The application process
- Apply to us as soon as you get a letter of acceptance from your college or university.
- You should apply online for your main student support. You can also tell us about any changes in your details after you have applied for your support. For example a new address or bank details.
- To apply online you must first register your personal details. Please note you must only register your personal details once. Existing users should login using the username and password you used when you first registered.
- Send us a clear photocopy of any documents we ask for, for example, your letter of acceptance or birth certificates of any dependant children. We destroy all documents after 30 days.
- If you are in your second or later year, you should apply to us at least six weeks before the payment is due. If you do not do this, you may not get your money on time.
- You must tell us immediately if your circumstances change (for example, if you change course, move house, get married, have a child and so on) as this may affect how much we pay you. You must tell us immediately if you change your bank details. If you do not do this, there may be a delay with your payment.
- Correctly filled-in applications received by 30 June will be processed in time for the start of your course. We will assess your entitlement and send you an award notice which will tell you how much you will receive and how we will pay it.
- If you have not heard from us within 28 days of sending your application, please contact us. If you know your reference number you can track its progress using the online services on our website.
- The award notice we send you will confirm how and when we will pay you. We will pay all of your support straight into your bank account.
It is important that you use the online help that accompanies the online application. If there are any mistakes in your application or you don't give us all the information we ask for, we may have to write out to you to request the missing information and you might not get your money for the start of your course.