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What you need to do as the parent or partner of a student

Parents and partners are often asked to support applications for full-time student finance by providing information about their own income.

The level of help a student can get with living costs depends on their household income. As the parent or partner of a student, your own income will often be counted as part of this assessment.

Information supplied by you and the student you’re supporting is kept private. It’s important to provide all the information and evidence you’re asked for: if you don’t, the student may not get all the financial help they’re entitled to.

Supporting an application online

If the student you’re supporting applies for finance online, you can supply your financial information online too.

Step one: get your Alias ID

Once the student has made their application, you’ll be sent a letter with an ‘Alias ID’. You will get this by email if the student supplied an email address for you. You can use the Alias ID to link your supporting information to the student’s application.

If you’re supporting an application from more than one student, you’ll be sent a separate Alias ID for each of them.

Step two: register to support an application online

If this is your first time supporting an application from the student online, you’ll need to register to get your login details. You'll be given a Customer Reference Number for future logins, and you'll need to choose a password and secret answer. Make sure you take a note of these details and keep them safe.

If you’ve supported an online application from the student before, your login details will be the same as last time (the Customer Reference Number was formerly known as an ‘ART ID’). You will be able to use the same password and secret answer. If you have forgotten what they are, you can reset your details online.

Step three: login and supply your information

Once you’ve registered, login and select ‘Support an application’. You’ll be asked to enter the Alias ID for the student you are supporting.

Step four: provide evidence

You’ll find guidance on which original documents you need to send through the post as proof of income. You can use your online account to keep track of the documents you’ve supplied.

• Register, login and support a 2009/2010 application online

Supporting an application on paper

Alternatively, you can supply your financial details on paper by downloading a copy of form PN1 (for new students) or form PR1 (for continuing students).

• Student finance forms and guides 2009/2010

If the student is starting their course in the 2009/2010 academic year, send the form to Student Finance England – along with the documents you’re asked to supply.

For students who started in 2008/2009 or earlier, you should return the form to either your local authority or the Student Loans Company - depending on where you live. See 'Contact your local authority (student finance applications)' to find out where to send the form.

• Contact Student Finance England

• Contact your local authority (student finance applications) Opens new window

If you’re expecting your household income to drop

Student finance applications are usually assessed on household income for the previous tax year.

But if you’re expecting a significant drop in your income, you can ask to be assessed on the current tax year instead.

If you think your household income for the current tax year will be at least 15 per cent lower than for the previous tax year, complete and return a ‘Current year income assessment form’. Make sure you also supply the evidence it asks for.

• Download Current year income assessment form - tax year 2009-2010 (PDF, 47K)

What happens after you’ve supplied your information

Student Finance England (or your local authority, if they’re handling the application) will use the information you supply to work out whether you’re expected to make a contribution to the student’s living costs - and if so, how much.

They will then assess how much financial help the student is entitled to.

• Student finance: your role as the parent or partner of a student

If your personal or financial circumstances change

If your circumstances change after you’ve supplied your information, contact Student Finance England as soon as possible - it could affect the amount of financial help the student is entitled to.

Changes to your marital status

Contact Student Finance England if you:

• get married or move in with a new partner (of either sex)
• become widowed, separated or divorced

If your income suddenly drops

If there’s a sudden drop in your income after the application has been submitted, it may mean that the student is entitled to more financial help. Contact Student Finance England to check whether you need to be re-assessed.

• Contact Student Finance England

Applications for 2008/2009

Student finance applications close nine months after the start of the academic year.

But if the student is still able to apply for the 2008/2009 academic year, you’ll need to get a 2008/2009 version of the relevant form from your local authority – or from the Student Loans Company, if they’re handling applications for your area.

• Contact your local authority (student finance applications) Opens new window