ITT and Eligibility for SFE Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan

Currently I am being offered a place on a new postgraduate ITT course starting September 2024.

In the past I have been told that ITT courses are classed as "exception courses" and that provided I do not hold Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) I should be eligible for full tuition fee loan and maintenance loan to fund a new ITT course no matter what I have received funding for in the past.

I am struggling to get consistent reliable information from different advisors when I phone SFE.

I have previously tried to begin ITT twice... I first began an ITT course with a University in September 2020 (academic year 2020/21) Due to challenging circumstances I was unable to continue training that year and had no choice but to withdraw from the course. For that year I accrued extra debt in terms of tuition fee and maintenance loan borrowed from SFE.

The second time I tried to begin ITT with the same university September 2021 (academic year 2021/22) further difficulties arose unexpectedly and I withdrew from the course. For this academic year the university did not receive any fee payments from SFE, and although the first instalment of maintenance loan went into my bank account, I repaid the entire figure back to SLC. So I did not actually use any funding from SFE that year.

I have heard that although ITT courses are classed as "exception courses", that a "repetition rule" may still apply, and that this may cause me difficulties getting full funding for the new ITT course I am scheduled to begin this September 2024.

I am struggling to obtain contact with anyone that knows the SFE and ITT funding rules sufficiently to properly advice me.

Can someone please give me advise about whether I should be eligible to receive full funding from SFE for this new ITT course.

Thank you.

Reply 1

SFE Jason

Official Rep

Original post by DY74

Currently I am being offered a place on a new postgraduate ITT course starting September 2024.
In the past I have been told that ITT courses are classed as "exception courses" and that provided I do not hold Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) I should be eligible for full tuition fee loan and maintenance loan to fund a new ITT course no matter what I have received funding for in the past.
I am struggling to get consistent reliable information from different advisors when I phone SFE.
I have previously tried to begin ITT twice... I first began an ITT course with a University in September 2020 (academic year 2020/21) Due to challenging circumstances I was unable to continue training that year and had no choice but to withdraw from the course. For that year I accrued extra debt in terms of tuition fee and maintenance loan borrowed from SFE.
The second time I tried to begin ITT with the same university September 2021 (academic year 2021/22) further difficulties arose unexpectedly and I withdrew from the course. For this academic year the university did not receive any fee payments from SFE, and although the first instalment of maintenance loan went into my bank account, I repaid the entire figure back to SLC. So I did not actually use any funding from SFE that year.
I have heard that although ITT courses are classed as "exception courses", that a "repetition rule" may still apply, and that this may cause me difficulties getting full funding for the new ITT course I am scheduled to begin this September 2024.
I am struggling to obtain contact with anyone that knows the SFE and ITT funding rules sufficiently to properly advice me.
Can someone please give me advise about whether I should be eligible to receive full funding from SFE for this new ITT course.
Thank you.

Hi there, what is the full name of the course and university you're looking to study this at? Thanks, Jason

Reply 2

DY74

Hi Jason,

Course Name: Postgraduate ITT with QTS
University: Tes Institute
SLC course code: 94564

Reply 3

Leah SLC

Official Rep

Hi there. It's subject to repetition rules per course. So, if you have withdrawn from previous courses, and starting a new ITT, you would still receive full funding.

Thanks, Leah.

Reply 4

DY74

Original post by Leah SLC

Hi there. It's subject to repetition rules per course. So, if you have withdrawn from previous courses, and starting a new ITT, you would still receive full funding.
Thanks, Leah.

Thank you for that Leah. Sorry I didn't thank you earlier, I broke my leg late Monday night 01/07/2024 and have been in hospital since then. Have now had reconstructive surgery, and will be taking few months to mend.

I am so pleased to hear your response that I will be entitled to full funding for my new ITT course.

That is a relief.

Kind regards,

DY74

Reply 5

Ross SLC

Official Rep

Original post by DY74

Thank you for that Leah. Sorry I didn't thank you earlier, I broke my leg late Monday night 01/07/2024 and have been in hospital since then. Have now had reconstructive surgery, and will be taking few months to mend.
I am so pleased to hear your response that I will be entitled to full funding for my new ITT course.
That is a relief.
Kind regards,
DY74

You're very welcome. If you have any further queries please let us know.

Thanks,
Ross

Reply 6

DY74

Original post by Ross SLC

You're very welcome. If you have any further queries please let us know.
Thanks,
Ross

Hi Ross,

Please can you confirm again, that taking the complete information into account in my original question at the start of this thread, along with the course name, University name and SLC course code I gave in my second entry, that I would be entitled to receive full tuition fee loan and maintenance loan for a new ITT course starting this September 2024.

Please can you also confirm, whether you are an official representative from Student Finance England itself, or if not what your official role is? I wish to make sure the information I am taking from here is 100% full proof and accurate. The reason for this is that I am now being told I will only be entitled to a Department for Education bursary for teacher training if I am also eligible to receive funding from Student Finance England. I had been under the impression that the two were not related.

I look forward to receiving your reply.

Kind regards,

Dylan

Reply 7