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Educational Benefits in the British Armed Forces

The British Armed Forces is well known for the way it encourages training, not only for the particular trade you specialise in, but for qualifications that will be useful after you leave the service.

It’s not all about studying either, there is lots of adventure training such as abseiling, canoeing and skiing to help improve your fitness, teamwork skills and confidence.

You can also qualify for student grants for more formal education and training such as GCSE’s, A-levels and degrees that will help you progress further both in the Armed Forces and in civilian life in later life. This extra training is separate to your trade training and is to allow you to improve yourself and your career prospects beyond the day-to-day skills of your current role.

Standard Learning Credits

The Standard Learning Credit scheme is designed to assist Service members to take external training through a number of small scale learning activities. Service members can apply for up to 80% of the cost of external training, up to a maximum of £175 per year.

The course must be applicable to your personal development goals and must end with the reward of a nationally accredited qualification. This can include part time academic and vocational courses at Further Education colleges, open learning courses that involve regular attendance at a local access centre, or individual tuition such as learning foreign languages from recognised learning providers.

Enhanced Learning Scheme

The Enhanced Learning Scheme is a step up from the Standard Learning Credit Scheme and as such needs to be ‘earned.’ There are two tiers, the lower tier of up to £1,000 per annum is available to people with four or more years of service, while you need to serve for at least eight years to qualify for the upper tier of up to £2,000 per annum. You can make up to three claims in your military career and these can all be from one tier or a mixture of two. If you are taking a three year course such as a degree you can claim for consecutive years. You can also claim for up to ten years after you leave the Armed Forces.

The Enhanced Learning Credit can be claimed for nationally recognised qualifications at Level 3 or above (A level and equivalent in England and Wales) or Level 6 or above (on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework).

These schemes are about to be improved – see the The Nation’s Commitment Benefits section for more information.

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