Finance for Higher Education at HCT
There are various forms of financial support available for learners and these pages have been created to provide information and guidance on the various loans and grants. Every care has been taken while compiling this information but with the government making frequent changes to both the fees, support and criteria we would highly recommend you check all essential details prior to enrolment.
If your course started before 1st September 2012 different rules apply compared with those starting after this date. Please visit: www.gov.uk/student-finance-for-existing-students to find out more.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT AVAILABLE
For learners entering higher education from the 2012/13 academic year:
Full-time learners can apply for:
- Tuition Fee Loan
- 24+ Advanced Learning Loans
- Maintenance Loan
- Maintenance Grant
- Extra help from universities or colleges if you’re on a low income
- Student Loan
- Career Development Loan
- Disabled Learners' Allowances (DLA)
Full-time Learners - For further information on each of the above, please click here
Part-time and EU students can only apply for:
- Tuition Fee Loans
- 24+ Advanced Learning Loans
- Extra help from universities or colleges if you’re on a low income
- Career Development Loans
- Disabled Learners' Allowances (DLA)
Part-time Learners - For further information on each of the above, please click here
Financial Help When Enrolling on a Partnership Course:
Those students enrolled with other institutions providing franchised courses at HCT (e.g. Worcester University or Hereford College of Arts) may be eligible for additional bursaries, depending on financial circumstances. The institution you enroll with can provide all the necessary details.
When Can I Apply?
Your course started on/after 1st September 2012:
- UK full-time learners - apply online before 31st May 2013
- UK part-time learners - you can apply up to 9 months after the start of your course. You can either apply online or complete a paper application form
- EU full and part-time learners can apply up to 9 months after the start of the course
Your course starts on or after 1st September 2013:
- UK students can apply from early 2013 (full-time) or summer 2013 (part-time)
- EU students can apply from April (full-time) or August (part-time) 2013
Please visit: www.gov.uk/student-finance/how-to-apply for further details, online application, etc.
Who Qualifies?
Whether you qualify for student finance depends on:
- your nationality or residency status
- your university or college
- your course
- if you’ve studied a higher education course before
- your age
For further information regarding these criteria, please visit: www.gov.uk/student-finance/who-qualifies
Repayments
You only have to pay back Tuition Fee Loans, Maintenance Loans and Student Loans. You pay interest on these. You don't have to pay back other student finance, e.g. any grants and bursaries.
Repayments are linked to your income. For the Student Loan you only make repayments when your income is over £15,000 a year. For Tuition Fee and Maintenance Loans, you only make repayments when your income is over £21,000 a year. If your income drops below this amount repayments stop.
Part-time students sometimes start repayments while they’re still studying.
Each month you pay back 9% of any income over £21,000. Further information and a repayment calculator can be found by visiting: www.gov.uk/student-finance/repayments
Online Resources
The student finance section of the 'Student Room' website has the latest news and advice for all students, including those going to university.
www.thestudentroom.co.uk/studentfinance
Students can also follow Student Finance England at www.facebook.com/SFEngland and www.twitter.com/sf_england to take part in student finance surgeries.
