Each year, the Government provides publicly funded universities and colleges with a pocket of so-termed Access Funds.

These Access Funds (which are limited) are intended to help those students whose access to either Higher or Further full-time education might be inhibited by financial considerations. The administration of these Funds will be through the Higher and Further Education Institutions themselves who will be responsible for applying criteria to their own students, assessing individual circumstances and, where deemed appropriate, making the payments.

For further detail about your chosen university/college Access Funds and how you might apply or assistance (should you deem your circumstances warrant consideration) it is recommended that an early enquiry be made following enrolment on the course... for obvious reasons, an application would not normally be considered in advance of this and students will be expected, by their institution, to have taken up everything they might be entitled to in the way of student grant and/or loan.