Advice for Prospective Students
This information is a basic guide to student finance for full-time 'home' students in 2009/10. If you need further help or advice specific to your personal circumstances, please contact the Advice Centre.
Please note - the information below does not apply to students who will be studying on NHS funded courses.
Fees
Universities can charge tuition fees of up to £3,225 per academic year for degree courses. Most Universities, including Birmingham City, have opted to charge the full £3,225 for most courses.
However, you will no longer have to pay your fees during your course unless you want to. Since 2006 eligible students (including those currently studying) will be able take out a 'fee loan' at a relatively low rate of interest. This means the Student Loans Company will pay your fees to the University for you and you will pay the money back to them from your wages after University.
Living Costs
Student Loans (aka Maintenance Loans)
These are available to all eligible students to help with living costs and course expenses. Like the fee loan, they incur a low rate of interest and are administered by the Student Loan Company. You won't have to pay the loan back until you've finished your course and are in employment.
The amount of loan you will get depends on where you will be studying, where you'll live whilst you're at Uni and your household income. The maximum amounts you could receive whilst studying at Birmingham City are £4,950 if you live away from home whilst you're at Uni or £3,838 if you live with your parents whilst studying.
Maintenance Grants
Students who come from low-income households may be entitled to receive a maintenance grant of up to £2,906 per year whilst studying. You don't have to pay this grant back.
The amount you will receive will depend on your household income. If this is less than £25,000 a year you will receive the full £2,906 grant. If your household income is over £50,020 a year you won't receive a grant but if it falls between the two you'll receive a partial grant.
If you receive the maintenance grant, an amount will be deducted from your student loan entitlement. This will be up to a maximum of £1,428 - you won't receive both the full maintenance grant AND the full loan.
Special Support Grant
If you're entitled to welfare benefits whilst studying (for example, if you're a lone parent or have a disability) you'll receive the special support grant instead of the maintenance grant - the figures are the same but it won't be taken into account when working out your benefits.
Unlike the maintenance grant nothing will be deducted from your student loan if you receive the special support grant.
Help from the University
The government has decided that any student who receives the full £2,906 maintenance grant but whose University is charging fees that are greater than this amount will receive a bursary to make up the difference.
Birmingham City, like many Universities, offer bursaries that are more generous than the minimum required by the Government. If you receive any part of the maintenance grant or the special support grant the University will give you a bursary of £525. You won't have to pay this back.
Repaying your loans
For the purposes of repayment, the fee and maintenance loans are combined, so you'll be repaying a single account. You won't be expected to pay anything back whislt you're still studying - repayments start from the April after you complete or leave your course and then only if you're earning £15,000 or more.
When you're due to start making repayments, you'll be asked to pay back 9% of any income above £15,000. The repayments will be taken automatically from your wages each timeyou get paid.
For example:
In the April after he graduates Bob is earning £18,000 per year.
This is above the £15,000 threshold so Bob will be expected to make repayments.The first £15,000 of his earnings is ignored, leaving £3,000. Bob will have to repay 9% of this, which is £270 per year. Bob gets paid monthly so will have £22.50 per month deducted from his wages (this equates to £5.19 per week).
If you stop earning over the threshold, you'll stop having to make payments. Any payments (except arrears) that are outstanding will be written off 25 years after you leave your course. If you're self-employed or go and live abroad after your course, the way you make your payments will be slightly different - contact the Advice Centre for help if you think this will affect you.
Special Groups
If you have adult dependants or children, there is additional financial help available. More information is available on the Department for Education and Skills website or from your Local Education Authority.
If you have a disability, you may be entitled to Disabled Students' Allowance, which can help with any additional costs that might occur when you're studying because of your disability. More information is available on the Department for Education and Skills website or from your Local Education Authority.
Students from the European Union will pay the same fees as home students and may be able to take out a fee loan to help. However, you will not be eligible for help with living costs.
Further Information
For info on finding somewhere to live if you're coming to study in Birmingham, please see the University's accommodation pages.
For general information about what it's like to live in Birmingham, visit the tourist information website or call 0870 225 0127.
For general info on student life incuding how to survive financially see:
- BCU student calculator
- www.studentsurvivor.org.uk
- www.allaboutu.org.uk