Approximately two weeks before the start of the Fastrack programme, all Fastrack students will receive a personal email invite to apply for financial support from the Fastrack Fund. You will receive an email link to the application form and you will need to submit your application no later than 5pm on the first day of the Fastrack course.

To be eligible for the Fastrack Fund, you must be in receipt of at least one of the following benefits or allowances:

• Working Tax Credit
• NHS Tax Credit Exemption Certificate
• Housing Benefit
• Maximum rate of Child Tax Credit
• Income-based or contribution-based Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Income-related or contribution-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Full Universal Credit (basic allowance, housing and/or childcare costs)

If you are not in receipt of any of the above, you may still be eligible for support through the Fastrack Fund. This is if your gross household income does not exceed a specified threshold amount for the past twelve months. This threshold will vary depending on whether you are single, living with a partner and/or have dependent children.

If you are a single parent with five or more dependent children, or if you are living with a partner and have five or more dependent children, an uplift to the corresponding gross household income threshold for four dependent children will apply at a rate of £2,240 for each additional child.

Not working during Fastrack

If you are not in paid employment during the Fastrack course, your income classes as zero and will not be included in the assessment of your household gross income. You will need to provide evidence that you are no longer in employment. Examples include a P45 form or a letter from your previous employer.

• Travel Expenses – Help towards the cost of travelling from your home address to attend face-to-face sessions on campus. Covers up to a maximum of £85 per week.
• Childcare Costs – Help towards costs over and above any free childcare provision, through a registered provider.
• Accommodation Fees – Help towards costs if you wish to stay in our halls of residence for the duration of the course. This is subject to your travel costs exceeding £85 per week. If your travel costs from home to campus are less than £85 per week and you still wish to apply to stay in halls, you may be eligible for a partial contribution towards the cost of your hall fees.

It is important to ensure that you have a sufficient funds to cover other expenses and living costs for the duration of the course. Our Fastrack fund is limited to Travel, Childcare and Accommodation fees only.

You will need to provide evidence of your living arrangements, household income and anticipated expenditure on travel and/or childcare. The full details are available on the application form.

On processing and reviewing your application, we will let you know the outcome of your application via email. If successful, you will be advised of the award amount and dates when the money will be paid to you.

For those who qualify for funding, payments will be made in two equal instalments. You should receive 50% of your award at the end of week two and 50% at the end of week four. A registration check will be made to ensure students are in attendance prior to payments being made. It is important that you have provisions in place to cover your travel and childcare costs for the first two weeks of the course.

Please note, payment dates may differ slightly however we will confirm your payment date in your award notification letter.

If you’re eligible for support towards your childcare costs, payments are made directly to you. You will then need to pay the childcare provider direct.

We will only cover childcare costs for registered childcare providers. We don’t provide childcare costs for students who are paying a family member or friend to look after children during course hours.

Guidance from www.gov.uk states:

You may be able to get Universal Credit if you’re studying in full-time non-advanced education, you do not get a student loan or maintenance grant and you are available for work.

Non-advanced education is any qualification up to A Level, or equivalent. Full-time courses include:

• National Qualification Framework level 3 or the Scottish Qualification framework level 6
• General Certificate of Education Advanced level (A Level)
• AS Level
• Advanced Diploma
• National Diploma, Certificate or Award
• Level 3 NVQ, Award, Certificate or Diploma

Fastrack is a level 3 programme so falls into the A-Level equivalent, meaning it is a non-advanced education course.

On the first day of the Fastrack Programme students will receive a letter stating that they are on Fastrack, what they are progressing on to and showing this criteria so that they can present it to the DWP if needed.

You may need to demonstrate that you’re still actively looking for work and would be willing to give up Fastrack if a job opportunity became available.

It’s important that you also refer to the money matters guide for your intended degree. We recommend applying for financial support earlier on, ensuring your application is received and processed in good time.

Please do not wait until after you have completed the Fastrack course before applying for student finance for the first year of your degree.

For information on how to apply for financial support for your intended degree upon completion of Fastrack, as well as comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible students, please view the relevant money matters guide for your intended programme and start date.

You make your application online to Student Finance England. If you are domiciled in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, you should consult the website of the relevant funding body:

• Student Awards Agency for Scotland
• Student Finance Wales
• Student Finance Northern Ireland