All students going forward to study in higher education will find the cost of studying broken down into two elements, maintenance and tuition fees. Maintenance covers accommodation and associated bills, and other day to day living expenses, while tuition fees will cover the cost of studying your course. Tuition fees will cover the majority of your studies at university, though there may be additional costs required for course materials and field trips, which will usually be listed in the university prospectus.
Student finance arrangements and university funding is something that is set by the government, who have changed their policies for the 2012 entry period onwards. These changes mean that universities can charge students tuition fees between the minimum amount set, and a maximum of £9,000. In some circumstances you may have to pay your tuition fees upfront, though in line with these changes, universities are also required to take measures to make their courses as accessible as possible. These could include the reduction of tuition fees via bursaries or grants, or issuing tuition fee loans, to be repaid after a course is completed. The exact finance arrangements on offer will vary depending on whether you are a full or part time student, are from and/or studying in England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales, or are an EU student. Here’s a rundown of some of the variants:
Welsh Students: Students born in Wales, will not be expected to pay the increased costs for tuition fees from 2012, other than the cost of inflation. Students may be entitled to a loan or grant to cover the costs of the fees that they have to pay, while the Welsh Assembly government will pay the difference between that, and the amount your university charges. This applies to full time students, although some loans may be available for part time study. In line with the rest of the UK, Welsh students will only start to repay loans when their salaries upon leaving university reach £21,000.
Scottish Students: If you’re a Scottish national planning on studying in Scotland, or an EU resident studying in Scotland and you meet residency and course eligibility requirements, you may get your tuition fees paid by the Student Awards Agency For Scotland. Different rules apply if you are a Scottish student planning on studying outside Scotland, an International student, or a UK national looking at courses at a Scottish university.
English/Northern Irish Students: English and NI students, under the new student finance system, will have to pay for their tuition fees, and at an increased rate from the 2012/13 intake year. Both full and part time students can apply for tuition fee loans to cover the costs, or may be eligible for grants or bursaries. Student Finance England, and Student Finance Northern Ireland deal with applications.
Each country’s website will also have details for EU students (outside the UK), and International students, along with bursaries and grants available. It may also be worth checking out the National Scholarship Program which starts in September 2012, and is for low income families in England.
