What limited full-time is and how to apply
You need to be studying full-time to get a Student Allowance, Student Loan living costs or course-related costs or Scholarship. If you're unable to undertake the workload of a full-time course you may still be able to get financial help under limited full-time status.
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You may qualify for limited full-time status if:
- you're finishing a course and on completion of that course you will have completed a recognised programme, and to do this you need to study less than full-time but more than half of a full-time course
or
- your education provider considers you should study less than full-time for one of the following reasons:
- you have an illness that prevents you from studying full-time or
- you can't study full-time where there is sufficient cause outside your control (this includes a disability which stops you studying full-time) or
- it's in your academic best interests to study less than full-time.
Please note: Academic best interests replaced the 'best interests' category from 1 January 2013. If you were approved under the category of 'best interests' before 31 December 2012, you can continue to study under that approval until 31 December 2014 or until your programme is completed, whichever is earlier, as long as you continue to be eligible in all other respects.
Note: A limited full-time application may not be required for the fees component of the Student Loan if your course is a part-time and at least 32 weeks or part-time, part-year and at least 0.25 EFTS.
How to apply for limited full-time status
When you apply online for financial assistance and indicate you are unable to undertake the workload of a full-time course, you will be provided with a Limited Full-time application form.
If you cannot apply online, download the Limited Full-time application form and contact us. You need to fill in this form, and a Student Allowance or Student Loan application.
