Janice Lozano
University students may be entitled to benefits, depending on their personal circumstances. Full-time students are generally not eligible for state benefits during their course, but there are exceptions. For example, students with children or a disability may have access to benefits while studying. Part-time students may be able to claim income-related benefits and are more likely to be eligible for benefits than full-time students. Students who are parents, have a non-student partner, or have no parental support may be able to claim Universal Credit. Students with a disability may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), which is being replaced by Universal Credit.
Explore related products
$29.09 $40.95
What You'll Learn
Part-time students and benefits
Generally, as a full-time undergraduate student, you are not eligible to claim state benefits during your course. However, part-time students and certain groups of full-time students may sometimes be eligible for income-related benefits.
If you are already claiming income-related benefits and want to start a higher education course, you should ask your local Jobs and Benefits office how this will affect your benefits. If you are currently at university or college, a student adviser will be able to help you work out if you qualify for any benefits.
Part-time students may choose to pursue part-time studies for a variety of different reasons, such as furthering one's education, advancing in a career, professional development, or simply the decision to pivot one's current life direction. A benefit of pursuing higher education as a part-time student is the opportunity to balance learning with work, family, and other personal commitments. Part-time students often carry out responsibilities related to family and/or employment while living off-campus.
In the United Kingdom, while full-time student enrolment has been increasing, part-time student enrolment has been steadily decreasing since 2009-2010. In 2011–2012, 31% of all enrolments were part-time, while in 2015–2016 part-time students consisted of 24% of all enrolments. Between 2011–2012 and 2015–2016 there was an overall 30% decrease in part-time students. In 2022-2023, there were 784,000 undergraduate students; of these, 140,000 were part-time students. In 2024-2025, there were 536,000 postgraduate students, and almost 240,000 of these were studying part-time.
Grad Students at UW: A Thriving Community
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Full-time students with children
Generally, full-time students are not eligible to claim state benefits during their course. However, there are exceptions, and some full-time students with children may be able to access benefits while studying.
Child Benefit
If you are a UK student with a dependent child, you will usually be eligible for Child Benefit while you are studying, providing no one else receives this benefit in respect of your child.
Child Tax Credits
Child Tax Credits could be claimed by students who were responsible for at least one child or young person. Child Tax Credits may also include an award towards childcare.
Housing Benefit
If you have a dependent child and already receive Housing Benefit, you may continue to be eligible while studying. If you are moving areas, or claiming for the first time, you will usually be required to claim Universal Credit instead.
Universal Credit
Employment and Support Allowance
If you have a disability, you may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). This is for people who have limited capability for work because of illness or a disability.
Carer's Allowance
If you study less than 21 hours per week, you can claim Carer's Allowance. If you are studying full-time, you cannot claim Carer's Allowance, but you should still make sure the person you look after claims the benefits they are entitled to.
Jobseeker's Allowance
If you have a partner who is also a full-time student, and one or both of you is responsible for a child, you may be able to claim Jobseeker's Allowance during the summer holiday. You must also be available for and actively seeking work.
Exploring Enrollment: University of New York's Student Population
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Full-time students with disabilities
Generally, as a full-time undergraduate student, you are not eligible to claim state benefits during your course. However, students with disabilities may be entitled to certain benefits.
If you are a full-time student with a disability, you may be able to claim Universal Credit (UC) if you were assessed as having a limited capability for work before starting your course, and are receiving Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Adult Disability Payment, or Disability Living Allowance (DLA). You can also claim UC if you are waiting to return to your course after recovering from ill health or if you have taken time off to care for someone. This lasts until you return to your studies or for 12 months, whichever is shorter.
If you are a disabled student in higher education, you may be able to claim a disabled student's allowance for extra expenses that arise due to your course. The Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) is available for students in England with disabilities that affect their ability to study. This includes specific learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia or ADHD), mental health conditions, physical disabilities, sensory disabilities, and long-term health conditions.
You may also be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), which is for people with limited work capability due to illness or disability. There are two types of ESA: contributory and income-related. Contributory ESA is for those who have paid National Insurance contributions, while income-related ESA is means-tested and for those on low incomes.
Additionally, you can get PIP, Adult Disability Payment, Child Disability Payment, Attendance Allowance, or Pension Age Disability Payment even if you are a full-time student. These benefits are not means-tested, so any income or savings you have are ignored. However, if activities in your course suggest that your health has improved, these benefits may stop.
Keene State University: Student Population
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Full-time students with a non-student partner
Generally, as a full-time undergraduate student, you are not eligible to claim state benefits during your course. However, full-time students with a non-student partner may be eligible for benefits in certain circumstances.
If you are a full-time student with a non-student partner, your partner can claim benefits on behalf of both of you if they are eligible for any income-related benefits. Your partner's income will be taken into account when determining your eligibility for benefits.
In addition, if you are a full-time student with a non-student partner and have a dependent child, you may be eligible for Child Benefit. Child Tax Credits could be claimed by students who were responsible for at least one child or young person. Additionally, if you are ordinarily resident in the UK, you may be able to claim Child Tax Credits, which can include an award towards childcare.
Furthermore, if you are a full-time student with a non-student partner and have a disability, you may be eligible for benefits such as the disability premium or severe disability premium of income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). ESA is a benefit for people with a limited capability for work due to illness or disability.
It is important to note that the rules for benefits can be complex, and it is recommended to seek advice from a student adviser or a local Citizens Advice Bureau before making a claim, as it could impact other benefits you receive or are entitled to.
Student Wi-Fi Privacy: Are Universities Watching?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Full-time students without parental support
Generally, full-time students are not eligible for state benefits during their course. However, there are exceptions for students without parental support. If you are a full-time student without parental support, you may be able to claim Universal Credit. This benefit provides support for living costs, rent, children, and childcare costs if you are working, as well as extra needs if you are a carer.
To be eligible for Universal Credit, your course must be more than 12 hours a week of non-advanced education, and you must be over the age of 19. If you are studying full-time and are responsible for a child or young person, you may be able to claim Child Tax Credits. Child Benefit is also usually available to students with dependent children, as long as no one else is claiming this benefit for the same child. If you are a lone parent, you may also be able to claim Housing Benefit.
If you are a full-time student with a disability, you may be able to claim the disability premium or severe disability premium of income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). If you were receiving Personal Independence Payments (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) before starting your studies, you may be able to continue claiming Universal Credit. If you are studying less than 21 hours per week, you can also claim Carer's Allowance.
It is important to note that your student income, such as loans and grants, can affect how much Universal Credit you receive. Loans for maintenance, such as living costs and rent, are considered income and will be taken into account when calculating your Universal Credit. However, loans for tuition fees and other study costs are excluded. If you are already claiming income-related benefits and want to start a higher education course, you should consult your local Jobs and Benefits office to understand how your benefits will be affected.
Wolfpack Pride: NC State University Student Population
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
It depends on your personal circumstances, such as your income, savings, and whether you have a disability or a child. Full-time students are usually not eligible for state benefits, but part-time students can often continue to get their benefits as before.
Full-time students are not eligible for benefits for living cost support or rent. However, they don't have to pay Council Tax, as long as everyone in the household is a full-time student. Full-time students with a disability may be able to claim Universal Credit, and those with children may be eligible for Child Benefit and Child Tax Credits. Students with a non-student partner may be able to claim Universal Credit.
Part-time students may be eligible for income-related benefits and may be able to claim Universal Credit if they meet the general eligibility requirements. They may also be able to claim Jobseeker's Allowance if they are out of work or working less than 16 hours a week on average.
