Advanced Learner Loans are there to help any students aged 19+ to cover course fees for level 3 and above. So you don’t have to worry about paying for your course upfront. There’s no means testing or formal credit checks and once it’s approved, your fees are paid to the College automatically.
You only need to start paying back the loan once you find full-time employment and earn more than £27,295 a year (depending on certain criteria). If you complete an Access to HE course and move on to complete a higher education course, you might not have to pay it back at all.
To qualify for an Advanced Learner Loan, you must be aged 19 or over at the start of your course, be a resident in the UK, have not previously had a loan to do the same course subject or level, and be studying a course at level 3 or above (including QCF Certificates and Diplomas and Access to Higher Education courses).
PLEASE NOTE: if you are applying for your first level 3 course (equivalent to an A Level) and you are aged between 19 and 23, then your course may be FREE!