What is a dependent student?
A dependent student is a student whose parents, step-parents or guardians may be expected to contribute to his or her support. If you are a dependent student, your parents will be assessed for a contribution to any financially-assessed support you are applying for.
If you are a new dependent student in 2008/09 your unearned income and the income of your parents will be assessed.
If your parents are separated, divorced or widowed, the income of whichever parent you normally live with will be assessed.
However, if your parent has remarried, entered into a civil partnership or lives with a partner (of the same or opposite sex), their partner's income will also be included in the assessment.
What income is assessed?
Household income is assessed using the parents'/spouse's/partner's earnings from the tax year prior to the start of the academic year and an estimate of the student's *unearned income for the academic year.
For example, for a student being assessed for support for the 2008/09 academic year:
- We need actual figures for the tax year, 6th April 2008 to 5th April 2009 from parents and
- An estimated figure from the student for the period 1st September 2008 to 31st August 2009
*Unearned income - includes money gained from interest from building society accounts etc. and does not include earnings from part-time employment.
For further information please contact The Children and Young People Information Service on 01454 868008 or email educ.grants@southglos.gov.uk