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THCW Further Education Trust assessment and eligibility rules

Assessment and Eligibility Rules 2026 to 2027

You should read this section in conjunction with both the application's webpage and the form.

Together, these documents set out who may apply to the Tower Hamlets and Canary Wharf Further Education Trust, what types of support may be awarded, and how applications will be assessed.

1. Definition and Calculations

1.1. Tower Hamlets and Canary Wharf Further Education Trust, Charity number: 1002772 (the "Trust"): a discretionary trust that may provide financial support to eligible residents of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets ("LBTH") who are undertaking an approved education or training as detailed in Section 3 of this document. Awards are not automatic and are subject to assessment, prioritisation, and the availability of funds.

1.2. Trustees: the Trustees of the Trust as listed on the Charity Commission website.

1.3. Student: the individual applying to the Trust for financial support in relation to an approved course of study.

1.4. Student Household and Total Household Income

1.4.1. Student Household: meaning the student, the student’s parents, siblings, children and the spouse/partner of each of them, sharing the same household.

1.4.2. Total Household Income: meaning the income from all sources, earned and unearned, of student/partner and student’s parents if they are part of the household, after deduction of tax, and after deduction of rent or mortgage payments.

1.5. Course fees ("Fees"): mandatory charges levied by an approved education provider for enrolment on a course. This excludes optional, additional or non-compulsory costs unless otherwise specified.

1.6. Maintenance ("Maintenance"): a contribution towards study-related costs incurred as a result of undertaking education. This may include travel, course materials, equipment and other necessary expenses.

1.7. Approved education provider: an institution or organisation recognised by the Trust as eligible to deliver approved education and training as detailed in Section 3.

1.8. Any application not accompanied by sufficient documentary evidence to enable an assessment of the Total Household Income, will be considered for an award limited to Fees only.

1.9. Consideration will not be given to documentary evidence supplied after the Trustees have reached a decision on a student’s application.

1.10. Except in the most exceptional circumstances, and only at the Trustees’ discretion, the Trustees will not review or adjust an award based on any changes to a student’s circumstances during the academic year for which the award has been granted.

2. Residency

2.1. Applicants must be resident within LBTH at the time of application. They must have the permanent right to remain in the United Kingdom or have been granted either Indefinite or Exceptional Leave to remain, Humanitarian Protection or Discretionary Leave to remain in the United Kingdom or have Refugee Status.

2.2. Applicants must have been resident in LBTH for the three years up to the closing date for applications listed on the LBTH website. However, any period during these three years, during which an applicant has been resident wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education, shall not count in the qualifying period and the applicant will not be eligible for consideration.

2.3. An exception may be made to the three year requirement in section 2.2 for people who have been granted full Refugee Status by the Home Office and for young people aged under 18 at the closing date listed on the LBTH website coming to live with their parents in LBTH, provided in the latter case their parents with whom they reside have been resident in LBTH for three years.

3. Courses

3.1. Grants will be considered for the following courses:

3.1.1. Further education: meaning education given other than in a primary or secondary school and also education at A-level standard, but excluding higher education and post-graduate education.

3.1.2. Higher education: meaning education where the qualification to be obtained is above A-level standard excluding postgraduate education.

3.1.3. Postgraduate education: meaning education at postgraduate level where the course of education confers a nationally recognised vocational qualification or is likely in the opinion of the Trustees materially to enhance or improve the applicant‘s employment qualifications.

3.1.4. Professional Courses and Qualifications: courses leading to a recognised professional qualification or accreditation, typically required for entry into or progression within a specific profession. Examples may include (but are not limited to):

    • Professional body qualifications
    • Regulatory or licence linked professional training
    • Post qualification professional development where funding is not otherwise available

3.1.5. Training course: a structured programme of learning or instruction, delivered by an approved education or training provider, which leads to the development of specific skills, knowledge, or professional competence. Training courses are typically time limited, may be accredited or non-accredited, and do not constitute undergraduate study or courses funded through statutory student finance or free government provision.

3.2. Further education courses

Support will be refused where an applicant is eligible to apply for a Council's Education Award.

3.3. Higher education courses

Any student enrolled on a course that normally attracts financial support from central government under the student finance regulations will not be eligible for course Fees and Maintenance funding from the Trust, unless they have one or more dependants under the age of 18, or they are applying for support with Fees.

3.4. Part-time courses and distance learning

A grant towards Fees will be considered for part-time courses only where the course is offered by public sector colleges and universities, the Open University, the Open College of the Arts, and any other educational institute of repute approved by the Trustees in their discretion.

For the purposes of these rules, a part-time course is one which requires the student to undertake not more than twelve guided learning hours of tuition per week.

3.5. Private college courses

Applications will be considered for full-time courses at private colleges in the UK and only where the course does not exceed three years and will result in the granting of a nationally recognised vocational qualification or is likely in the opinion of the Trustees materially to enhance or improve the applicant’s employment qualifications.

The Trustees reserve the right to refuse an application if they consider the course fees to be unreasonably high in relation to the qualification achieved. Further guidance is available on request from the Trustees.

3.6. Apprenticeship Applications

Support may be given for Fees and Maintenance for applicants undertaking apprenticeships leading to a professional qualification. Funding will also be considered in respect of the cost of any equipment required in respect of the apprenticeship.

3.7. Religious studies

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of sections 2 and 3 (above), applications for courses devoted exclusively or predominantly to the study of religion, regardless of which religion, will not normally be supported.

3.8. General requirements – Subsequent years

Any grant made on this application will be only in respect of the current academic year. Support for subsequent years of any course will be dependent upon a successful application being made at the appropriate time.

Where an application relates to the second or subsequent year of a course, any grant that may be made will be dependent upon the student having successfully completed the previous year of study.

Award for students repeating the same study year will be given only in exceptional cases. A grant is terminated at the end of the academic year for which it is offered. The award will not be reinstated even though subsequent information is received pertinent to the reason for non-take up. Support is for one year only and is no guarantee that an award will be given in any subsequent year.

4. Levels of support

4.1. Levels of contribution, other grants and household income

4.1.1. The Trust cannot meet all of a student’s needs and in most cases will only be able to contribute towards the cost of education. Students should therefore expect to meet at least part of their costs. Support can only be offered for Fees and Maintenance.

4.1.2. The Trustees will take into account any grants from other sources either received or to be received, whether before or after an offer of Maintenance has been made by the Trust, and reserves the right to reassess the amount of award where appropriate or even reclaim sums already paid.

4.1.3. All Maintenance grants will be subject to means testing taking into account Total Household Income assessed in accordance with the provisions of this document and subject thereto all grants will be in the discretion of the Trustees. The maximum annual levels of support will be as laid down in paragraphs 4.4 to 4.9 inclusive, as the same may be amended from time to time by the Trustees in their discretion, but subject to paragraph 3.3. Applicants seeking Maintenance support must ensure their household income is below the LBTH cost of living threshold.

4.2. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these rules, applicants in receipt of any Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits (e.g. Universal Credit) will not be awarded, in respect of Maintenance, a sum greater than the amount above that which is likely to reduce or eliminate the level of DWP support already in place.

4.3. Consideration will not be given to applications received after the announced closing date, unless the Trustees in their discretion decide otherwise for exceptional reasons.

4.4. Students of Further Education courses will be considered for: Maintenance up to £ 2,750 and course Fees up to £1,365, provided the total shall not exceed £3,800.

4.5. Higher Education courses will be considered for: Maintenance up to £2,700 and course Fees up to £3,800, provided the total shall not exceed £5,200.

4.6. Postgraduate courses for a full-time course lasting from one to three academic years will be considered for: Maintenance up to £3,150 and course Fees up to £5,850, provided the total shall not exceed £5,900.

4.7. Postgraduate courses for a full-time course lasting less than one academic year in length will be considered for: Maintenance up to £1,400 and course Fees up to £2,750, provided the total shall not exceed £2,800.

4.8. Part-time courses below postgraduate level will be considered for course Fees up to £3,150 and no Maintenance.

4.9. Part-time postgraduate level and above courses will be considered for course Fees up to £4,500 and no Maintenance.

5. Priorities

5.1. The funds available for the making of grants in any one-year (as determined by the Trustees in their absolute discretion) will be allocated in the following order of priority:

5.1.1. Continuing students. These are students who are moving to subsequent years of their course having received support from the Trust for the same course at the same college in previous years 2025/26 but subject to any qualification already imposed on the making of current grant.

5.1.2. Full-time further and higher education courses for new applicants.

5.1.3. Part-time courses (below post-graduate level).

5.1.4. Postgraduate courses (part-time or full-time) for new applicants, (continuing students considered under 5.1.1)

5.2. Where in the opinion of the Trustees funds are not available to meet all applications of a given priority, which would otherwise have been successful, the funds shall be allocated at the discretion of the Trustees.

6. Decisions and Appeals

6.1. Decisions made by the Trustees will be final and binding. Students wishing to appeal against a decision refusing them support, or against the amount of support offered, may only do so by supplying additional information not previously provided to the Trustees.

The consideration of such additional information will be at the unfettered discretion of the Trustees.

6.2. In very exceptional cases, and when the Trustees consider that a case merits such support, the Trustees retain the right to make an award to students who would not otherwise be entitled to or qualify for a grant under these rules.