Vikki Howells MS, Minister for Further and Higher Education
I am committed to making education available to everyone regardless of their financial circumstances, including through our Welsh Government Learning Grant for Further Education (WGLG FE) Scheme which provides vital support for adults aged 19 and over to enter or progress their education up to Level 3.
Today, as applications for our WGLG FE support for academic year 2025/26 open, I’m pleased to say that for the first time in over 14 years, I have been able to increase the grant amount eligible learners can receive.
Until today, learners have received up to a maximum of £1,500 to help them with the costs of further education. From September 2025, I am increasing the grant available for eligible full-time learners with a household income of £18,370 or less to up to £1,919, and for part-time learners to up to £959. These rates will apply for new learners and for current WGLG FE recipients looking to progress into next year.
The WGLG FE aims to help with costs such as books, equipment and travel expenses and create opportunities for adult learners who might otherwise struggle with education costs. These grant increases will provide further financial support and help learners with the increased cost of living.
The higher rates will remain in place while an independent review of the WGLG FE Scheme is carried out. This review, amongst other objectives, will consider the household income thresholds that determine eligibility and demonstrates my continued commitment to ensuring we have the right support available to learners at every stage of their lives to access education.
The academic year 2025/26 sees a real investment in our FE learners with WGLG FE recipients having more money in their pockets, and our Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) Scheme providing the highest weekly rate of grant in the UK and increased household eligibility thresholds to extend eligibility to more learners.
Both WGLG FE and EMA form part of our Young Persons Guarantee, and I’m proud to say that these Schemes have contributed to the support given to over 50,000 young people since November 2021 and provide a contribution towards the Welsh Government’s National Milestone of at least 90% of 16- to 24-year-olds being in education, employment, or training by 2050.
WGLG FE is available for full or part time study making adult learning accessible and able to fit around existing commitments. I strongly believe that returning to study as an adult can have a profound impact on both a person’s well-being and confidence. It can create opportunities to enter higher education through an Access to HE course, give adults the chance to re-start an educational pathway that may have previously been unattainable like GCSEs and A-Levels, and it can provide the skills and vocational qualifications people need to progress in or enter the workplace like basic skills and NVQs.
Today at my visit to NPTC Brecon campus, I heard about learners in receipt of WGLG FE, in particular Owen who is a shining example of the benefits of WGLG FE. Owen has maintained 100% attendance and consistently shown commitment, motivation and a strong desire to achieve his qualification. This demonstrates the crucial role WGLG FE can play in ensuring learners can focus on their studies without the added pressure of financial strain.
With the increase in grant now available, I would strongly encourage anyone aged 19 and over and thinking about returning to study or looking to progress up to a Level 3 qualification to ask their college about WGLG FE.
More information about WGLG FE eligibility, grant rates and how to apply can be found on the Student Finance Wales Welsh Government Learning Grant FE page.