I’m a single student parent – what extra higher education funding can I get?

Am I eligible for extra funding?

To get any higher education support from the government, you and your course must be eligible for it. To be eligible for the extra funding detailed here, you must be studying either:

• full-or part-time for an undergraduate or equivalent qualification
• full-time for a postgraduate initial teacher training qualification (or part-time if you get your funding from Student Finance NI, in which case you get the same funding as full-time students)
• on a healthcare course and eligible for an NHS or Scottish Government Health Directorate healthcare bursary
• full-time on a postgraduate course for which you get undergraduate funding from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).

For more details about eligibility, see Can I get higher education funding in the UK?

I’m taking a full-time course – what government funding can I get?

If you’re studying full-time for an undergraduate or equivalent level qualification (or a postgraduate qualification for which you can get undergraduate funding), you can get extra help depending on who provides your funding. The following figures are for 2012/2013.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland: if you get your funding from Student Finance England, Wales or NI, there are no specific funds for single parents. Depending on your entitlement to social security benefits you may be entitled to apply for a special support grant instead of a regular maintenance grant or assembly learning grant. The amount you get is the same as the maintenance grant or assembly learning grant, but it doesn’t reduce the amount of maintenance loan or loan for living costs you can borrow, and isn’t taken into account when calculating the means-tested benefits you’re entitled to.

For more information, see:

• England: What funding is available in England for full-time undergraduates (or equivalent) studying in the UK?
• Wales: What funding is available in Wales for full-time undergraduates (or equivalent) studying in the UK?
• Northern Ireland: What funding is available in Northern Ireland for full-time undergraduates (or equivalent) studying in the UK?

Scotland: if you get your funding from SAAS, you can apply for the following:

• Lone Parents' Grant of up to £1,305 a year, depending on your income, available from SAAS. For more information, see I am a lone parent, can I get any extra help?
• Lone Parents Childcare Grant of up to £1,215 a year, which is part of the Childcare Fund that’s available from your university or college. They decide whether you’re eligible and how much you get. For more information, see As a lone parent, do I get any help towards childcare?

I’m taking a part-time course – what government funding can I get?

If you’re studying part-time for an undergraduate or equivalent level qualification (or a postgraduate qualification for which you can get undergraduate funding), you can get extra help depending on who provides your funding. The following figures are for 2013/2014.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland: if you get your funding from Student Finance England, Wales or NI and you’re studying part-time for an undergraduate or equivalent level qualification (or a postgraduate level initial teacher training qualification for England and Wales only), you could be entitled to higher grants if you’re single. For more information, see:

• England: What funding is available in England for part-time undergraduates (or equivalent) studying in the UK?
• Wales: What funding is available in Wales for part-time undergraduates (or equivalent) studying in the UK?
• Northern Ireland: What funding is available in Northern Ireland for part-time undergraduates (or equivalent) studying in the UK?

I’ve got a bursary to study medicine, dentistry or healthcare – what extra funding can I get?

If you get a bursary from the NHS in England or the Scottish Government Health Directorate to study for a qualification in medicine, dentistry or healthcare, you can get extra help as part of your bursary.

England: if you’re a single parent and studying healthcare, medicine or dentistry in England, you can apply for the following:

• If you started a healthcare course funded by the NHS in England before 1 September 2007, you can get a Single Students Allowance of up to £1,303 a year as part of your NHS bursary, depending on your course. You get this instead of any parents’ learning allowance. See What is the Parent Learning Allowance? for more information.
• If you’re a medical or dental student in the early years of your course before you can claim an NHS bursary, or you’re not eligible for one, you can get a grant to help cover the costs of travel when you’re attending a clinical placement in the UK or studying abroad. You may be able to apply for your children’s travel costs as well. See Travel grants for medical and dental students (England) for more details, including how to apply.

Scotland: if you get a bursary from the Scottish Government Health Directorate to study for a qualification in medicine, dentistry or one of the allied health professions you can claim the Lone Parents' Grant and Lone Parents Childcare Grant from SAAS in the same way as full-time undergraduate students. However, if you’re taking a nursing or midwifery course funded by the Scottish Government Health Directorate, you can apply for the similar Single Parents Allowance instead as part of your bursary. For more information, see Single Parents Allowance.

Related topics

I’m a student with children or other dependants – what extra higher education funding can I get?

I’m studying medicine, dentistry or healthcare – what higher education funding can I get in England or Wales?

I’m studying medicine, dentistry or healthcare – what higher education funding can I get in Scotland?

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.