Money
Getting the best deal
Savings for adult learners
It is great to learn a new skill, whatever your age. But, often just getting started is daunting, writes Teena Lyons
Finding out where to get information on free or affordable courses and if there is any financial support for your studies is a vital first step.
Step one - Get informed. Work out what you want to do and how to go about it with www.support4learning.org.uk, which tells adult learners everything they need to know about funding and support for further education, from choosing courses and finding loans.
Step two - Get the basics. If you feel a bit rusty and want to brush up on maths and English skills before you get started on something more life-changing, free help is on offer from virtually every college in the UK, which will offer courses up to GCSE level. Not sure if you need any help?
Try the online quiz from www.move-on.org.uk, they will also help out with details of courses near you.
Step three - Get creative. For some really helpful web links on studying anything from poetry to politics, try www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/linktwo.htm. It also has some useful online communities and information resources.
If you want to try your hand at learning a language, try www.ilovelanguages.com which offers a great catalogue of web-based language sites from online language lessons to translating dictionaries.
To find out about a good range of free or affordable online courses try Free & Affordable Distance Education on www.docnmail.com/index.html.
Step four - Finding funding. Not all local councils offer funding for further education, but a lot do. Contact yours direct and find out what is on offer. Also, check out www.studentmoney.org which offers a great database of bursary, scholarship and awards applicable to would-be students.
If you are in work, it is well worth approaching your employer to find out if they will offer financial help for your studies – recent research showed that more than 35 per cent of students in higher education have some, or all of their fees paid for by employers.
An increasing number of larger firms are awarding grants for courses which will contribute towards all-round employee development – and that does not mean you simply have to learn more about your existing job.
There is a general understanding that a workforce that is more flexible, competent and confident thanks to external interests, is generally a good thing.
