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.

2013 entry applicants: this page will be updated as information becomes available.

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 GOV.UK.

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

The cost of studying in the UK for 2013 entry

Fees information for all universities and colleges, for home and EU students wishing to enter UK higher education, 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 2013 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 £3,575
EU	Up to £9k	No fee	Up to £9k	Up to £3,575
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

Students from England looking for more information or to apply should visit www.gov.uk/studentfinance

Students from England won't have to pay any tuition fees up front and will be able to apply for a Tuition Fee Loan from Student Finance England to cover the full cost of their tuition fees. There's also support towards living costs, including a Maintenance Loan (which has to be paid back) and a Maintenance Grant (which doesn't have to be paid back). Extra help is available for students with children or adult dependants, a disability, long-term health condition, mental-health condition or specific learning difficulty.

Students in England can apply for student finance now for courses starting in 2013.

Northern Ireland applicants

Students from Northern Ireland can apply now for 2013 entry student finance. Go to www.studentfinanceni.co.uk and apply today.

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 £3,575. For further information regarding student finance in Northern Ireland, visit the SFNI 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. Scottish applicants to institutions elsewhere in the UK should also apply for financial support through SAAS.

Welsh applicants

Students from Wales can apply now for 2013 entry student finance. Go to www.studentfinancewales.co.uk and apply today.

Welsh students can apply for Tuition Fee and Maintenance Loans (which have to be paid back), and grants and bursaries (which don't). There's also extra support for those with special circumstances - if you have children or adult dependants, a disability, long-term health condition, mental-health condition, or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia or dyspraxia.

The Welsh Government gives Welsh students a Tuition Fee Loan of up to £3,575 plus a Tuition Fee Grant of up to £5,425, to make up the balance of the actual fee charged (up to £9,000). This applies wherever they study in the UK and for EU students planning to study in Wales only. The subsidy will vary depending on what the university or college charges, for example if they charge £7,000 the Tuition Fee Grant will be £3,425.

This means Welsh domiciled and EU students will pay the same fees as other students for courses but will get help from the Welsh Government towards the cost. For more information on student finance in Wales, visit the Student Finance Wales website.

Applicants from the Channel Islands and Isle of Man

Applicants are advised to contact the institution(s) they wish to apply to in order to discuss their individual funding arrangement.

International students

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) started 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.

More information about the National Scholarship Programme can be found on the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) website and the GOV.UK website.

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.

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 - for more information and to apply visit www.gov.uk/studentfinance.

England - part-time students: you can apply online for 2012 entry student finance. Please visit www.gov.uk/studentfinance for more information and to apply, or to download a 'Tuition Fee Loan application form' (PTL1) for new part-time students.

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 helpful tools to help walk you through what to do and when to do it. These resources include handy quickguides for applying, repayment, Dependants' Grants and Disabled Students Allowances (DSAs), a range of films and animations, apps and a Student Finance Calculator.

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

If you are applying for a nursing or midwifery course in Scotland, read the information about support in 2012/13 on The Scottish Government's website.

Applicants to Scottish higher education institutions with dual nationality - from 2013 entry

For 2013 entry onwards, any new applicant who is a 'dual national' (a national of both another EU member state and the UK) will not be entitled to the regulated rate of fees ('home fees') at a Scottish institution and a tuition fee award from the Student Awards Agency For Scotland (SAAS), simply because of their 'other EU member state' nationality. Rather, in order to qualify for home fees and a tuition fee award as an EU student, the individual will have had to have exercised their right of residence in the EEA/Switzerland or have been resident in the non-UK EU member state of which they are also a national for at least three months.

If you are applying for 2013 entry and think this may affect you, please contact the institution to which you are planning to apply and they will advise you on how your fee status is likely to be regarded.

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: 4 February 2013