Student Finance England is the new service delivering student finance
www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance or 0845 300 50 90

• Log on to work out what student loans and grants you may be entitled to, visit the online calculator.

• Log on to get information on student finance, to access the online application form, or to download the application forms.

• Log on for up-to-date information on your student finance application.

• Log on to re-apply for student finance annually. 

What do I have to pay?

• Tuition Fees- The cost of your course

• Living Costs- Everything else

• Accommodation

• Food

• Course materials

• Socialising etc

Tuition Fees

• Universities and Colleges set their tuition fees.

Options

• Pay your tuition fee upfront

• Defer your payment until after you graduate

Student Loan

There are two types of student Loans:

• Student loan for Maintenance

• Student loan for FeesStudent

Loan for Maintenance

• To help with your living costs

• 75% of the maximum amount is non means-tested

• 25% of the maximum amount is means- tested

Student Loan for Fees

• You can apply for the exact amount your University charges for your course.

• This will be added to your student loan for maintenance to be paid back after you graduate.

HE Maintenance Grant

This is based on Residual Household Income (RHI) and you do not have to pay it back.

Bursaries

Bursaries are awarded to students by individual Universities/ Colleges. For more information, look in the prospectuses and on their website.

Students who are entitled to the full HE Maintenance Grant, will also be entitled to a MINIMUM £320 bursary from their chosen University or College.

THE REPAYMENT OF STUDENT LOANS

• You don't start paying back the loan until the April after you finish your course.

• You don't pay anything until you earn £15,000+The length of time it takes you to repay the loan depends on how much you have borrowed.

• Repayments are linked to earnings-not how much you owe.

• Repayment is through the tax system. 

Financial Help for Disabled Students

If you have an impairment, health condition (including a mental health condition) or specific learning difficulty like dyslexia, you may be entitled to claim extra financial help as a student. This is paid on top of anything you get through the standard student finance package.

Disabled Students' Allowances

Disabled Students' Allowances are grants to help with the extra costs a student may face as the direct result of an impairment, health condition or specific learning difficulty.
The amount you can get isn't affected by your household income, and the allowances do not have to be repaid.

For more information visit www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

Extra Help for Students with Children

If you're a full-time higher education student with dependant children, you may be able to get extra financial help.

• The Childcare Grant can help with childcare costs, and

• the Parents' Learning Allowance with costs related to your course.

• Other help includes Child Tax Credit and the Access to Learning Fund.

• Visit www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance for full details.

Finance for Part Time Students

If you're doing a part-time higher education course in England, you may be able to get financial help through the Fee Grant, Course Grant and other sources - depending on your circumstances.Applying for the Fee Grant and Course Grant
You'll need to make a separate application for each year of your course.

For full details and to:

• download an application form

• download guidance notes

• download confirmation of benefits

• Log onto www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

Adult Dependants Grant

If you're a student in full-time higher education and there's an adult who depends on you financially, you may be entitled to extra help through the Adult Dependants' Grant.

An adult dependant could be a partner (including a partner of the same sex if you began your course in September 2005 or later), or another adult who depends on you financially.

This will usually be a member of your family, but you can't count grown-up sons or daughters as adult dependants.

How to Apply

You'll need to complete the relevant sections on your main student finance application - the one you use to apply for Student Loans and grants.

For full details log onto www.direct.gov.uk

Access to Learning Fund

If you're in hardship and need extra financial support, Universities and Colleges in England can provide it through their Access to Learning Fund. You can apply if you're a full-time or part-time higher education student, whether you're doing an undergraduate or postgraduate course.

How to Apply

You usually apply through your University or College they will tell you exactly what information you will need to supply.

Usually, you apply after you start your course - by this time, you'll know how much you're getting through the standard student finance package.

Money from the Access to Learning Fund is paid on top of the standard student finance package - it's not meant as a substitute. However, this funding is discretionary: institutions make their own decisions about whether a student can claim and the amount they are awarded.

You'll be expected to have applied for any Student Loans, grants and bursaries you're entitled to before applying for help from the Access to Learning Fund.

Information for Students Living outside England and the UK

Students from Wales

If you normally live in Wales, and are studying anywhere in the UK, you can apply for finance through Student Finance Wales.

To find out more, visit www.studentfinancewales.co.uk

Students from Scotland

If you normally live in Scotland, and are studying anywhere in the UK, your application for student finance will be dealt with by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS). To find out more visit www.student-support-saas.gov.uk.

Students from Northern Ireland

If you normally live in Northern Ireland, and are studying anywhere in the UK, your application for student finance will be dealt with by Student Finance Ni. To find out more visit www.studentfinanceni.co.uk.EU Students

Contact details for the Student Finance Services European Team offering advice to EU students applying for student finance in the UK:Address Student Finance Services European Team
PO Box 89
Darlington
DL1 9AZ

Email: EU_Team@slc.co.uk
Phone (+44) (0) 141 243 3570
Open Monday-Friday 9am-5.30pm