LinkedinGoogle+YouTubeFacebookTwitter

Student finance

Paying for your UCAS application: There is a fee for making an application for higher education. The amount depends upon how many courses, universities and colleges you apply to. Find out more.

Going to university or college is one of the biggest investments you can make. Do you know how much it is going to cost you and what help is available? The links below will help you find the information you need.

Most students do not need to pay any tuition fees up-front, as you could be eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan. There are also grants and loans to help with living costs, such as rent, food, books, transport and entertainment. Further information can be found on Directgov.

Full-time students in England can apply online now for 2012 entry financial support at www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance. The final deadline to apply is 31 May 2012, so apply online now to make sure your money is in place at the start of your course. It's quick and easy and you don't need to have a confirmed place - just use your first choice of course and change it online at a later date if you need to. View more information.

Students in Wales and Northern Ireland can apply from March 2012 for 2012 entry support.

For an independent view of what it costs and what the new student finance arrangements mean for you, visit www.moneysavingexpert.com


The cost of studying in the UK for 2012 entry

Fees information for all universities and colleges, for home and EU students wishing to enter UK higher education from 1 September 2012, is available on Course Search.

It is likely that different institutions will charge different fees for similarly titled courses. Therefore it is important that you are clear on how much you will be paying for your course prior to submitting your application.

Maximum annual tuition fees for 2012 entry

Table 1: Based on current knowledge

Domicile of student Location of institution

 England Scotland Wales NI
England Up to £9k Up to £9k Up to £9k Up to £9k
Scotland Up to £9k No fee Up to £9k Up to £9k
Wales Up to £9k Up to £9k Up to £9k Up to £9k
NI Up to £9k Up to £9k Up to £9k Up to £3,465
EU Up to £9k No fee Up to £9k Up to £3,465
Other international Variable Variable Variable Variable
 

Notes:

The table above represents the maximum fee information at the current time. This table will be updated as and when any further information becomes available.

English applicants

For more information on student finance in England, particularly around the type of financial support available, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills has launched a dedicated website. A feature of this website is a repayment calculator which can provide you with an estimated monthly repayment figure, based on your eventual career. There are also published information sheets for full-time and part-time applicants, as well as answers to frequently asked questions.

Northern Ireland applicants

Applicants from Northern Ireland who wish to study in Northern Ireland, or EU applicants who wish to study in Northern Ireland, will pay course fees of up to £3,465. For further information regarding student finance in Northern Ireland, visit the DELNI website.

Scottish applicants

Applicants from Scotland who wish to study at a Scottish institution, and EU applicants who wish to study in Scotland, do not have to pay for their own tuition. Eligible applicants can apply for financial support through the Student Awards Agency for Scotland. Further information can be found on the SAAS website.

Welsh applicants

The Welsh Government will allow Welsh students a maximum fee loan of £3,465 plus a non-means tested tuition fee grant, of up to £5,535, to account for the balance of the actual fee charged (up to £9k) wherever they study in the UK and for EU students planning to study in Wales only. This means that the subsidy will vary dependent on what the institution charges, eg, if an institution charges £7k, the fee grant will be £3,535. Welsh domiciled and EU students will therefore pay the same fees as other students for the course at their chosen institution, but will receive assistance from the Welsh Government towards the costs. For more information on student finance in Wales, visit the Student Finance Wales website.

Applicants from the Channel Islands and Isle of Man are advised to contact the institution(s) they wish to apply to in order to discuss their individual funding arrangement.

Fees for international students vary depending on the institution you apply to. International applicants who wish to find information regarding their course fees should contact the institution(s) they are interested in applying to. Contact details for these institutions can be found on UCAS Course Search.

The National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme (NSP) starts in September 2012. It gives financial help to students studying in higher education in England. The scheme is designed to help students whose families' income is £25,000 or less. NSP awards are in addition to any other loans or grants students might apply for.

Awards might include help with tuition fees, subsidised accommodation, a cash bursary or other help. Awards are paid by universities and colleges. Each university or college has its own rules about eligibility, and what types of awards are available.

Applicants should make sure they fully understand and meet the eligibility criteria of their chosen university or college before they apply. NSP awards will not be available to individuals who are ordinarily resident in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Other EU nationals will only be eligible for certain types of awards.

Directgov provides information on the funding offered by each university or college.


International and EU students

If you are planning to study in the United Kingdom and want to attend a publicly funded university or college, your fee status (whether you pay full-cost fees or a subsidised fee rate) will be determined by the UK institution you plan to attend. See the money matters page in the non-UK students' section for more information.

For 2012 entry, this will not change.

Student finance

Student finance enquiries
Student finance is not managed by UCAS and we cannot help with queries about it. Please see links below to organisations which can help you.

For more detail on the types of finance and financial support available for students, the following websites provide the most up-to-date information available.

England: Student Finance England

Wales: Student Finance Wales

Scotland: Student Awards Agency for Scotland

Northern Ireland: Student Finance Northern Ireland

You can also follow Student Finance England at twitter.com/sf_england and facebook.com/SFEngland. Student Finance England also runs regular student finance surgeries on Facebook and Twitter and provides a range of help tools to help walk you through what to do and when to do it. These resources include 'Key dates checklists' for applying and Disabled Students Allowances (DSAs), a range of 'How to' films, Facebook apps and a Student Finance Calculator. View more details.

There is help for students with disabilities known as Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) - see the students with disabilities page on this site.

Take a look at our online bookstore - we have a specific section about student finance where you can learn more about what's available and how to manage your money. Go to the UCAS bookstore to find out more.

If you are applying for a nursing or midwifery course in Scotland, read the PDF about support in 2011/12.

Managing your money

Learning to manage your money at university or college requires planning. You'll need to learn to budget and live within your means - this way you'll find it much easier to support yourself without leaving with a huge debt. Read through our Managing money section for tips and advice, and use our budget calculator to help you plan your finances.

Last updated: 11 May 2012