Education and training for your child over 18

Education and training are very important and sometimes we need to know where we can get help.

It is law to be in education until your child is 18 years old. If they choose to work more than 20 hours each week they need to be in some kind of training as part of their work.

In this section you can find out about study, revision, further & higher education, apprenticeships, traineeships, T levels, personal development, courses and jobs.

Higher Education courses

You can search and apply for most higher education courses online.

You usually have to be 18 or older to take a higher education course. They’re taught in:

  • universities
  • colleges
  • specialist institutions like art schools or agricultural colleges

Higher education qualifications include:

  • diplomas
  • bachelor degrees
  • foundation degrees
  • post-graduate degrees.

Find Higher Education courses, compare qualifications and check if a university is recognised on GOV.UK.

Further Education (FE) courses

Further education (FE) includes any study after secondary education that’s not part of higher education (that is, not taken as part of an undergraduate or graduate degree).

Courses range from basic English and maths to Higher National Diplomas (HNDs).

FE also includes 3 types of technical and applied qualifications for 16 to 19-year-olds:

  • level 3 tech levels to specialise in a specific technical job
  • level 2 technical certificates help get employment or progress to another tech level
  • applied general qualifications to continue general education at advanced level through applied learning.

Check Further Education courses on GOV.UK.

Further Education courses - financial help

Your young adult may be able to get help with the costs of:

  • the course
  • day-to-day living costs
  • childcare.

Depending on the circumstances and the subject they are studying, they may qualify for:

  • Learner Support
  • Residential Support Scheme
  • Care to Learn
  • Dance and Drama Awards
  • 16 to 19 Bursary Fund
  • a loan to help with the costs of a college or training course if they are 19 or older - called an Advanced Learning Loan.

Find details on Further education courses and funding on GOV.UK.

UCAS - search for courses, uni, colleges, apprenticeships and information

Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is a centralised service that students use to apply to university.

The last date to apply is usually in September. The main difference is that applications received after January aren't guaranteed equal consideration (where course providers consider all applications equally).

Student finance

Student finance on GOV.UK gives details of loans, bursaries, grants, student finance and paying back loans.

Turn2us has information on benefits, grants or other financial support available to young people (aged 16-18).

You can use the student finance calculator on GOV.UK to estimate student loans and extra student funding for students starting a new undergraduate course.

Working on leaving school - apprenticeships, traineeships, internships, volunteering

The law says that young people must stay in education or training until the age of 18. This means that if they decide to work full time (more than 20 hours a week) they will have to combine their job with some sort of training. 

A good way to do this is to take up:

  • an apprenticeship
  • a traineeship
  • a supported internship
  • volunteering work.

Find details on Apprenticeships, traineeships, internships, volunteering.

Adult learning courses

The range of adult education courses available in Slough are many & varied from courses that offer an introduction to a skill such as cooking or clothes making, to courses that offer  a recognised qualification and can lead to employment.

WEA (Workers' Educational Association) offers a wide choice of courses to develop skills for work and life, ESOL, arts and crafts, languages and culture, humanities and science.

Slough Job Centre Plus

Job Centres maintain a jobs database and can also help to find work locally. They can also advise on skills, training and employability.

Slough Job Centre Plus is located at:

Upton Lodge
2a Yew Tree Road
Slough
Berkshire
United Kingdom
SL1 2AQ

You can call them on 0845 604 3719.

Actions

Last updated

Last updated - .

Slough Borough Council
Slough Children First
Healthier together
Slough SEND
Special voices
Wellbeing for Slough
Other partners
Skip back to top of page