funding for all types of courses

• Career Development Loans (CDL)
• Educational charities and trusts
• Educational Grants Advisory Service (EGAS)
• Employers

Career Development Loans (CDL)

A CDL is a deferred repayment bank loan to help you pay for work-related learning or education. You can borrow between £300 and £8,000 to fund up to two years of learning plus (if relevant) up to one year's practical work experience where it forms part of the course. You might consider a CDL if you need to develop a skill and you can’t get funding for the course.

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) pays the interest on your loan while you're learning, and for up to one month afterwards. You then repay the loan to the bank over an agreed period at a fixed rate of interest. If you claim benefits or don't go straight into work you may be given more time before starting the repayments.

CDLs are available through three high street banks: Barclays, The Co-operative and The Royal Bank of Scotland.

About you
You can apply for a career development loan if:

• you're aged 18 or over
• you intend to learn in Great Britain (England, Scotland or Wales)
• you intend to work in the European Union, Iceland, Norway or Liechtenstein after you've finished your course
• you haven't got enough savings to pay for the course yourself
• you're employed, unemployed or self-employed.

About your course
You can use a CDL for:

• any full-time, part-time or distance learning course as long as it is vocational (leads to an occupation, trade or profession). Examples include NVQs, City & Guilds courses and vocational postgraduate courses
• not only course fees, but other course costs (such as childcare, travel and equipment) and living expenses
• a course no longer than two years (although one extra year can be for a work placement)
• two years of a longer course (usually the last two years)
• a course run by a learning provider which is on the CDL Register of Learning Providers.

You cannot use a CDL for anything you are receiving other funding to cover. This includes Local Education Authority awards, NHS bursaries, money from employers or if you have enough money yourself to fund it.

The following are not eligible:

• careers counselling courses – courses that provide you with information, advice, guidance and job-hunting tips like CV advice
• franchise courses – a CDL can cover the learning part of a franchise course but can’t help you buy the franchise itself
• a foundation course that leads to a degree - but you can use a CDL for "stand-alone" foundation courses that lead straight into employment

However, you can apply for a CDL to supplement your funding if it doesn't cover the entire cost of the course.

It's important to consider the following before taking out a CDL:

• you have to pay the loan back after the course, even if you don't complete the course
• check the quality of the course - is it accredited by an examination or professional body, and recognised by employers?

If you decide you want to get a CDL, read more on the Directgov website. You can also call the CDL Information Line on 0800 585 505.

Make sure you get the skills you need from your course by reading our article on choosing the right course.

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Educational charities and trusts

Educational charities and trusts may award you funds. They may make small awards towards expenses - such as books and equipment, travel, and childcare - which are not covered by other funding sources. You can apply to many educational trusts to piece together the money you need from several small contributions.

Their qualification rules can be anything from where you were born, what your surname is, what you're studying to how old you are.

Apply well in advance, as the process can take time. Be aware of the deadline date for application.

Contact the Educational Grants Advisory Service EGAS to check which educational trusts you might qualify for.

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Educational Grants Advisory Service (EGAS)

EGAS provides info and advice on all funding for post-16 education. They advise on standard sources of funding, such as grants, loans, bursaries and hardship funds. They also advise on non-standard funding, such as educational trusts and charities.

If you fill in a questionnaire, EGAS can check which funding you might be eligible for and will send you the details. You can fill in this form on-line on the EGAS website.

You can also get advice by calling their helpline on 020 7254 6251 (open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 2:00 to 4:00pm).

Employers

Ask your employer if they will help to pay for your course. Usually, they will only fund learning related to your job, but some employers will fund a wider range of learning as part of their employee development programmes.

Employers may also give you time off to attend day release courses.