Student finance
Entry fees, bursaries and financial support
- Tuition fees
- Equivalent level qualifications (ELQs)
- Living costs, student loans and financial support
- Bursaries
- Further information
- Nursing, midwifery and other healthcare students
- Council Tax
- European Union students
- Postgraduate and post-experience students
- Part-time students
- International students
There are two main costs involved in going to university - tuition fees and living costs.
Undergraduate tuition fees
Undergraduate courses include first degrees, higher national diplomas (HNDs) and foundation degrees. If you take a tuition fee loan from the Student Loan Company you do not have start repaying it until you graduate - it will be paid back through your earnings once you are working.
The University's 2009/10 undergraduate course fees are as follows:
| Course | Fees |
|---|---|
| Full-time first degrees | £3,225 per year |
| Full-time HNDs | £1,255 per year |
| Foundation year of a four-year first degree | £3,225 per year |
| Foundation degrees | £1,500 - £2,000 per year |
| Full-time first degrees (sandwich/placement year) | £800 |
| Part-time undergraduates (Cert HE/Dip HE/BSc/BA/BMus) | £27 per credit |
| Part-time HNCs | £12 per credit |
| Foundation in Art and Design | £515* |
| Island full-time degrees** (Please note that these 2009/10 fees are for students who entered full-time education from 2006/07 onwards) |
£6,547 (Fee Band D), |
| Students who already hold an honours degree (ELQ students) | See below |
* Bursary of £500 to be offered to any fee-paying student who progresses to a full-time degree at Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD). Bursary available for the first year only.
** Please contact simon.ells@bcu.ac.uk for the fee band definitions for island students (Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man).
Withdrawal of equivalent level qualification (ELQ) funding
An ELQ is a qualification already held by you that is equivalent to, or at a higher level than, the qualification that you wish to study.
In September 2007 the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills instructed the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to remove public funding for students holding an ELQ. This policy change came into effect in September 2008, although the University elected to defer implementation of a revised fee structure until 2009/10.
If you are a UK or EU student taking a new full-time undergraduate course starting in 2009/10, but you already have an ELQ you will be charged a higher fee for this course*. Please download the ELQ fee information for further details.
*There are a limited number of exemptions to this policy. For details of these please download the list of ELQ exempt undergraduate courses. ELQ students on these programmes may be entitled to financial support. Further information is available from direct.gov.uk/studentfinance
A list of courses currently classified as SIVS (Strategically Important or Vulnerable Subject) is also available to download here.
Living costs, student loans and financial support
Support for living costs may come in different forms: grants (of up to £2,906 for students from lower income households), additional grants for students with particular needs or circumstances, bursaries, loans and the Access to Learning Fund.
You will need to apply for support via Student Finance England. Student Finance England will tell you whether you qualify for any grants and how much loan you can take out to cover your tuition fees and/or living costs. Any grants and loans for living costs will be paid directly into your bank or building society account, usually in three instalments. If you opt to take out a student loan for fees this will be paid direct to the University to cover the cost of your tuition fees. If you opt not to take out a student loan for fees you will need to make arrangements to pay the University yourself.
You do not need to wait until you receive an offer of a place before you apply to your Local Authority for financial support. Your Local Authority will tell you what you have to do to get help in time for the start of your course.
Bursaries
What is a University bursary?
A University bursary is a non-repayable amount of money given to you to help you whilst studying at University.
Am I eligible for a bursary?
You must be enrolled on an eligible course, be paying the variable fee and be in receipt of a full or partial maintenance grant or special support grant. Eligible courses include all full time undergraduate and PGCE courses whose tuition fees are £3,225 for the academic year 2009/10.
Students who are not paying variable fees are not eligible for this bursary, neither are EU and international students, NHS contract students or students who have previously received government support for a higher education qualification.
How much is the bursary?
In 2009/10 the University will be offering a bursary of up to £525 to its new and continuing students. The range of maintenance grants and University bursary payments is detailed below.
How do I apply for the bursary?
Complete the ‘Application for Student Finance 2009/10' (form PN1) via the Student Finance England website. When completing the form make sure that you do not opt out of sharing financial information.
How will I receive my bursary?
If you are eligible for a University bursary this will be paid to you in one lump sum payment by Student Finance England on behalf of the University.
When will my bursary be paid?
If you start your course in September 2009 you will normally receive your bursary payment by the end of March 2010 as long as you're still attending the University (June 2010 for students starting in January 2010).
How much could my bursary be?
The two tables below show the structure of the University's bursary scheme. The particular table used to calculate your bursary payment is dependent upon when you first received a maintenance grant or special support grant (generally your first year of entry to an eligible course at the University).
Table 1
| Students who first received a maintenance grant or special support grant in 2008/09 and 2009/10 |
|
| Maintenance or Special Support Grant |
Birmingham City University Bursary Award |
| £2,906 |
Band 1 £525 |
| £1,906 - £2,905 |
Band 2 £485 |
| £1,041 - £1,905 |
Band 3 £445 |
| £711 - £1,040 |
Band 4 £405 |
| £381 - £710 |
Band 5 £365 |
| £50 - £380 |
Band 6 £325 |
Table 2
| Students who first received a maintenance grant or special support grant in 2006/07 and 2007/08 |
|
| Maintenance or Special Support Grant |
Birmingham City University Bursary Award |
| £50 - £2,906 |
£525 |
Other financial assistance
The University has an Access to Learning Fund to provide support to students in need, in particular to help them access and remain in higher education. Other funding may also be available depending on an individual’s circumstances.
Student Services is also able to provide help and support with a range of financial issues including money management.
For up-to-date information on all these services, please contact the Academic Registry, Student Services or your Faculty Office.
Further information
Download the University guide to fees and funding for 2009/10.
Detailed information on fees and student financial support is available on the Aimhigher website and the Student Finance England website, and from your Local Authority.
Our Student Financial Advisers will be giving further information and guidance on our fees, bursaries and other student financial support at all Open Days and visit days. Alternatively, you can contact them on 0121 331 5588.
Nursing, midwifery and other healthcare students
Eligible students on the Diploma course in Nursing will continue to receive a bursary from the Department of Health. The bursary includes payment of tuition fees and a non-means-tested maintenance award towards living costs.
For students undertaking BSc (Hons) degrees in Nursing, Midwifery, Radiography, and Speech and Language Therapy, the Department of Health will pay the course fees and a means-tested bursary. A loan is also available to pay for additional living costs.
Application forms and further details will be sent to appropriate applicants before starting the course.
Further information on financial help for health care students visit the NHS student grants site.
Council Tax
This is a local tax comprising a 50% property element and a 50% personal element.
In many cases students will be discounted from Council Tax. However, they may be required to provide evidence that they are in full-time education at the University. Student certificates are available on request from the appropriate Faculty Office.
European Union students
If you are a European Union (EU) national, you will be able to apply for a loan to cover your tuition fees. If you apply through UCAS you will be sent an application form when you are offered a place on a course. If you do not apply through UCAS you will be able to get an application form either from your college or from the University. Further details are also available from the direct.gov website.
At the time of writing, EU students are not eligible for support for living costs through grants, student loans or from the Access to Learning Fund unless they have been resident in the UK for the three years before the start of their course. You should check the direct.gov website for up-to-date information.