Fees and how to pay

A tuition fee loan will be available to most students to cover tuition fee costs. Evidence of a tuition loan agreement or application must be provided at enrolment. A ‘University or College Payment Advice’ entitlement letter is located in the ‘letters and emails’ section of your Student Finance online account. 

Application for a tuition fee loan can be made on-line at:  www.gov.uk/student-finance.  

There is a Student Finance Calculator on the www.gov.uk website for you to estimate the amount of funding you may be entitled to.

Tuition fees are required to be paid upon enrolment or an instalment plan arranged. For higher education it is possible to pay in four equal instalments. The first payment to be made on enrolment and then a Direct Debit to be arranged for December, February, and April.

If you withdraw part way through a term you will be liable for the whole fee for that term.  If you are receiving a Tuition Fee Loan to pay your fees, then you will still be eligible for enough Tuition Fee Loan to cover the cost of your fees for the term you withdraw in.  Student Finance England can be contacted at:  0300 100 0607

A maintenance loan is to help you with living costs whilst studying. It can help with rent, food, books, travel, and other costs. 

Possible amount of maintenance loan: 

Living at home - The minimum you can get is £3,698 of the maximum £8,400  

Living away from home - The minimum you can get £4,651 of the maximum £9,978

Once you have registered and enrolled with Activate Learning this is confirmed with Student Finance England after the first two weeks. The first payment is usually made within three – five working days after confirmation and is made direct to your bank account. Dates for the next two payment dates will be shown on your Student Finance Entitlement letter.   

A Disabled Students’ Allowance can help with course costs such as photocopying, specialist equipment such as a computer or disability related software. You must take a Study Needs Assessment for higher education and any requirements must be included in the report. If it is recommended that you need a computer or laptop, then you will have to make a contribution of £200 towards it.   

Please note that even if you have previously had an EHCP you will still need to complete a Disabled Students’ Allowance application for HE (Higher Education) assessment. 

This is not dependent on household income and is not repayable.

If you have children or an adult financially dependent upon you may be able to get extra help. You could apply for a Childcare Grant, Parents Learning Allowance or Adult Dependants’ Grant. These are paid in addition to the maintenance loan and depend on household income but are not repayable.   Full information on these grants can be found at:  www.gov.uk/student-finance

Both the Tuition fee Loan and the Maintenance Loan are repayable. You do not need to pay back other student finance, for example grants and bursaries, unless you’ve been paid too much. You still have to repay your student loan if you leave your course early.   When you start repaying your loan and how much you pay depends on which repayment plan you’re on.

Usually, you can only get student finance for your first degree or higher-education qualification, even if you studied a long time ago or if the course was abroad. You might get funding for a second degree if you study an exception course such as Nursing, Midwifery or Teaching.