This topic contains the following:
Can I get further education funding in Northern Ireland?
If you normally live in Northern Ireland, and you and your course are eligible, you may be able to get funding from the government to take a course of further education. For more details, see Can I get further education funding in the UK?
If you’re eligible for funding in Northern Ireland and you’re between 16 and 19 years old, the following information is for you.
Do I need to pay tuition fees?
You don’t have to pay tuition fees if you’re taking a full-time further education course. However, if you’re taking a part-time course, you may be asked to pay a fee.
Can I get help with costs related to my course?
You may be able to get an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) to help with costs related to your course, such as books, equipment, lunch and transport to and from your school or college. The following figures are for 2013/2014.
If you’re eligible, you get up to £30 a week during term time, paid every two weeks. The amount you get depends on your household income. You can get up to 117 EMA payments over the total length of your course. You also get a bonus payment of £100 twice a year if you remain on your course and make satisfactory progress with your learning. You don’t need to pay the money back.
To get the allowance you must be:
- between 16 and 19 years old on 1 July before you start your course
- studying at an approved school or college in Northern Ireland
- studying on an academic or vocational course up to and including Level 3 (eg GCSE, AS or A2 Level, GNVQ, NVQ or Essential Skills and other Level 1 to 3 qualifications)
- studying either full-time at school, or for a minimum of 15 guided hours a week at college.
As well as this, your household income must be either:
- £20,500 a year or less if you’re the only child in your household or you’re financially independent of your parents
- £22,500 a year or less if you have siblings aged 16 or younger, or other siblings in your household under 21 years old who are studying full-time and eligible for Child Benefit.
If you’re financially dependent on your parents, ‘household income’ means your parents’ income. If you’re financially independent of your parents, ‘household income’ means your income plus your partner’s income (if you live with them). The EMA doesn’t affect the benefits you or your family may be entitled to.
You can’t get an EMA if you’ve been approved to get other similar further education awards from the government, eg a Department for Employment and Learning Further Education Award, or a Department of Agriculture and Rural Development grant. For details of these, see:
To apply for an EMA, you need to complete and return an application form. Here’s more information about the EMA. There are also some frequently asked questions.
You can also download the Little Book of EMA, which has all you need to know if you’re applying for the first time.
Can I get help if I’m studying away from home?
If you need to study away from home because your specialist course isn’t available locally, you may be able to get help with the cost of term-time accommodation.
Alternatively, if you want to study subjects like agriculture, art and design or horticulture at a specialist residential college, you may be able to get help towards the cost of accommodation.
To apply, contact your college directly.
I want to be an apprentice – what support can I get?
If you want to undertake a course of vocational training and work at the same time, you might consider doing an apprenticeship. You’re paid a salary while you study.
If you take a course as part of the Training for Success programme in order to become an apprentice, you can get a weekly grant of money similar to an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) to help with your costs.
For more information, see Can I get funding to study for further education while I work?
Can I get help with my travel costs?
If you travel by public transport to and from your school sixth form, college or a further education institution, you may be able to get help with the cost from your local Education and Library Board.
If you’re taking a course that leads to an apprenticeship, you should speak to your learning provider to find out whether they can offer you any help with your transport costs.
What other government support is available?
As well as the support outlined above, other further education funding is available, depending on your circumstances. Find out more here:
What if I’m in financial difficulty?
If you’re facing financial hardship, you may get help from the Further Education Support Fund. For more information, see I’m a student in further education – where can I get help if I’m in financial difficulty?
I want to study at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise – what funding can I get?
If you want to take a full-time further education course at the Enniskillen, Greenmount or Loughry campus of the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), you can get funding from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
For more information, see I want to study at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise in Northern Ireland – what further education funding can I get?
Can I get help to study for a City & Guilds qualification?
If you’re studying for a City & Guilds qualification or a National Proficiency Tests Council course, you may be able to get a bursary (a grant of money that you don’t need to pay back) to help with your living costs. See Can I get funding to study for a City & Guilds qualification?
Where can I find more information?
Here are some links to more information:
This information was updated in March 2013. NUS provides this information in good faith and has taken care to make sure it’s accurate. However, student finance issues can be complicated, and rules change frequently. You should contact the advice centre in your students' union, college or university for support if you’re uncertain or need more help.