Money for Higher Education

As a student you will have to pay:

• Tuition fees and
• Living costs

Student finance - to fund your tuition fees and living costs will vary according to your individual circumstances and also rates change each year so you need to:

• Check out the student finance website or
• Call 0845 300 50 90 to speak to a student finance adviser from Student Finance England. Student Finance England is a one stop shop for anyone who wants to know more about student finance including disabled students allowance.

Applying for 2011 entry?

You can apply for funding from the 16th of March 2011.

How do I apply for and find out more about financial help?

You can register and apply online. After you have applied you will be able to manage your own account online.

Quick guide to Student finance - academic year 2011 - 2012

• Universities are allowed to charge up to '3,375 for tuition fees in 2011/12 but you won't have to find your tuition fees up front even when tuition fees go up. Tuition fee loans are available - but you need to apply via Student Finance! (In 2012 tuition fees of up to '9,000 may be charged - but this new rate does not apply to those who started their degrees in earlier years. The increase only applies if you are entering unversity or college in September 2012 or later)
  
• You can also apply for a maintenance loan to help with living costs.  How much you get will depend on your household income and where you live and study - for example generally less if you live at home and more if you study and live in London.
• Student loans for both fees and loans have to be repaid but not until you finish or leave your course and are earning more than '1,250 a month ('15,000 a year).
• There's also currently  a range of student finance that does not have to be paid back - including grants, bursaries and scholarships.  It was estimated in 2010/11 that about 40% of students qualified for maximum grants.  

There is also extra help on offer if you have special circumstances.  For example students who have a disability, a mental health condition, specific learning difficulty or who have childcare or adult caring responsibilities. Good starting points to find out more, as well as student finance England, include:   

• your Connexions Personal Adviser 
• Skill: National Bureau for students with Disabilities on their telephone helpline 0800 328 5050 or check out their website

You can request an email copy or print out of our student finance factsheet from your local Connexions office. This factsheet has additional information about Disabled Students Allowances, Social work and healthcare bursaries and studying part-time,

Applying for 2012 entry?

Don't let the headlines about fee increases make you rule out going to university - make sure that you find out the facts first about the sort of help you may be eligible to apply for.  There will be additional help on offer for young people who, because of a low household income, would find it difficult to move on to a degree course without extra financial help. Also remember fees will not have to be paid up front - and are paid back only once you are earning a minimum level of salary.

 

Keen to find out more about the plans for 2012 fees - levels and payback rates?