I need support with course fees

Stop Press – an update!

www.britishcouncil.org/usa-educationuk has some great stuff on UK grants. Worth a look.

Getting help with fees is always difficult. Try:

1. Small Grant-Making Trusts

• Ask your local librarian for ideas and have a look at the book / CD “Grant-Making Trusts”.
• Large trusts are unlikely to be helpful – nor the large charities for Deaf people. Look at small trusts whose criteria you match: for example:
• trusts that can only give money to individuals who live in your area
• trusts that support the career development of women / specialist groups / etc
• and other criteria they use which describes you.

There is a plus and a minus you need to bear in mind in applying to small trusts:

• on the plus side they are often sitting on money they HAVE to give away (and the Charity Commission don’t like them having lots of money just sitting there)
• on the minus side, their trustees are only likely to meet very occasionally so you need to start looking as soon as possible and allow several months for them to look at your application.
• Remember to include all the costs, not just the course fees.

2. Career Development Loan

Look at these websites for information on loans for long and expensive courses :

inourhands.lsc.gov.uk/

www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/cdl/

www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/index.htm

If you know of other avenues, email us so we can add to this list. Remember lists like these go out of date quite quickly. Always check.