Addressing Digital Poverty
Help with IT equipment and connectivity content
Am I eligible? content
Help with IT equipment and connectivity
Students will generally be joining classes from their local learning centre, but you may wish to undertake self study at home rather than in the centre.
If you don’t have a suitable computer or laptop, or you have a poor broadband connection and you can’t afford to upgrade, we may be able to help – your local centre staff will be able to advise you more fully and can accept your application to the correct fund.
Am I eligible?
Am I eligible?
To be eligible for Digital Poverty Assistance you must:
- have no or inadequate IT equipment and/or have an unsuitable broadband connection
- be from a low-income household – see the definitions below
- be normally resident in Scotland and meet the ordinarily resident in Scotland criteria.
What does Low Income Household mean?
What does Low Income Household mean?
Our definitions of low-income
FE students (that’s if your course is SCQF Level 6 or below) must receive, at least one of these:
- EMA (you should receive this if your family income below £24,421 for households with one dependent or £26,884 for more than one dependent)
- Maximum FE Bursary Maintenance Allowance (You should receive this if your family income under £20,351. Independent students with the sole source of income as FE Bursary and part-time employment)
- Universal Credit/DWP Benefits (Your family is in receipt of statutory funds to guarantee minimum income)
- Discretionary Hardship Fund Award or Childcare Fund Award from Argyll College.
HE students (if your course is SCQF level 7 or above) must receive, at least one of these:
- Maximum Student Loan
- Young Student Bursary
- Independent Student Bursary
- Lone Parent Grant
- Universal Credit/DWP Benefits (Your family is in receipt of statutory funds to guarantee minimum income)
- Discretionary Hardship Fund Award or Childcare Fund Award from Argyll College.
How do I apply?
How do I apply?
- Complete the two page Digital Poverty Application Form (click link to download) or contact your local centre staff who can provide you with a copy.
- You may need to provide evidence to support your application eg SAAS award letter or Universal Credit statement.
- We’ll assess your application as fast as we can.
- If your application is successful we will provide you with IT accessories to enable you to connect to online classes, or a suitable laptop (to a maximum value of £350) and/or arrange an upgrade of your broadband if this is possible in your area, for the duration of your course.
- If your application is not successful we will investigate other funding options with you (e.g. our Discretionary Hardship Fund) or we may in certain cases arrange access to your local learning centre where you can use college IT equipment.