Support for continuing students in academic year 2012/13

This page applies to Academic Year 2012/13.

You can find information regarding support available in Academic Year 2011/12.

• Those who began their course in academic year 2005/06 or before; or
• Those who began their course in Academic Year 2006/07, or later and are continuing their course.

Where different support is available depending on your start date, you will be told that this is the case.

• Tuition Fees
• Student Loans
• Special Support Grant
• Higher Education Bursaries

Tuition Fees

Students who started studying in 2006/07 or later - Tuition Fee Loans

You will be charged tuition fees of up to £3,465. You will be entitled to apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to the full value of your tuition fee cost.

This means that you won't have to find the money before or while you are studying. The fees will be paid directly to your university or college. You will only pay back the loan when you have completed your studies and are earning above the repayment threshold of £15,795 per annum.

Students who started studying in 2005/06 or before - Grants for Tuition Fees

You will be charged tuition fees of up to £1,380. You may be entitled to a grant to pay all or part of your tuition fees, but the amount of help you can receive will depend on your household ‘residual income’ (your household income after certain deductions). If your tuition fees are greater than the grant you receive, you will be entitled to apply for a loan to cover the difference.

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Help with your living costs
Student Loans – available to all continuing students

Loans are available to help you meet your living costs, e.g. course materials, accommodation, food, clothes, and travel.

Loan rates

* The loan rates for your final year are lower because you will complete Higher Education at the end of the summer term.

Your loan is usually paid directly into your bank account in three instalments throughout the academic year; one at the start of each term. After your loan application has been approved, we will send a letter to you explaining how much each instalment will be and when it will be paid.

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Special Support Grant - for Students who started studying in 2006/07

Students who began their studies in 2006/07 or later can apply for a means-tested Special Support Grant of up to £3,475. This does not affect the amount of Maintenance Loan they are entitled to receive.

Students who are eligible to receive the full £3,475 Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant, and who are being charged the maximum £3,465 tuition fee, can also apply to their place of study for a bursary of £347.

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Higher Education Bursaries – for Students who started in 2005/06 or before

Bursaries of up to £2,000 are available for students from lower income families. Full-time students in higher education who are eligible for loans for living costs and tuition fee support and whose household income is less than a certain level can apply.

The amount of the bursary will be assessed by reference to the student’s household income and is paid in three instalments just like the student loan. It does not have to be repaid.

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