilities, provide assistance to parents who need help with childcare and to support ex-military personnel.
Students aged 19 and over who have an approved Advanced Learning Loan by the Student Loan Company and have registered for their college course are potentially eligible to apply for a Loans Bursary, dependent on need. The categories for which support is given are:
- Childcare
- Travel
- Emergency funding
- In class learning support where an assessment has confirmed the need for assistance. However, discretion may be applied to react to learner’s needs and local circumstances.
Applying for the Loans Bursary Fund
An application form is available from Programme Management and Student Services. All applications will be means tested and proof of income will be required. When assessing your application, we will consider other funding support already available to you.
The Loans Bursary Fund is limited and awards are subject to availability.
Read more about Fees, Financial Information and How to Pay.
Adult Learning Links
- Adult Learning Homepage
- Adult Courses
- Access to Higher Education
- Fees & Financial Support
- Bursary / Financial Support
- Advanced Learner Loan
- Is College For You?
