Finance for Part-time Studies

Part-time Funding - ILA Scotland

Individual Learning Accounts

ILA Scotland is a Scottish Government scheme that helps you pay for learning that you can do at a time, place, pace and in a way to suit you.  It’s for people who have an income of £22,000 a year or less, or who are on benefits.

 If you are 16 or over and living in Scotland,  you could get up to £200 towards the cost of learning with a learner account from ILA Scotland.   

£200 accounts – If you are interested in learning something new or brushing up your skills

Contact ILA on 0808 100 1090 for further details

Please speak to the Guidance Team to find out if your course is covered by ILA

Applications for an ILA account should be made direct to ILA Scotland.

If you want to find out more about the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework and SCQF credits, visit their website at www.scqf.org.uk or call the ILA helpline free on 0808 100 1090.

Please remember the ILA is not a loan so you will not have to pay it back

Applications for an ILA account should be made direct to ILA Scotland.

Application forms for the scheme can be accessed through the existing ILA Scotland helpline.

For further details please contact the Guidance Team on 01463 273000

How to claim your ILA Account towards part time study

To use an ILA account at Inverness College course you must follow these steps:

• You must have your ILA account set up and have your ILA Card before you enrol onto an Inverness College course. Please contact ILA to do this
• Check with the Guidance Team that the course you wish to apply for is covered by ILA
• Apply for the course. You will be asked to complete an application form and also an ILA booking form, you must have your card with you for this.
• You will then be booked onto the course and the College will contact ILA regarding your use of your account.
• You will be sent an ILA token before the commencement of the course. You must hand this into the college as soon as possible as this is the remainder of your course fees to be paid to the college.
  

HigherEducation Part Time Funding

Part-time Fee Grant (formerly known as ILA 500)

This scheme provides up to £500 a year towards the cost of tuition fees.

Eligibility

To qualify for this funding, you should have an individual income of £22,000 a year or less. You also need to be studying a part-time Higher Education course, Professional Development Award (PDA) or Continuing Professional Development (CPD) at levels 7-11 of the Scottish Qualifications Framework (SCQF) and complete at least 40 SCQF credits per year. You must also be studying at a Scottish Institution. Eligible learners studying less than 40 SCQF credits may qualify for the ILA200 offer. This support also extends to eligible students studying part-time taught postgraduate courses at SCQF Level 11.

Eligible students must also meet our residence conditions as set out in The Students' Allowances (Scotland) Regulations 2007 (as amended).

Your college, university or private training provider must be approved and validated before funding can be offered. 

Any student in receipt of full-time student support from SAAS is not eligible for the part-time fee grant. This includes students who are registered as full-time but attending on a part-time basis. Also, we cannot offer any part-time fee grant funding if you are already receiving support for other government training schemes. This includes ILA200, Training for Work, Get Ready for Work and the Modern Apprenticeship Scheme.

HOW DO I APPLY

Use the link below for further details and to download forms

Other Part Time HE Funding information 

Fee Waivers
If you are currently receiving benefits or on a low income and are thinking about studying on a part-time basis it may be possible for you to study, still receive benefits and not have to pay any tuition fees.  A variety part-time courses and subjects (but not all) are available at a no fee cost to those who qualify for a FEE WAIVER. 

Discretionary Fee Waivers
This scheme is designed to assist those on low incomes attending full-time who are unable to claim fee waiver through the standard scheme.  Your household income level will determine the percentage of fees which will be waived and you must pay the remaining balance.