Qualification grants

Long qualification grant

We pay grants for approved higher level qualifications which take more than one year to complete on a part time basis and that focus on the core construction skills needed across the industry.

Overview

We pay grants for attending and achieving approved, higher level qualifications that are focused on the core construction skills needed across the industry. We support courses undertaken through distance learning and e-learning. Higher level qualifications include:

Higher National Certificates and Diplomas (HNCs and HNDs)
Degrees
Post-graduate qualifications

These grants are for long qualifications and do not apply to apprenticeships. See the Apprenticeship grants page for details of available support in this area.

Who can apply for these grants?

You can apply if you’re a CITB Registered employer and up to date with your Levy Returns. As well as fulfilling our general Grants Scheme terms and conditions and specific requirements for this grant.

You can apply for this grant for all directly employed staff on the payroll and all subcontractors.

The learner must be completing the course part time. This grant is not available for full time or placement students.

You must be able to offer the appropriate level of work experience to a learner, such that they should spend a minimum of 16 hours per week doing the job they are developing skills in. These hours way be averaged over a four-week rolling period.

If we’re not satisfied that you’re providing adequate training, we may reduce, withhold or reclaim the grant.

You must also tell us immediately if your learner leaves their training programme or employment. Failure to do so will result in action to recover overpayments.

Which qualifications are covered for grant?

See a full list of qualifications we pay grant for.

We use a specific criteria to judge which qualifications can be supported by grants. To see how we decide which qualifications are covered, click here.

How much is it?

£1,125 per year for attendance whilst completing the qualification, up to a maximum of six years. This grant is payable every 13 weeks.

£1,875 achievement grant on successful completion of the qualification.

How to apply

You should apply for the attendance grant when the learner starts the course. The application must be received by us within 52 weeks of the start date to allow grant to be backdated to this date. If you submit your application more than 52 weeks after the start date, grant will be backdated for a maximum of 52 weeks prior to the date the application is received. If the start date is before 1 April 2022 then attendance grant is paid from the date of application and not the 52 weeks prior. You should apply for the achievement grant when the learner has completed the course and achieved the qualification.

Attendance applications

To apply for attendance grant, download and complete the application form (PDF, 178KB) and send it to us at the email address below.

If you wish to apply for multiple learners at once, download and complete the bulk grant application (Excel, 178KB).

Save and email your completed application form to grant.claimforms@citb.co.uk
Attach a copy of the supporting evidence from the training provider. Your application cannot be processed without this.

This evidence must be supplied on headed paper or in an email from the training provider (from an email address ending .ac.uk) and include the following:

Full name of the learner
Full course title
The course start date

As long as we receive the correct paperwork within 52 weeks of the start of the course, we'll begin making your grant payments, backdated to this date.

We will send you a form or email notification every 13 weeks to confirm that the learner is still in training and employment. You must make the confirmation within 3 months of the issue date to continue to receive payments.

If the learner leaves your employment, you must notify us, and we will pay attendance grant up to the date they left.

If a learner moves from one employer to another during the course of the qualification, you will only be paid attendance grant for the time they were employed by you.

For support on applying for this grant you can contact your local CITB Adviser or our customer services team on 0344 994 4455.

Late submissions

If you don’t submit your application within 52 weeks of the start date of the course, we will only backdate attendance grant payments for a maximum of 52 weeks prior to the date the application is received. If the start date of the course is before 1 April 2022 then attendance grant is payable from the date we receive your application and not for the 52 weeks prior.

Achievement applications

You must submit your application for achievement grant within 52 weeks of the achievement date, download and complete the application form (PDF, 188KB) and send it to us at the email address below.

If you wish to apply for multiple learners at once, download and complete the bulk grant application (Excel, 178KB).

Save and email your completed application form to grant.claimforms@citb.co.uk
Attach a copy of the achievement certificate or other evidence of achievement from the awarding body. Any such evidence must include the learner full name, achievement title and achievement date. Your application cannot be processed without this evidence.

On achievement of the qualification, we will pay attendance grant up to the last date of learning.

For support on applying for this grant you can contact your local CITB Adviser or our Customer Services team on 0344 994 4455.

Changes and transfers

Transferring to another employer

If the learner transfers employers but remains in the same trade or occupation, grant payments are shared between employers according to the number of days of employment they have spent with each whilst completing the qualification.

Changing levels or trades

You can apply for this grant if a learner moves on to a higher level within a trade or does a second long qualification in a different occupational area. You can apply for grant for up to two long qualifications per individual.

Other grants

While you receive long qualification grant you can’t apply for any other grants for the same learner, except for grant for short course achievements and plant qualifications which are necessary, appropriate and not included within the long qualification.

Have you sent us your bank details?

Grants are paid by bank transfer. If we do not hold your current bank details, please complete and submit the secure online Bacs Direct Credit Authorisation Form to receive grant payments.