Chapter 2 Money The cost of uni is a massive issue for most students, so it’s important to sort out exactly how much you’re going to have to pay, and exactly how much money you’re going to be able to borrow or earn, before you start taking your seat at lectures. That way, while you’re in these lectures, instead of worrying about your empty wallet, you’ll be able to focus on studying postmodern transcendentalism or nuclear fusion … or just concentrate on feeling guilty about missing said lectures while studying the local bar’s drinks menu. Loads of ways to get your hands on cash And none of them are illegal. First things first: make sure you’re fully aware of any loans or grants that you’re eligible for – and know the difference between a loan and a grant. Loans have to be paid back. Grants don’t. But while everyone will be eligible for a loan of some amount, grants are available only to certain students, usually limited by factors like family income. If possible, sort out all of the below financial issues way before freshers’ week, preferably in the summer holidays, when you’ll find people like student finance officers are much less busy and easier to contact. That way, you have enough money at uni from the very first day when you reach into your pocket to finance the first bar crawl. The cost of study: tuition fees Maximum annual tuition fees for students in England, Northern Ireland and Wales starting a course in 2009 are £3,225. The amount you will have to pay will depend on your household income – that’s the total earnings of your parents or guardians. There’s more detail below, but note that the tuition fee information is different for students in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland: see the separate sections on each nation. Tuition fees in England These are £3,225, but do not have to be paid upfront. You can pay when you have graduated and are earning more than £15,000. See below, ‘Paying for tuition: the student loan’. Tuition fees in Northern Ireland As in England. Tuition fees in Wales Welsh universities also charge top-up fees of up to £3,225, but students living in Wales only have to pay £1,285. Students from England, Scotland and Northern Ireland studying in Wales will have to pay the full fees if they go to university in Wales. Likewise, if Welsh students choose to study in England, Northern Ireland or Scotland, they have to pay the full fees of that nation. Tuition fees in Scotland Scottish students studying at Scottish universities do not have to pay fees. Students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland studying in Scotland will have to pay the full fees if they go to university in Scotland, but these are lower than elsewhere in the UK. Standard degrees cost £1,775, while medicine ... Click here to purchase the complete Guide to Uni Life |