Skills Funding Agency
Skills Funding Agency (SFA) is an executive agency, funding more than 1000 colleges, Training Centres and Employers annually with more than £3.7 Billion per year. The Apprenticeship and Traineeship programmes are funded through SFA and it is also responsible for retaining information about the Learners, Apprentices and Trainees.
Other responsibilities:
- Managing Advanced Learner Loan (including 19+ ALL*)
- Funding National Careers Service
- Maintain Individualised Leaner Record (ILR) data
For more information, please call 07389134497 or visit : SFA
*Subject to review for 2017-18 Funding year
European Social Fund
The European Social Fund (ESF) is the main mechanism through which EU residents are supported to progress towards positive outcomes. Working alongside the SFA, ESF funds a wide variety of programmes across the UK.
Between 2014 and 2020, ESF focuses on investing in skills, employment opportunities and promotion of social inclusion.
For more information :
Please call 07389134497 or
visit : European Social Fund Operational Programme: 2014 to 2020
Advance Learner Loan
Advanced Learner Loan is a provision managed by Skills Funding Agency which allows Learners to take up learning loans to pay for learning at Level 3 or above. Advance Learner Loans are a great way of financing learning and the loan eligibility doesn’t depend on income and there are no credit checks.
For courses starting before 1st August 2016
You must be aged 24 years or over at the start of the course and
- Your course must be at Level 3 or Level 4
- At an approved Training Provider or College in England
For courses starting after 1st August
You must be aged 19 years or over at the start of the course and
- Your course must be at Level 3, 4, 5 or 6
- At an approved Training Provider or College in England
Your residency status will also determine whether you are eligible for the loans or not.
Advance Learner Loan Repayment
You only start the repayment if all of the following conditions are met:
- The course has finished
- You are earning more than £21,000 a year
If you are working with earnings more than £21,000 a year, your employer will calculate your repayment amount and will take it out of your salary with tax.
If you have taken the Advanced Learner Loan for an Access to Higher Education course, Student Finance England will ‘write-off’ any outstanding balance for the Access to Higher Education once you complete a Higher Education Course.
For more information:
Please call 07389134497 or visit
Advanced Learner Loan repayments
Discretionary Learner Support
For Learners who have taken out an Advanced Learner Loans and have financial difficulties, Discretionary Learner Support may be available from their learning provider. These funds are not an entitlement and Learning Providers are required to establish clear rationale* as to why the funding was provided. These funds are not to be repaid along with the Advanced Learner Loans.
For more information:
Please call 020 89118210 or visit
*Discretionary Learner Support can be paid for Travel, Certain Residential Costs, Childcare etc.