Independent/Mature Students
- Defining Independent status
- University of Bristol bursaries
- Statutory (Government) Support
- Benefits
- Previous Study
- Tax Credits
- ALF
Defining Independent status
Undergraduate students must meet at least one of the criteria set by the Government in order to be considered as independent (i.e. mature) and therefore have their assessment for statutory support based on their income (and spouse/partner if applicable) rather than that of their parents.
The most common instances where a student is considered to be independent are:
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the student is aged 25 or over on the first day of the relevant year;
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the student is married or is in a civil partnership before the beginning of the relevant year, whether or not the marriage or civil partnership is still subsisting;
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the student has no parent living;
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the Secretary of State is satisfied that neither of the student’s parents can be found or that it is not reasonably practicable to get in touch with either of them;
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the student has communicated with neither of the student’s parents for the period of one year before the beginning of the relevant year or, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, the student can demonstrate on other grounds that the student is irreconcilably estranged from the student’s parents;
This is not an exhaustive list. A full list can be found on paragraph 2, Schedule 4 of the The Education (Student Support) Regulations 2009.
University of Bristol bursaries
Whilst there are no specific bursaries available for mature students, new entrants in 2011/12 who are eligible to receive a Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant from Student Finance England, will be eligible for a University of Bristol bursary. Further information about the bursaries can be found on our University of Bristol bursaries web page.
Statutory (Government) Support
All mature students studying for their first degree are eligible to apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant, Maintenance Loan from Student Loans Company (SLC).
In addition, students with registered childcare costs are entitled to apply for a Childcare Grant and other supplementary grants, such as the Parents' Learning Allowance from their Student Finance Provider (see below). See our web page 'Students with Dependants' or the 'Direct Gov web page for student parents' for further advice.
Where you apply for support with living costs will depend upon where you normally live when not at University. The regional Governments of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland each provide different levels of loan and grant support, depending upon your household income.
- English domiciled students should apply to Student Finance England
- Welsh domiciled students should apply to Student Finance Wales
- Northern Ireland students should apply to Student Finance Northern Ireland
- Scottish domiciled students should apply to Student Awards Agency for Scotland
Benefits
Students are not normally eligible to receive benefits such as Housing Benefit, Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance with the exception of single parent students and student couples with childcare responsibilities. More information is available on our Students with Dependants - Information for 2011/12 page.
Tax Credits
Students with dependant children are eligible for Child Tax Credit from the HM Revenue and Customs. Students who receive the maximum amount of Child Tax Credit are also entitled to free school meals for their children. Students with children and a partner who works at least 16 hours per week should also apply for the Working Tax Credit.
If you are a single student aged over 25 years you could be eligible for Working Tax Credit during the long Summer vacation if you work at least 30 hours a week for a minimum of 4 weeks. If you are a student with no children who lives with a partner who works at least 30 hours a week, you should also apply for Working Tax Credit. To find out more about Tax Credits telephone the Tax Credit Helpline on 0845 300 3900 or visit the HM Revenue and Customs website at www.taxcredits.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/HomeNew.aspx.
Previous Study
Students’ who are intending to study towards a second undergraduate degree, even if their previous study was not fully completed, should contact the Student Funding Office for advice on financial support as previous experience of higher education is likely to affect the level of support available from the Student Loans Company.
ALF
Mature students who are in financial difficulty once they have registered on their course should apply to the Access to Learning Fund early in the academic year. Further information about the ALF, can be found on our ALF web page.