Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many students studying higher education in further education colleges received maintenance grants in the last year for which figures are available.

Statistics showing the number of English applicants awarded maintenance grants are published annually by the Student Loans Company (SLC) in the Statistical First Release ‘Student Support for Higher Education in England’.

http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/financial-support-awarded/england-higher-education.aspx

Data provided by the SLC indicates there were 33,700 English applicants awarded maintenance grants for HE courses associated with publicly-funded further education colleges in the academic year 2014/15.

A course can be held at a campus of the associated institution or at a franchise location, therefore numbers of applicants to courses associated with an institution may not necessarily reflect the numbers studying at the institution. An awarded applicant will only receive payments once SLC have received confirmation from the applicant’s provider that the student has been registered on the course.