Parents' Learning Allowance
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1. Overview
If you’re a student with children, you may be able to apply for help with your learning costs. This is called Parents’ Learning Allowance.
You could be eligible if you’re either:
- in full-time higher education
- studying a course worth at least 120 credits in the year you’re applying for, funded through the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE)
How much you get depends on your household income.
The allowance:
- does not have to be paid back
- is paid on top of your other student finance
- will not affect your benefits or tax credit
You may have to pay back any money you are overpaid because of a change in your circumstances or course.
You cannot get a Parents’ Learning Allowance if you’re getting a Postgraduate Loan.
2. What you'll get
Depending on your household income, you could get between £50 and £2,024 for each year of your course.
The money is paid directly into your bank account in up to 3 instalments per year, depending on the length of your course.
Parents’ Learning Allowance is paid on top of your other student finance and does not have to be paid back.
3. Eligibility
You’re eligible for Parents’ Learning Allowance if all of the following apply:
- you’re a student in England
- you have dependent children
- your household income is less than £18,957.99 a year
In addition, you must be studying one of the following:
- a full-time undergraduate course
- a course that’s worth at least 120 credits for the year you’re applying
You do not need to be paying for childcare to be eligible.
4. How to apply
You can apply for the Parents’ Learning Allowance when you apply for student finance.
After you apply
Your student finance account will be updated to show how much Parents’ Learning Allowance you’ll get. You’ll get an email when this is ready to view.