Introduction
This Guide gives an overview of the funding available from August 2008 for part-time or distance learning students, and is a useful guide to practitioners giving advice to part-time students.
It gives details of the financial support you may be eligible for and tells you how to apply .
Definitions of part-time for student support purposes
In Further Education, you will be classed as a part-time student if you attend a college course which requires a part-time weekly commitment. Your college will advise you on this.
In Higher Education you will be classed as part-time if your course is equivalent to at least 50% of a full-time course. Your college, university or distance learning provider will decide whether you are working towards at least 50% of a full-time equivalent Higher Education course. Your course must last for more than one academic year, but not more than twice the period normally needed to complete a full-time equivalent leading to the same qualification. Distance learning courses, for example, that are provided by the Open University in Scotland, must add up to 60 points in any year to be eligible.