Student finance

Whilst studying in England, you will have two main financial outgoings; tuition fees and living costs. For undergraduate study, you can apply to Student Finance England for loans to assist you with these if you have home fee status (check your eligibility on the Student Finance website).

Tuition fee loans will cover the cost of your course and be paid directly to your university. Maintance loan amounts will depend on your individual circumstances which are assessed at application, and will be issued to your bank account.

Once you have graduated from your course, and are earning over a certain threshold, you will begin paying back these loans in monthly installments.

Most universities also offer their own scholarships and bursaries to assist you financially, which you do not have to repay, these have their own criteria and typically you will need to apply for them ahead of starting your course. Universities often also have hardship funds if you find yourself in difficulty, as well as staff who you can contact to discuss support and other related topics such as budgeting.

For post-graduate study, you can also get support from Student Finance England. For courses starting on or after 1 August 2023, loans are available up to £12,167. These are available if you are studying for your first Master’s degree (professional certificate or diploma courses are not eligible for the loan). You can decide to use the loan towards fees, maintenance costs or other costs. There are also other sources of finance available, see the links at the bottom of this page.

Individual needs

Universities will offer a variety of support packages dependent on your individual needs. For example, if you are a disabled student you can access the disabled students allowance, and have tailored inclusion plans implemented. If you are a student with care experience, you could be eligible for financial support and one to one appointments. Universities may also advertise other support on their websites, for example if you are a mature student, so it is always worth doing your research.

Often on your application to university (via the UCAS platform) you will have the option to disclose any individual needs you may have, we advise doing this to ensure your university can put the needed support in place for you. You can also contact the university you are planning to attend to discuss your requirements further.

Mental health and wellbeing

Universities want to support you with your wellbeing and mental health. University support teams will have staff such as student wellbeing advisors, mental health and counselling support, and money and housing advice staff. You will also be able to access recources to assist you. For example, at the University of Law we have our own wellbeing app, a 24/7 student assistance programme, and a report and support online platform to report any incident of harassment, hate crime or sexual violence.

Study help

Whilst at university, you may need support adjusting to the style of teaching and learning. At the University of Law, we can offer one to one assistance, live study skills webinars, online resources and assistance using services such as the library. You may also want to talk to someone at your university about your study experience and options, often these are called a personal tutor, who are an academic member of staff. At the University of Law, these are called academic coaches.