Changes to Advanced Learner Loans mean adult and part-time education at Weston College is more accessible and affordable than ever.

For people who want to get new qualifications or retrain, but are worried about the cost, the Advanced Learner Loan is the answer.

These loans have previously only been available for people aged 24 or over but from the 2016-17 academic year they will be available to learners aged 19 or over.

Ceri Forsdike took out a loan to pay for a Level 3 Hairdressing course at Weston College, and now runs her own mobile hairdressing business.

She said: “I would not have been able to progress onto my Level 3 course without having an Advanced Learner Loan – it allowed me to complete my learning to the best possible level.

“This has given me the confidence to set up my own business, which I wouldn’t have been able to do without my qualifications.”

The loan covers tuition and exam fees and does not have to be paid back until a person is earning more than £21,000 per year. Even then repayments are automatically deducted from a person’s salary at a rate of 9%, so if someone earns £22,000 their monthly repayment is just £7.50.

If you take out an Advanced Learner Loan for an Access to Higher Education course and then go on to complete a Higher Education course the loan is written off completely and you will never have to pay a penny back.

The provision has also been expanded to not only cover Level 3 and 4 courses, but also some Level 5 and 6 courses.

James Moodhoo was a self-employed builder who wanted to retrain to become a fully-qualified electrician.

He said: “Funding was my biggest issue when I was considering furthering my studies.

“I was a new father, and we didn’t have a lot of money. Self-funding the course just wasn’t an option.

“Weston College provided fantastic advice and the Advanced Learner Loan has really opened doors for me.”

A new short film has been produced about the Advanced Learner Loan scheme; it can be viewed via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PJQTvnhZes

There is also a dedicated section, with some helpful FAQs, here: www.weston.ac.uk/supporting-you/financial-support/advanced-learner-loans