Studying is too expensive. I haven’t got enough time – what with the kids to look after, and I work full-time. These are just some of the excuses we can hide behind when it comes to taitselfking the plunge to go back to studying. But it can be done, and every year, thousands of ‘mature students’ stop put these mantras aside to grace the school gates of college or university in a bid to improve their career prospects – or change directions all together.

For many people, the prospect of studying again is overwhelming enough, without thinking about being the oldest person on their course and rubbing shoulders with students their kids’ age. But you’d be surprised that there are more mature students (i.e. aged 21-plus) in education. According to the Department for Skills and Education (now the DCSF), in 2003/4, there were 2.3 million students, of which 52% were mature students. And 58% of those students were women.

If money is your main de-motivator, keep reading – because once you start studying (especially at degree level), there is a good pool of extra free funding you tap into.

The Childcare Grant is available from your local authority for help with registered or approved childcare. This is based on actual childcare costs of up to £225 per week, depending on how many children you have. (You will not be eligible for this if your partner or a relative provides childcare). The money is normally paid through the Student Loans Company along with your loan – and you do not have to pay it back.

Parents’ Learning Allowance Up to £1,435 per year, this is paid towards course-related costs, alongside your student loan, and you do not have to pay it back. You receive this in addition to the Childcare Grant.

Access to Learning Fund Available to you if the Childcare Grant doesn’t prove to be sufficient. This is individually assessed via your university and is available to both full and part-time students.

Discounted travel Claim 30% off season tickets (weekly or longer) with an 18+ student oystercard, and 1/3 off rail journeys with a young person’s railcard (available to 18-25yrs old and 26+ in full time education).

Grants and Funds There are lots of fund and grants available for mature students – they’re just not overly publicised. A good starting place is your local council. Click here, for a good UK-wide directory of funds available from smaller charitable organisations.

One such grant is the Adult Learning Grant, which can get you up to £30 per week while you study. ALGs are intended to help adults studying full time with the costs of learning. The grant pays up to £30 a week for full time learners aged 19 and over who are studying for their first five GCSEs at A to C or equivalent or two A Levels or equivalent. You can still tap into this grant if you are receiving other adult education bursaries (like those mentioned earlier), but you will not qualify if you are on Jobseeker’s Allowance. To find out if you’re eligible for an Adult Learning Grant contact your local college or Learn Direct.

Gail Ogleby, 38, of Leicester Forest East, has an 18-month-old daughter and has recently started and Access course to nursing at Leicester College. She’d taken time out from work to look after her baby, after having a break from the workplace to look after her 18-month old baby.

“I’ve previously worked in a PA and training role, but wanted to learn completely new skills. I’m entitled to £10 every week, which is a godsend as I can already claim 85 per cent discount on childcare costs, but this extra tenner means I have nothing to pay out! The grant as its great incentive for people to get the skills they need to do the job they have always wanted.

“I would definitely recommend people to apply for this grant – I just rang Learn Direct and got the forms posted out to me.”

In fact Gail isn’t the only one in her family to be expanding her skills – as from September, it will be an all-learning Ogleby household. Gail explains: “My husband James helped inspire me to study again as he’s been training to become a paramedic after being a dental technician for many years.

“My middle daughter, Aimee, 16, is following in my footsteps by also studying the access to nursing course at Leicester College, while both myself and my eldest, Claire, who is 18, will be starting De Montfort University at the same time – although taking different course! I’ll be doing the adult nursing diploma in September, which I can’t wait to start. I’m so chuffed to get a place at university and getting the Adult Learning Grant as certainly helped me get to this stage.”

USEFUL LINKS

Oyster card discounts
Discounts on railcards

Directory of funds supporting women in education and training

Adult Learning Grant contact your local college, call 0800 100 900 or visit www.learndirect.co.uk
General advice and help on studying as a mature student
The Independent on grants and funding

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