Welcome!

This section is intended to give you guidance and advice on the financial and welfare issues  that may be impacting on your ability to return to College, and/or continue your studies.

It is intended to be used by prospective students and College staff alike, and we hope you will find this information useful when making an informed decision about studying here at Milton Keynes College.

About the Team

We are a friendly, approachable team of seven people, made up of a Team Leader, Senior Personal Welfare Advisor and five Personal Welfare Advisors. We are spread across all campuses and you can find out how to get in touch with us under the section ‘'Contact Us'.

We aim to provide a safe welcoming environment to all. Our services are:

• specialist
• confidential
• impartial
• accountable
• personal.

As a team, we continually strive to work to the highest standards and will always treat students and staff with the utmost respect and understanding.

Listed below are just some of the main areas of help and support that we can give advice on:

• accommodation, i.e. help finding it and dealing with homelessness
• benefit advice, i.e. signposting to various agencies
• childcare support through C2L or LSF
• debt management by way of practical advice on a one-to-one basis with a welfare specialist
• financing (please refer to the Government-run schemes)
• health - any help or advice you may need
• immigration, i.e. help in applying for Visa extensions.

Please look on our money page to find out how we may be able to support your study or to download a bursary application form, please see our bursary page.

Students & Benefits

The information that follows is intended for guidance only. There are strict rules for each benefit regarding eligibility.

The majority of full-time students cannot claim benefits.  If you are a full-time student you will not usually be able to claim any other benefits during your course of study, however, you may still be entitled to claim if you:

• are a lone parent
• have a disability
• have a student partner and a child, and it is the summer vacation
• are a pensioner

If you have a child/children under the age of 18 (or 20 if they are still in full time education) you may be able to claim Child Benefit.

For more information on eligibility and what benefits you may be able to claim, as well as which elements of your student funding should be disregarded as income, please see the Directgov website.

Non-student partners may be entitled to claim benefits at any time, but the student loan will be taken into account as income.

Student Guidance Booklet 2012 Part Time.

Student Guidance Booklet 2012 Full Time.