2020-2021 MA Student applying for PGCE 2021-2022

I am currently studying my masters, which is the academic year 2020-2021. I got a postgraduate student loan to fund this. I have been offered a place to study a PGCE in September, so the academic year 2021-2022. I obviously cannot afford to fund my PGCE myself, so I am applying for student finance, but when I apply, it says I already have applications open for all available years, I'm assuming because my course finishes in September, which is technically in the academic year 2021-2022. However, I will not receive any student finance in that academic year, and have already received all student finance for this academic year. Does this mean I cannot study a PGCE because I will not have graduated from my MA on the start date? There is no way I can fund myself without student finance.

Hi, you must apply for undergraduate funding for your PGCE course, not postgraduate funding. You can't apply online because if you have had a postgraduate loan before, the system doesn't allow applicants to apply for undergraduate funding afterwards. Please send in a paper application form https://www.gov.uk/student-finance-forms

Your masters course must end before the PGCE course starts.
Your course must be under 2 years long, non salaried and this should be your first time achieving Qualified Teacher Status in order for you to be eligible.
Thanks, Isaac

Hi Isaac,

Thanks so much for replying.

The problem is that the course end date for my MA is 27th September and the start date for my PGCE is 6th September. Although the end date is technically the 27th, I will not have any teaching or assignments due for my MA when I start my PGCE.

Does this still mean that I can't apply for student finance?

The courses can not overlap, the masters course must end before the PGCE course starts.
We will check the masters course end date that the university has sent to us when we assess your PGCE application.

Thanks, Isaac

Hi Isaac,

Thank you again for responding. Do you know whether I would be able to apply for student finance for my PGCE if I drop out of my MA? I am quite unhappy on the MA course and have been considering dropping out anyway.

Your previous study does not affect your eligibility for PGCE funding.

If you are thinking of dropping out because of your worries with the course overlapping, could you confirm your university name and the full masters course name and I can check the end date for you.
Thanks, Isaac

Hi Isaac, my course is MA English literature at Cardiff University

Thanks so much