2012/13 UK and EU tuition fees and funding FAQs for undergraduate students on their first degree
NEW - CHANGE TO UNIVERSITY FINANCIAL SUPPORT PACKAGE
The University of Bristol recently changed the financial support package for undergraduate students on their first degree starting in 2012, following approval from the Office for Fair Access (OFFA).
Students who are eligible to receive the tuition fee waiver are now able to choose whether or not they wish to convert £2,000 of the tuition fee waiver into a non repayable bursary. For further details, please see our University of Bristol bursaries FAQ below.
Tuition fees
UK and EU undergraduate students
- What will tuition fees be in 2012?
- Is the University of Bristol offering any tuition fee waivers for students starting in 2012?
- What is a residual household income?
- I am starting University in 2011, will I be charged higher fees in my second year (2012) and subsequent years?
- What tuition fees will I pay if I defer entry until 2012?
- Can I start my programme in 2011, rather than 2012?
- Will I have to pay tuition fees whilst I study?
- Can I get a tuition fee loan if I study part-time?
Government funding
- I will be studying full-time, will there be any loans and grants available to assist me with my living expenses?
- I have heard about a National Scholarships Programme, what is this?
- I will be studying part-time, will there be grants available to assist me with my living expenses?
- Where can I go for further information on government funding for students starting in 2012?
Student loan repayment
- When will I start repaying any loans I take out?
- What would happen if my income falls below £21,000?
- Will I always be liable for any student loan debt?
- How do the loan repayments work?
University funding
- University of Bristol bursaries
- Access to Bristol bursaries
- University of Bristol Hardship Fund
- Vice-Chancellor's Scholarships
- Eliahou Dangoor Scholarship Scheme
- Support for part-time students
NHS Funded programmes
Tuition fees
UK and EU undergraduate students
What will tuition fees be in 2012?
With effect from 2012 the University of Bristol will charge an annual tuition fee of £9,000 (increasing annually in line with inflation) for all UK and EU students on full-time undergraduate programmes, as approved by the Office for Fair Access (OFFA).
Is the University of Bristol offering any tuition fee waiver for students starting in 2012?
Yes. UK and EU students from lower income families will be eligible for a fee waiver (which reduces tuition fee liability) for each year of their programme, depending upon their household income level and being in receipt of living cost grant from the Government.
- Students whose residual household income is £15,000 or below, and who are in receipt of a living cost grant will have a reduced tuition fee liability of £3,500.
As a result, these students will pay no more for their higher education than they would under the current financial arrangements.
- Students whose residual household income is between £15,001 and £20,000, and who are in receipt of a living cost grant will have a reduced tuition fee liability of £4,500.
- Students whose residual household income is between £20,001 and £25,000, and who are in receipt of a living cost grant will have a reduced tuition fee liability of £6,000.
Please Note: Students from Wales are eligible for a non means-tested tuition fee grant of £5,535 from Student Finance Wales, which reduces their tuition fee liability to £3,465. Therefore students from Wales will not be eligible to receive a tuition fee waiver or bursary support from the University of Bristol. Students from Wales can apply for the non means-tested tuition fee loan to cover the remainder of their tuition fees.
What is a residual household income?
Residual income is your household's gross income minus allowances.
As a guide, the allowances in 2010/11 are:
- £1,130 for each financially dependent child other than the eligible student;
- Pension schemes and superannuation payments eligible for tax relief;
- £1,130 for parents who are also students.
The household income of parents (or partners) is taken into account as well as any taxable income the student has (excluding student earnings). Same sex partners' incomes are also taken into consideration.
These are the allowances used by Student Finance England when calculating your household income. If you would like further information on how your specific household income will be assessed, please call Student Finance England on 0845 300 5090 for guidance.
I am starting University in 2011, will I be charged higher fees in my second year (2012) and subsequent years?
No, the changes do not apply to students who will start their studies in 2011.
Students starting their programme in 2011 can find further information on tuition fees and the financial support available from the Government and University in our 2011 undergraduate prospectus. For further information visit www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance.
What tuition fees will I pay if I defer entry until 2012?
Students who defer entry from 2011 to 2012 will come under the new arrangements in place from September 2012.
We are aware that some of our applicants have applied this year for deferred entry in 2012, and so will be subject to the new fees. The University will write to all deferred offer-holders with information about future fee levels and student funding packages as soon as practically possible.
Can I start my programme in 2011, rather than 2012?
If deferred applicants would like to change their year of entry to 2011, rather than 2012, then they should contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office as soon as possible. Applicants should note that the University may not be able to agree to their request if all the places for 2011 have been filled.
Will I have to pay tuition fees whilst I study?
Eligible students will not have to pay up front for their tuition. The cost of tuition will be paid by a loan which students will only start to repay once they have left their programme and are earning over £21,000.
Can I get a tuition fee loan if I study part-time
From 2012, loans for tuition will be extended to eligible part-time first-degree students who complete a minimum of 25% of the full time programme load per year.
Government funding
I will be studying full-time, will there be any loans and grants available to assist me with my living expenses?
Full time students whose household income is £25,000 or less may be entitled to a full grant of £3,250 towards living costs such as food, accommodation and travel. You would not have to repay this grant. If your household income is between £25,001 and £42,600 you would be entitled to a grant of between £50 and £3,250 which you won’t have to pay back.
Loans for living costs are available for all eligible full-time students:
- A loan of up to £5,500 will be available if you live away from home and study outside London.
- A loan of up to £4,375 will be available if you live with your parents.
I have heard about a National Scholarships Programme, what is this?
The University of Bristol's National Scholarship Programme (NSP) allocation forms a small part of our overall increased commitment to supporting students from low income backgrounds. The NSP awards will be offered as fee waivers as an integral part of our student financial support package.
I will be studying part-time, will there be grants available to assist me with my living expenses?
Part-time students are not eligible for maintenance loans or grants for living expenses.
Where can I go for further information on government funding for students starting in 2012?
For further information visit the DirectGov Your Future web page.
Student Loan repayments
When will I start repaying any loans I take out?
You will only start to repay your tuition and maintenance loan after you have left higher education and are earning at least £21,000 (up from £15,000 currently).
You will only start repaying in the April after you leave higher education, even if you already earn over £21,000.
What would happen if my income falls below £21,000?
If for any reason your income falls below £21,000 your repayments will be suspended.
Will I always be liable for any student loan debt?
All outstanding repayments will be written off after 30 years.
How do the loan repayments work?
The repayment process is simple as it will be deducted automatically from your pay packet through the tax system.
Interest on your loan will be charged at inflation plus 3% while you are studying, and up until the April after you leave university.
From the April after you leave university if you are earning below £21,000, interest will be applied at the rate of inflation.
Graduates earning between £21,000 and £41,000 will be charged interest on a sliding scale up to a maximum of inflation plus 3%.
Repayments will be 9% of income above £21,000, so the amount repaid each month will depend on earnings. Someone earning £21,500, for example – currently the salary of a newly-qualified teacher – would initially make repayments of £4 per month. The monthly repayment would increase to £23 for someone earning £24,000 per year; £30 on a salary of £25,000; £45 on £27,000; and £68 on £30,000.
University funding
The University of Bristol remains committed to ensuring that anyone who has very high potential can benefit by studying at Bristol, regardless of their background or economic circumstances.
University of Bristol bursaries
As highlighted above, 2012 entrants who are eligible for a tuition fee waiver can now opt to have £2,000 of the fee waiver paid directly to themselves as a non-repayable bursary. The tuition fee waiver would subsequently be reduced accordingly and the bursary is not paid in addition to the amounts of tuition fee waiver outlined above.
Therefore, if a student opts to request the £2,000 bursary, the tuition fee waivers and the student's tuition fee liability would be as follows:
Students whose residual household income is £15,000 or below and in receipt of a living cost grant:
- Fee waiver £3,500
- £2,000 cash bursary
- reduced tuition fee liability of £5,500
Students whose residual household income is between £15,001 and £20,000, and in receipt of a living cost grant:
- Fee waiver £2,500,
- £2,000 cash bursary,
- reduced tuition fee liability of £6,500.
Students whose residual household income is between £20,001 and £25,000, and in receipt of a living cost grant:
- Fee waiver £1,000
- £2,000 cash bursary
- reduced tuition fee liability of £8,000
Please Note: Students from Wales are eligible for a non means-tested tuition fee grant of £5,535 from Student Finance Wales, which reduces their tuition fee liability to £3,465. Therefore students from Wales will not be eligible to receive a tuition fee waiver or bursary support from the University of Bristol. Students from Wales can apply for the non means-tested tuition fee loan to cover the remainder of their tuition fees.
Access to Bristol bursaries
The Access to Bristol scheme is an initiative that provides local students with an opportunity to experience life at the University of Bristol, gaining access to its academic expertise and facilities. The scheme is designed as a curriculum enrichment opportunity for students studying A-levels or equivalents and is open to all students in the first or second year of A-level study.
Priority is given to students in the following categories:
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Local students (resident in BA or BS postcodes);
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Those with the academic ability to study at the University of Bristol;
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Those who are part of the first generation in their family to go to university;
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Those living in a Low Participation Area (LPA).
Students who have participated in our Access to Bristol scheme will be considered for our enhanced financial support package:
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A full tuition fee waiver, plus;
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An annual maintenance bursary valued at £3,750 for those Access to Bristol ‘graduates’ who have a residual household income of £25,000 or below.
This means that, taking into account Government living cost grants, these students should be able to complete their studies at Bristol without incurring any financial obligations in respect of either tuition or maintenance costs.
University of Bristol Hardship Fund
The University of Bristol is increasing its investment in its own hardship funds to provide an additional safety net for those UK undergraduate students who, through no fault of their own, find themselves in financial difficulty. In 2012/13 the University of Bristol will provide an increased fund of £350,000 to assist students with the greatest financial need.
Vice-Chancellor's Scholarships
The Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship scheme is open to undergraduate students with exceptional musical, dramatic or sporting talent. The scheme is open to students applying to any undergraduate programme at the University of Bristol (although, as the scheme is designed to attract students with exceptional abilities outside their normal field of study, a music student would not be eligible for a music scholarship nor a drama student for a drama scholarship).
Please see our Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship page for further information.
Eliahou Dangoor Scholarship Scheme – for new undergraduates
The University of Bristol is pleased to participate in the Eliahou Dangoor Scholarship scheme for home (UK) undergraduate students. The scheme has been made possible by the generosity of Naim Dangoor, and is intended to provide talented students the opportunity to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects at some of the leading universities in the UK.
Please see our Eliahou Dangoor Scholarship page for further information.
Support for part-time students
The financial support arrangements provided by the University of Bristol for students following part-time programmes are yet to be finalised.