>>Freshman Tips

NUS extra card can give you even more discounts than your standard NUS card. You can apply for an extra card while still at college.
After writing the first draft of your personal statement, leave it for a few days and come back to it. It can make you see things differently.

Nitesh

Graduate in Chemical Engineering
Be sure to get a Young Person's railcard to get discounts on train journeys. You can apply for one at any rail station.
Make sure that you upgrade your bank account to a student account prior to starting university. Not all banks do it automatically!
FRESHER ESSENTIALS: Dont forget to take cutlery and bedding to university!

The Truth about University Fees

With the rise in tuition fees affecting all students from 2012 onwards, we have outlined the different types of financial help available. Furthermore, below are useful links to different websites that detail the financial support available to students.

There are 3 primary ways to fund your time at university. This comprises of:

Student Loans;
Maintenance Grants; and
Bursaries

Student loans are repayable upon completion of your degree and when you start work. Grants and Bursaries do not have to be paid back.

Student Loans

There are 2 loan options available from The Student Loans Company. The first kind, which the majority of students will apply for is the Tuition Fee Loan. This loan is the fees required to study a particular course at a particular university. The Student Loan Company will pay this fee directly to your university and you will never physically see it.

The second type of loan is the Maintenance Loan. This loan is intended to help you with day-to-day living expenses. All students are eligible; however the amount can vary in different parts of the country. As mentioned in the Research Universities section , a student from London is likely to receive a higher amount than a student from Sheffield.

Income Based Loans

What is an Income Based Loan?

If you took out a student loan while on a university or college course that began in September 1998 or after you will have an Income Based Loan, also sometimes called an Income Contingent Loan. All students applying to university now (2011/2012), will be subject to an income based loan.

How an Income Based Loan is repaid?

The amount you pay back is determined by how much you earn. Your repayments are normally collected through the tax system by HM Revenue and Customs.

Depending on your employment circumstances, you will make repayments in one of three ways:

Pay as You Earn (PAYE)

This is where your employer deducts a student loan repayment directly from your pay slip.

Self-Assessment

If you are self-employed you will be responsible for calculating and paying your student loan repayments to HM Revenue & Customs.

Overseas Repayment

If you are employed overseas or are out with the UK tax system you will make student loan repayments directly to us.

Worth Noting

Student Loans, currently, do not start to be repaid until you are earning £15,000 or more.

Maintenance Grants

As well as your Maintenance Loan, should you choose to apply for one, some may be entitled to grants intended to help with day-to-day living expenses. These grants do not have to be paid back.

Bursaries and Scholarships

Similar to grants, these do not have to be paid back, however, these are provided by the University. There is a wide range of bursaries available based on household income to receiving a particular grade for your A-Levels.

We would strongly recommend spending some time on The Student Loans Company website to get a full understanding of how the loans operate, the interest rates, when and how they have to be paid back and more.