Higher Education Fees & Funding

The amount of support provided to higher education students will depend on the programme you choose and if it is a full-time or part-time course. A number of personal factors, including your household.

We have provided a breakdown of the amount of support available to students looking to study university-level courses below.

Nothing to pay up-front

You don’t have to pay anything before you start your studies. The government will provide UK and EU students with a tuition fee loan which you only start to repay after graduation, once you are earning over £21,000. Your repayments are automatically deducted from your pay through the tax system and if you become unemployed your repayments stop until you make £21,000 again. Finally, the balance of your loan is automatically written off after 30 years.

Grants and loans for maintenance support will also be available for UK students. For more information on student loan rates and maintenance grants visit the Student finance section of the gov.uk website.

To find out everything you need to know about applying for student finance, visit the SFE Student Finance Zone webpage.

How do tuition fee loans work?

If you are a first time higher education student you can apply for a tuition fee loan to cover the cost of your course. These loans are provided by the government.

Tuition fee loans are not based on household income. As long as you are eligible to apply for the loan, you will receive the full tuition fee amount.

Am I eligible for a tuition fee loan?

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)

To find out if you qualify, contact Higher Education HESupport@southessex.ac.uk

For further information please visit www.gov.uk/student-finance .

Does household income affect me getting a tuition fee loan?

No, tuition fee loans are not based on household income. As long as you are eligible to apply, you will receive the full tuition fee amount.

How do the loan repayments work?

You will only start to repay your loan once you earn £21,000 a year. If you stop earning £21,000 for any reason, your repayments stop and will only start again when you earn more than £21,000 again.

You repay 9% of your income over £21,000. So, for example, if you earn £25,000, the 9% is only applied to £4,000 and you would pay back £7 per week or £30 per month.

If you wish, you can pay the costs of your tuition up front.

What happens if I lose my job or get a new job that doesn’t make much money?

You will only start to repay your loan once you earn £21,000 a year. If you stop earning £21,000 for any reason, your repayments stop and will only start again when you earn more than £21,000 again.

How long will it take me to repay my loan?

Obviously, this will vary depending on how much you have borrowed, but the balance of your loan will be automatically written off after 30 years.

Financial support and advice

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