Bursary in year one
During your first year on the programme, you will receive a bursary to contribute to your living and travel costs. Participants based outside of London will receive a total bursary of £18,000. Participants based in London will receive a total bursary of £20,000.
The bursary is not subject to income tax or National Insurance contributions. This means your bursary is roughly the same as the take home pay of someone earning a salary of £20,600 outside London or £23,500 if you’re in London.
The bursary is paid in 13 monthly instalments, on the first working day of each month, starting in August.
Salary in years two and three
After successfully passing year one of the programme, you will move into employment during years two and three. You will get paid a newly qualified social worker salary, which can be up to £34k depending on local authority and location. London local authorities may offer higher salaries.
Before starting the programme
Before applying, please make sure you are able to cover your costs of living during year one, using the bursary and any personal funds you have.
We recognise that some individuals may find it difficult to complete the readiness for practice stage which begins the programme without additional financial assistance. The Approach bursary advance and grant scheme supports participants to cover expenses during this period. As a charity, we have very limited funds available for this scheme and we can therefore only offer grants to a very limited number of participants, at our discretion.
If you apply for a bursary advance, please consider the impact of receiving reduced payments for the rest of the year.
We will share details about the bursary advance and grant scheme with successful applicants before starting the programme.
Tuition fees and student benefits
As a participant of Approach Social Work, your tuition fees for your PGDip and Master’s degree are fully covered by Frontline so you don’t pay anything. Tuition fees for Social Work Master’s degrees typically cost £9000 a year.
In your first year of study, you are considered a full-time student of Lancaster university. This means you can get a student railcard, student discounts, Microsoft Office Pro Plus and access to SCONUL study spaces, books and resources.
You may qualify for council tax exemption or discount. For more information, see here – How Council Tax works: Who has to pay – GOV.UK
You may also qualify for Disabled Students’ Allowance. For more information, see here – Help if you’re a student with a learning difficulty, health problem or disability: Disabled Students’ Allowance – GOV.UK
If you are experiencing financial hardship during year one of the programme, you can apply to two of Lancaster University’s funding support schemes: Lancaster’s Opportunity and Access Fund (LOAF) and its emergency loan. This support is intended for those who experience significant and unexpected changes to their finances during their studies. As Approach participants receive a bursary and do not pay tuition fees, it is less likely that you will be eligible.
Please ensure that prior to applying for extra financial support, you read the supporting terms and conditions for each option.
Is the year one bursary on Approach Social Work affected by any student loans I have already taken out?
In year one, the bursary does not count as income that is subject to student loan repayments. However, in a small number of cases you may need to contact the Student Loans Company to provide evidence for your current means of support. Even if you have taken out a postgraduate student loan before starting the programme, you are still eligible for the full bursary payment.
Are there any additional costs prior to receiving the bursary for Approach Social Work?
You may be required to cover costs incurred from obtaining eligibility documentation. Some GP surgeries charge a fee for completing our health form and, if applicable, you will be responsible for covering this cost.
If you choose to have an SpLD assessment you will be required to pay 50% of the cost and Frontline will pay the remaining fee.
The cost of your DBS check is covered by Frontline. However, if you lose your DBS certificate you will be required to pay 50% of the cost of the new check.
Who covers costs for the Readiness for Practice stage of Approach Social Work?
The readiness for practice stage consists of five weeks of study which you complete at the start of the programme. Most days will take place online, however there are three consecutive residential days that you will attend as a whole cohort, alongside two in-person regional teaching days.
You will cover costs associated with travel to and from in-person days, including the readiness for practice stage residential. We will cover accommodation and food during the three-day residential.
Travel costs for Approach participants
You are required to cover costs associated with travelling to and from the readiness for practice stage, skills days and your placement. This may involve travel across your region for skills days. Your local authority will reimburse your mileage when you are travelling to and from visits to families. Local authorities do not cover mileage to and from the office and you should use your bursary or salary to cover this cost.
Universal Credit
We cannot advise on individual circumstances regarding (child) tax credits and universal credit, but many of our participants have found they are no longer eligible for these once they begin the programme.
Please factor this into your budgeting or speak to HMRC. The government’s website has more information on universal credit.