HE Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees

The amount of financial support provided to higher education students will depend on the programme you choose and if it is a full-time or part-time course. It will also depend whether you are a home, EU or an international student.

Student Finance

You can find out all about the financial support you are entitled to from the government at the following address: www.gov.uk/student-finance

Tuition Fee and Living Cost loans are available from Student Finance England. The tuition fee loan is paid directly to the university and covers the cost of the course. The living cost loan (also referred to as a student loan or maintenance loan) is usually paid in three instalments directly into your bank account to help cover living costs including accommodation, food and course materials.

You can use the student finance calculator to find out how much you will be able to get from the government.

There is information on the Student Finance England website about how to apply, paying your student loan back, interest rates, additional support for students with special circumstances and much more. Student Finance England also share up to date information via their Twitter and Facebook pages.

To be eligible for a tuition fee loan you must fulfil certain criteria in regards to:

• UK/EU residency status
• The university or college you are studying at and the course you are taking
• Previous higher education study (first-time students)

Advice and Guidance

Our higher education support team is on-hand to provide advice and guidance on issues relating to study costs and financial support, including hardship funding.

Prior to starting your course, it is advisable to work out if this is financially viable, especially if you plan to give up work, or will lose benefits that you were previously eligible for. Before you do this you are advised to speak to the benefits agency to see how your benefits may be affected by enrolling onto a higher education course.

University Centre South Essex works with The Money Charity to assist students in understanding and managing their budgets. We recommend that you use their budget builder to help you prepare for university.

You can find the online tool here