Financial Information
Full-Time Higher Education Courses:
No Top-up Fees
At Tameside College we want you to be able to study locally without building up
your debts, so we have held our fees to the standard fee of £1,285. Many
universities and colleges will be charging £3,225.
Student Loan for Tuition Fees
No full-time undergraduate student will have to pay fees before they start
university or whilst they are studying. Instead, students will be eligible for a
student loan for fees to cover these costs. This means that they won’t have to
find the money before they start their course or whilst they are studying.
Students will take out a student loan for fees which will be paid direct to their university or college, on their behalf. Students will repay these loans in
instalments once they have left university and are earning over £15,000.
Maintenance Grants
Students entering full-time Higher Education in 2009 from lower income
households will be eligible for a non-repayable maintenance grant of up to
£2,906 a year. How much a student will get will depend on their income and that
of their household. If that income is £25,000 or less they will receive the full
£2,906 grant. A partial grant will be payable where household income is between
£25,001 and £50,020. Around half of all new full-time students are likely to be
eligible for a full or partial grant. Grants are payable in three instalments -
one at the start of each term. The amount of student loan for maintenance
students receive is reduced, depending how much maintenance grant a student is
entitled to.
Student Loans for Maintenance
Student loans to help with living costs are available. They attract a very low rate of interest, which is roughly at inflation levels. This ensures that the value of the loan that is repaid remains the same in real terms as the amount borrowed.
Applying for Financial Support
All applications for higher education funding go through Student Finance England. For further information and to apply on-line or download a paper application form (a PN1 form) go to
www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance. Student Finance England also has a helpline, 0845 300 50 90.
Part-Time Higher Education Courses:
The main sources of government-funded help for lower income part-time students
are:
Fee Grant
This is to help with tuition fees. The maximum fee grant is based on how
intensive your course is; how long it takes to complete compared to the
equivalent full-time course. The fee grant is non-repayable.
Course Grant
This is to help with study costs such as books, materials, travel. Students may
receive up to £260 depending on household income. The course grant is
non-repayable.
Applying for Financial Support
All applications for higher education funding go through Student Finance
England. For further information, and to download an application form (a PTG1
form) go to
www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance. Student Finance England also has a
helpline, 0845 300 50 90. PTG1 forms are also available from Student Services.
Fill in the form and bring it to Student Services when you start the course;
wait until you have been attending for at least 2 weeks. Student Services will
complete the section of the form confirming how intensive your course is and
what the tuition fee is.
If you need any further assistance, call Student Services to speak to a guidance adviser, on 0161 908 6789.