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Helping you
empower
students.

Providing professional training and development to those working within Students Money Advice.

Training & Development

NASMA offers a variety of training and development events throughout the year both regionally and nationally.  Events include formal training by nationally recognised experts which ensures our members are kept up to date with the latest funding changes as they occur, and properly equipped to tackle difficult cases, as well as those issues that they deal with on a day to day basis.

NASMA Mail-base

NASMA members benefit from access to the mail-base 365 days a year. This is a JISCMail forum which provides an opportunity for members to learn from and contribute to an active and thematic dialogue of funding topics.

Regional Meetings

Regional Meetings take place around 3 times per membership year. These meetings provide regional training opportunities and are a platform to share information and best practice. As NASMA is member-led, the agenda and guest speakers are always relevant to members’ needs.

Delivering an effective support network since 1995.

We have members in all four countries in the UK and collectively we are recognised as the leading authority on all matters relating to student advice and funding.

About us

Join a national community of student advisors

NASMA is the National Association of Student Money Advisers. We have members in all four countries in the UK and collectively we are recognised as the leading authority on all matters relating to student advice and funding.

Kellie McAlonan

NASMA Chair

Simon Griffiths

Vice-Chair Finance

Louise Miles

Vice-Chair Governance & Operations

Shahida Ahmed

Vice-Chair Training & Development

Louise Reid

Financial Capability Champion

Abigail Keay

Campaigns Coordinator

Emma-Jane Quirke

England Policy

Debbie Forsey

Northern Ireland Policy

Pamela Lockhart

Scotland Policy

Einir England

Wales Policy

Benefits

Why Join NASMA?

NASMA membership provides a community of support. The website contains useful and informative training and development along with a dedicated Members Area containing additional resources and materials.

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Annual Conference

The NASMA Annual Conference provides a unique opportunity to network with other NASMA members from across the UK, as well as to attend a programme of high-quality training and development workshops.

Student Money Advice Awards

Our prestigious Student Money Advice Awards are awarded annually at the Gala Dinner that takes place as part of our conference. They provide a great opportunity for members to showcase their hard work, and to share this best practice and success with the sector.

Accreditation and CPD

NASMA operate an accreditation scheme for  members, at no extra cost. There are lots of opportunities to work towards this, such as attendance at Regional Meetings and NASMA training events which contribute to CPD hours. There are also opportunities to join committees and working groups which is an ideal way of gaining additional CPD development.

Representation

Through the NASMA Board and experienced NASMA members, we are able to reach key decision makers with the experiences of those working directly with students. Through the strength of the membership and our excellent links we can raise matters of relevance and are often consulted before final decisions are made. This extends beyond student funding, across to debt and welfare benefits and other issues that impact on students.

Learn live, refresh later.

Our courses are live and interactive with real case studies. Following the session, we carefully collate the session information, removing sensitive information, into a summary document so you can check back to refresh your knowledge whenever suits.

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Featured Courses

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Featured image for Gaming and Gambling within the LGBTQ+ Community
DATE: 30/10/24 Nasma Members Only
PRICE: £0.00 / £0.00

Gaming and Gambling within the LGBTQ+ Community

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Gaming and Gambling within the LGBTQ+ Community

Date: 30th October 2024
Time: 10:00 - 11:00
Location: NASMA Website
Facilitated by: YGAM


This one-hour session will give professionals an overview of research which explores the influences on gaming and gambling harms within LGBTQ+ communities. It will also draw upon findings from Public Health England and include research undertaken by Dr Reece Bush-Evans of Bournemouth University.

By the end of the session, you will:

- Understand what is meant by gambling and gambling harm.
- Understand why LGBTQ+ people might game/gamble.
- Understand why LGBTQ+ people are at higher risk of experiencing gambling harm.
- Recognise the relationship between gaming/gambling, mental health, and LGBTQ+ life stressors.
- Know where to access available treatment and support.

Topics covered include:

- Gaming/Gambling harms.
- Research from Bournemouth University.
- Mental health and life stressors within the LGBTQ+ community.
- Influences and advertisement.
- Where to find help/support.

Featured image for Understanding student spending habits - TOTUM
DATE: 12/11/24 Nasma Members Only
PRICE: £0.00 / £0.00

Understanding student spending habits - TOTUM

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Understanding student spending habits - TOTUM

Date: 12th November 2024
Time: 10:00 - 11:00
Location: NASMA Website
Facilitated by: Becky Butler


Learn from TOTUM’s latest annual cardholders’ satisfaction survey how students are spending their money. Discovering, how, why, and where students are spending their money today and how their spending habits have changed over the course of time.

Featured image for Universal Credit & Students - Intermediate / Advanced Level - 8th Nov
DATE: 8/11/24
PRICE: £60.00 / £120.00

Universal Credit & Students - Intermediate / Advanced Level - 8th Nov

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Universal Credit & Students - Intermediate / Advanced Level

Date: 8th November 2024
Time: 10:00 - 13:00
Location: NASMA Website
Facilitated by: Kate Anstee


This course is for experienced advisers who have a good understanding of the UC system and its place within the benefits field.

Learners will receive a detailed overview of the complex legislation surrounding disabled students and their entitlement to UC. By the end of the course learners will be able to complete a calculation of a student’s entitlement to UC by looking at student income, student finance award letters in conjunction with UC award notices, and will be able to challenge adverse UC decisions.

There is two dates for this session. You only need to attend one.

Completed Courses

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Featured image for Student Loans Company - DSA - The Customer Journey
DATE: 22/10/24 Nasma Members Only
PRICE: £0.00 / £0.00

Student Loans Company - DSA - The Customer Journey

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Student Loans Company - DSA process changes

Date: 22nd October 2024
Time: 14:00 - 15:00
Location: NASMA Website
Facilitated by: SLC


The session will include: taking a look at the rationale behind the recent changes that have been made to the customer journey and the benefits that we have seen so far as a result of these changes.  It will also include a walkthrough of the application process, highlighting key action points for students and how to support them in their journey. The session will also cover the escalation channels and detail where students and practitioners alike can find further help. Finally, the session will take a look at the current engagement strategy and how your FIS Account Managers can help you provide feedback for future improvements.

The outcomes:

  • Delegates will be able to  confidently promote DSA's to students they meet.
  • Delegates will have a clear understanding of the changes that have been made to the customer journey and know how to access the escalation routes.
  • Delegates will understand the feedback routes that they have access to help promote and support continuous improvements to the customer journey
Featured image for Understanding Universal Credit - Entry / Basic level
DATE: 17/10/24
PRICE: £60.00 / £120.00

Understanding Universal Credit - Entry / Basic level

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Understanding Universal Credit - Entry / Basic level

Date: 17th October 2024
Time: 10:00 - 13:00
Location: NASMA Website
Facilitated by: Kate Anstee


By the end of the session learners will understand the basic entitlement conditions for claiming UC, the different elements that make up an award of UC, and how to make a claim. Learners will also receive an introduction to scenarios involving students and UC. Furthermore, learners will be able to identify when a claimant may need signposting for specialist advice when common problem issues arise.

Featured image for Preparing our Students for Success with Pre-Entry Financial Education
DATE: 21/08/24 Nasma Members Only
PRICE: £0.00 / £0.00

Preparing our Students for Success with Pre-Entry Financial Education

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Preparing our Students for Success with Pre-Entry Financial Education

Date: 21st August 2024
Time: 11:00 - 12:00
Location: NASMA Website
Facilitated by: NASMA


Join this webinar to discuss NASMA's latest campaign. 

You can find out more information about this campaign in the committee resources HERE

Featured image for Student Loans Company - Multi Academic Year Funding
DATE: 30/07/24 Nasma Members Only
PRICE: £0.00 / £0.00

Student Loans Company - Multi Academic Year Funding

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Student Loans Company - Multi Academic Year Funding

Date: 30th July 2024
Time: 10:00 - 11:00
Location: NASMA Website
Facilitated by: SLC


This session will focus on students who wish to transfer to a later academic year start date of their course, known as a change in seasonal intake. It will clarify the difference between a ‘course transfer’ and a ‘change in seasonal intake’, provide examples and cover the potential impact on students payments. This session will also focus on multi-application students, with a particular focus on multi academic year. Practitioners who participate should leave this session with a more in depth understanding of both; a change in seasonal intake students and multi academic year students, which will better assist them in providing informed IAG to their student population.

Featured image for Student Loans Company - Multi Academic Year Funding
DATE: 6/06/24 Nasma Members Only
PRICE: £0.00 / £0.00

Student Loans Company - Multi Academic Year Funding

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Student Loans Company - Multi Academic Year Funding

Date: 6th June 2024
Time: 10:00 - 11:00
Location: NASMA Website
Facilitated by: SLC


This session will focus on students who wish to transfer to a later academic year start date of their course, known as a change in seasonal intake. It will clarify the difference between a ‘course transfer’ and a ‘change in seasonal intake’, provide examples and cover the potential impact on students payments. This session will also focus on multi-application students, with a particular focus on multi academic year. Practitioners who participate should leave this session with a more in depth understanding of both; a change in seasonal intake students and multi academic year students, which will better assist them in providing informed IAG to their student population.

Featured image for National Student Money Week 24: How we did it
DATE: 11/04/24 Nasma Members Only
PRICE: £0.00 / £0.00

National Student Money Week 24: How we did it

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National Student Money Week 24: How we did it

Date: 11th April 2024
Time: 13:00 - 14:15
Location: NASMA Website
Facilitated by: NASMA Members


Join us for this panel session featuring colleagues from University of Birmingham, University of Dundee, University of Liverpool, University of Northampton, University of Plymouth and chaired by NASMA Chair, Kellie McAlonan.

We will hear from our NASMA colleagues about how they delivered National Student Money Week activities to their students. They will share their approaches to organising and planning their campaign activity, the challenges they have manoeuvred, and the lessons they have learned.

If you are keen to know more about how different institutions approach NSMW, and get ideas for future campaigns, this is the event for you.