Studying in the UK
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The application process
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Trouble-shooting problems / complications
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What is the Ruth Hayman Trust?
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The trust is a small charity which supports the education and training of adults who have come to settle in the UK and who speak a language other than English as their first language.
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How does the Trust work?
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The Trust has no paid staff. The trustees (who are all volunteers) first raise money by holding events and activities. Friends and supporters also donate money to us. Then we give the money out to people who have applied to us.
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How much does the Trust give each year?
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Provided it has raised enough money, the Trust gives about £15000 each year to about 170 of the roughly 400 applicant who apply each year. Some applicants receive money; others receive book tokens, or Oxford English dictionaries.
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How much do we award to each person?
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We can award up to a maximum of £300, but often give much less. The average is about £90.
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What do we give awards for?
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We mostly give awards for registration, course and exam fees, which you have to pay yourself while studying.
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How are these awards paid?
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Cheques for fees will normally be made out to colleges or other institutions, not to individual people.
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Do you also give awards for other educational needs?
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If we have sufficient money, we also give awards for
- books
- equipment such as chef’s knives, hairdresser’s scissors or steel-capped boots for bricklaying apprentices (we do not fund computers)
- costs of joining professional bodies
- equipment or travel expenses for disabled students
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Do you give money for travel and childcare?
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We do not give money for
- fares, except for disabled students with an accompanying statement from a doctor
- accommodation and living expenses
- childcare
- overseas students to study in the UK or abroad
- usually, for post-graduate higher education
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Can I apply if I am in the UK as an overseas student?
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No. To apply you must be resident in the UK, either as a citizen of the UK or EU, spouse of a citizen, or an asylum seeker, or refugee. You will only be successful if you show us that you have a financial need.
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Can I study in higher education if I am claiming asylum?
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If you are claiming asylum you are entitled to study in higher education provided you meet the entrance requirements to the course and pay the course fees. You will usually be classed as an overseas student for fee purposes which are higher than home student fees.
However, a university can decide to charge home student fees or waive the fees altogether. If you have been classed as an overseas student for fee purposes, the Refugee Council’s guide to higher education is helpful for contacting the university to see if they can reduce the fees.
Go to http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/policy/briefings/2008/higher_education.htm
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Do I have to pass IELTS to study at university?
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Universities will require you to demonstrate a level of English. For students educated in the UK, this is usually a GCSE A-C grade. For students whose first language is not English, universities may ask for a particular IELTS level, usually between 6 and 6.5 at undergraduate level.
Universities can accept other English language qualifications to IELTS. These include ESOL Skills for Life, usually at Level 2. A list of English language qualifications can be found at
http://www.ucas.ac.uk/advisers/nonukadvisers/englangprof
If you already have one of these alternative English language qualifications, or have access to more affordable training towards one, then ask the university you are applying to whether they will accept this instead of IELTS.
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Am I eligible to have my course fees paid for in further education?
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The Learning and Skills Council (which will become the Skills Funding Agency in 2010) is the main provider of funding for further education in England. You may qualify for fee remission (that is have your course fees paid) if you are an asylum seeker receiving asylum support, including if you are on Section 4 support. The Refugee Council has produced a short guide on eligibility for funding in further education which can be accessed at
http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/Resources/Refugee Council/downloads/briefings/FE for advisers guide - Update Aug 2009.pdf
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Does the Trust give awards for courses at independent or private colleges?
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Given the limited amounts of money which the Trust can award, we are concerned to be cost-effective, and have judged that, except in very exceptional circumstances, we will only provide awards for students in state funded colleges and universities. One exception would be that the course is only available in specialist private training organisations.
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Does the Trust fund distance-learning courses?
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No, we do not fund students on distance learning courses, unless the student is completely unable to travel to a place of learning.
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What would increase my chance of a successful application?
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Complete all the sections carefully. Make sure you include
- Your name
- Current address (and tell us if it changes- many award letters with cheques are returned to us by the post office)
- Your status in the UK (citizen, asylum seeker, refugee, visitor??)
- Your first language
- What you are studying, and where
- Why you need help (i.e. your financial status) it is not enough to say ‘I don’t work’ or ‘I don’t earn enough’ please give as much detail as you can. We need to know why you need our help more than any other person.
- What exactly you need, and what for (exam fees, course fees, registration fees)
- If you are asking for help to buy books- which books? what do they cost?
- If you have applied before and the reference number we gave you
- Any other organisations you have applied to and the outcome – especially if you are applying for a large sum. We need to know that our small amount will probably be added to awards from other organisations, if you have very large fees to pay.
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What is an academic reference?
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An academic reference is letter from a tutor which confirms that you are a good student, attend class regularly, are up to date with the assignments, and are likely to pass your course. A college enrolment confirmation alone is not enough. This should be submitted on official headed notepaper. Please see our suggested Guidelines for Referees.
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Can I just send a confirmation of enrolment, or a letter from a friend, instead of an academic reference?
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No, you must send an academic reference with your application. We will not consider an application without a reference.
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Can I apply for a Rose Grant Award as well as a ‘normal’ award?
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Yes you can, but the criteria are different. So you need to provide additional information.
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What do I have to do to get a Rose Grant Award?
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The criteria for a Rose Grant Award are that you show
academic excellence or outstanding progress
a strong commitment to the community and/or to human rights
financial need
To apply for this special grant, you have to complete the same application form as for the ‘normal’ grant, but additionally show how you meet these extra criteria. Normally this will require:
a reference showing a high level of academic excellence or outstanding progress
a letter stating, for example, how you have shown a strong commitment to the community where you live, or to human rights.
proof of this in the form of additional references or other evidence
Please also provide proof of your financial need. Many students have a limited income, so you need to show in what special circumstances are you studying, and why are you unable to pay the costs of your studies yourself.
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When should I apply?
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The awards committee of the trust meets five times a year, so applications should reach us by early February, late April, late June, late September or late November. The exact closing dates for applications are given on individual application forms and on our website, www.ruthhaymantrust.com
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When will I hear the result of my application?
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If you are awarded a grant you should receive a cheque about a month after the closing date for applications. We do not normally make more than one award per course in any one academic year.
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Do you write to the unsuccessful applicants?
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No. We get many, many applications. If you don’t get a letter you have, unfortunately, been unsuccessful. There are just too many applicants to allow us to write to unsuccessful candidates but you are welcome to try again in the future.
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What else should I do if I am successful?
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Please return the acknowledgement slip which accompanies the cheque. If there is a problem please quote the reference number at the bottom of the slip in all correspondence.
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Can I apply again?
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You are welcome to apply for further years of study, though not for the same year. We will not consider your application if you did not send back the acknowledge slip from any earlier award. Please quote your first reference number.
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Why do some applications fail?
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Some applications fail because applicants do not complete all the application form, fully. For example, they may not state the first language of the applicant, or do not show either what they need the money for (which course, which exam, which books or equipment), or because they do not show financial need. Others fail because they do not include an academic reference.
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What do I do if I don’t have a bank account?
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Most cheques are made payable to a college or university, so you can pay the cheque directly to them. If the Trust awards money for books, you will receive book tokens.
Otherwise, if we are paying you directly, you can nominate a friend or tutor, and we will make the cheque payable to them.
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What if I managed to borrow the money and have already paid the fees when I get a cheque?
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If you send us proof that the fees have been paid, and you have borrowed the money to do so, we can make cheques out to another person, or to you..
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What do I do if I move house?
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Please let us know, if you have made an application and then change addresses. We sometimes send award letters with cheques to successful applicants, which are returned by the post office because the person has moved and cannot be contacted.
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What do I do if I don’t need the money any more?
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If the college or university decides not to charge you fees, please return the cheque to us. Other applicants are waiting for the money. You can apply again in the future, for the next year’s course, if needed.
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What do I do if I can’t raise the rest of the money for my course?
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You can hold onto the cheque, in case you can raise the money, for 6 months, before it becomes invalid. If you still can’t raise the rest of the money, please return the cheque and let us know. We will happily send you another cheque, at a later date, if the situation changes.
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