What Will It Cost?

Funding full-time Foundation Degrees and Honours (Top-ups) at Weston College

There are five sources of financial support that may be available to you:

  1. Tuition Fee Loan
  2. Maintenance Loan
  3. Maintenance Grant/Special Support Grant (SSG)
  4. University Bursary
  5. Weston College Scholarships

For full-time UK students Student Finance England is your main point of contact. They can provide you with
information and advice and you can complete your application online at www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

They will assess how much support you are entitled to and ensure you receive any grants/loans you apply for.

1. Tuition Fee Loan

How much is the Tuition Fee?

The Tuition Fee is £3,290 (20010/11). You have
the choice to:

  • Pay it at the start of your course
  • Pay it after you have completed your course by
  • taking out a Tuition Fee Loan
  • Pay part of your fees up front and the remainder after your have completed your course (using a Tuition Fee Loan).

Tuition Fee Loans are available to all Higher Education full-time students regardless of income. You can apply for a loan of up to £3,290 (2010/11) per annum. This can help to pay all or part of your tuition fees. This loan will be paid directly to your partner University on your behalf. All loans start to be repayable in the April following your graduation at a rate of 9% on all your earnings over £15,000. If you are not earning £15,000 or more you will not have to make any repayments against your loans. The amount you repay continues to be linked with your earnings, but anything you have not repaid after 25 years will be cancelled.

2. Maintenance Loan

In addition to your Tuition Fee Loan, you can also apply for a Maintenance Loan. This loan can be up to £4,950 per annum. This is means-tested against your household income. This loan can be used to help with accommodation and/or living costs. Student loans carry a very low interest rate so your repayments will stay low after you graduate. Applications are made at the same time and in the same way as the Tuition Fee Loan

3. Maintenance Grant/Special Support Grant (SSG)

Maintenance Grants of up to £2,906 per annum (2010/11) are payable depending on your household income:

Income of approximately £25,000 or less, you are likely to be eligible for a full grant of £2,906. Income of between £25,000-£50,000, you are likely to be eligible for a partial grant. If you receive a maintenance grant the amount of Maintenance Loan you can take out will be reduced.The Maintenance Grant is payable in three instalments, one at the start of each term. If you are entitled to a Maintenance Grant, you do not have to pay any of it back.

A Special Support Grant (SSG) is available instead of a Maintenance Grant for new students who receive Income Support and other means-tested benefits such as Housing Benefit prior to progressing to university. This enables you to take out a full student loan in addition to receiving this non repayable grant of £2,906 (2010/11).

4. University Bursary

The University Bursary is non repayable. The amount you will receive will depend on the course you are studying and who the partner university is. These bursaries are means-tested on a similar basis to the Maintenance Grant. All students who receive the full £2,906 Maintenance Grant are guaranteed to receive a minimum £329 University Bursary. Many universities are offering more than this and our partners are no exception:

The University of Bath is offering up to £1,200 per annum as a Bursary Bath Spa University is offering up to £1,200 per annum as a Bursary The University of the West of England is offering up to £1,000 per annum.

Further details of these bursaries will be available after April 2010. Contact 01934 411 403 for details.

5. Weston College Scholarships

Weston College Progression Scholarships
£300 in the first year of study is available to all students who completed a Level 3 course at Weston College within the last 5 years and continue at the College for their Higher Education. This payment is made in two instalments, one in the autumn term and one at the beginning of the spring term.

Weston Excellence Scholarships
Five scholarships of £300 will be awarded each academic year to selected students who enrol on a Higher Education level course at Weston College. The five students will have applied with over 300 UCAS points and have a supporting reference from their school/college and will be selected from all completed scholarship application forms. Forms will be available from the HE Unit from May 2011. Applications close at the end of September. Students will be informed if they have been successful in October.

Federation of Schools Scholarships
One student from each college or school with a sixth form in the local area will be selected for a Federation of Schools Scholarship: Backwell, Churchill, Clevedon, Gordano, King Alfred’s, Kings of Wessex, Nailsea and St. Katherine’s Schools, Bridgwater College and City of Bristol College amongst others. The successful applicant will be awarded a scholarship of £300 in their first year of study. Students can complete an application form which will need to be supported with a school/college reference. Forms will be available from Student Services from May 2011 (Contact 01934 411 411). Applications close at the end of September. Students will be informed if they have been successful in October 2010. This payment is made in two instalments each year – one in the autumn term and one at the beginning of the spring term.

Principal’s Scholarship
This is a one-off scholarship of £1,000. It is awarded to a student for outstanding academic achievement in Year One of their Higher Education course at Weston College, who then progresses to Year Two of their studies at Weston College. This award will be announced in the spring term of the second year.A student will be selected following a proposal and supporting reference from their tutor.

The following examples show you what you might get Further information and an application form can be requested from your tutor once you have started your course. For more information on funding and support visit www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

 

Example 1

If your family income is under £16,000 and you are planning to study a Foundation Degree in partnership with Bath Spa University, you could receive each year:

£3,290* Tuition Fee Loan
£2,385* (max.) Maintenance Loan (if living at home)
£2,906 Maintenance Grant
£1,200 Bath Spa Bursary

*If applied for Based on the above, you would have a disposable income of £6,491 per annum. Your tuition fees would be paid directly to Bath Spa. On completion of your two-year course you would leave with a minimum repayable debt of £11,350.

Example 2

If your family income is £25,000, and you are planning to study a Foundation Degree in Partnership with the University of the West of England, you could receive each year:

£3,290* Tuition Fee Loan
£3,497* (max.) Maintenance Loan (‘elsewhere’ loan rate)
£2,906 Maintenance Grant
£1,000 University of the West of England Bursary

*If applied for Based on the above, you could have a disposable income of up to £7,403 per annum. Your tuition fees would be paid directly to UWE. On completion of your two-year course you would leave with a minimum repayable debt of £13,574.

Example 3

If your a family income is £40,000, and you are planning Foundation Degree in Partnership with the University of Bath you could receive each year:

£3,290* Tuition Fee Loan
£3,483* (max.) Maintenance Loan (if living at home)
£711 Maintenance Grant
£300 University of Bath Bursary

*If applied for Based on the above, you could have a disposable income of up to £4,494 per annum. Your tuition fees would be paid directly to University of Bath.

On completion of your two-year course you would leave with a minimum repayable debt of £13,546.


The above information is based on the 2010/11 figures and is only applicable if you live in England.

If you have any queries or you would like further information, please contact our HE Unit on 01934 411 403 or click here to send us an online message. Alternatively you can find information from Student Finance England by phoning 0845 3005090 or via www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance there is also a calculator online so you can get an indication of what you would be entitled to.