Financing your undergraduate studies at Bristol in 2006

If you are a UK or EU student thinking of coming to the University of Bristol to study an undergraduate degree in 2006 but are worried that it might be too expensive, please read the information in the following links. A wide range of financial support is available from the University of Bristol and the Government to make sure you can afford to study for an undergraduate degree whatever your financial circumstances. Please read the information carefully and check this website regularly to make sure you receive up-to-date information. Thinking about financing your studies can seem confusing to begin with as there is so much information available, but please do not be put off by this - you can contact us at any time, even before you apply to Bristol, if you have any questions about financial support.
- The basics
- Tuition fees
- Government help with living costs – Student Loan
- Government help with living costs – Maintenance Grant
- Access to Learning Funds
- Extra help at Bristol in 2006
- Bursaries for 2006 entrants
- Additional support for local students
- New hardship funds for 2006
- New scholarships for 2006
- Vice-Chancellor's Scholarships for students with exceptional artistic, creative or sporting talent (incorporating the Wickham and Warren Scholarships)
- Organ and choral scholarships
- Taking a gap year in 2005?
The basics
Being an undergraduate student involves two main expenses: tuition fees and living expenses.
We classify all students as UK, EU or international for fees purposes. The amount you will pay for tuition fees and the financial support available to help you with this will depend on your fees classification, which will be determined in accordance with the Education (Fees and Awards) Regulations 1997. You will find further information about these Regulations at the following web address: www.bristol.ac.uk/academicregistry/fees/class.html.
If you are from the UK or the European Union (EU), your tuition fee for any course at Bristol will be £3,000 in 2006/07. The vast majority of other universities will be charging the same. The fee will go up by inflation in each subsequent year. You will not have to pay the money before or during your time at the University. You will only have to start repaying it after you have graduated and are earning more than £15,000 a year. The rate at which you repay the fee will be linked to your income.
Information about tuition fees for international students and for students from the Channel Islands or Isle of Man appears at www.bristol.ac.uk/academicregistry/fees.
Whether you are a UK, EU or international student, your living expenses will mainly include accommodation (unless you are a UK student living rent-free at home), food, entertainment and books. You can get a good idea of the cost of accommodation from the University's Accommodation Office. Your other living expenses will depend to a large extent on your way of life. At present, most students spend something in the region of £6,000 to £8,000 a year on their living expenses, including accommodation.
If you are thinking of applying to study at Bristol, please don't be put off by the cost of studying and living here. There is help for UK/EU students who need it, both from the Government and the University.
Tuition fees
UK/EU students will not have to pay tuition fees before or during their studies. This is because the Government can give you a student loan for the full amount and pay it direct to the University.
UK students will have to apply for their loan from their Local Education Authority. The following website can give you more information: www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport/.
EU students should contact the Government's EU team at EUTeam@dfes.gsi.gov.uk, or visit www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport/eustudents/index.shtml.
Government help with living costs – Student Loan
The Government can give UK (but not EU or international) students a student loan to cover living expenses. The maximum loan is £4,405 for students living away from home, outside London and £3,415 for students living at home. These figures will change slightly each year so its worth checking the Government website www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport/ for up-to-date information about what will be available the year you start University. Eligible students will be able to get 75% of the maximum loan whatever income they or their family have. The other 25% will depend on income and how much maintenance grant you receive.
To apply for the student loan for maintenance, contact your Local Education Authority – see www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport/ for more guidance.
Your student loan for maintenance will be combined with your student loan for tuition fees and you will start repaying both together after you have graduated and are earning more than £15,000 a year.
Government help with living costs – Maintenance Grant
From September 2006, new full-time UK students from low-income homes will be eligible for a maintenance grant of up to £2,700 a year. This does not have to be paid back. The amount you get will depend on your income and that of your household. Here is a guide, although the figures will probably change:
Household income | Help Available |
£17,500 or less | Full £2,700 grant |
£17,501 - £37,425 | Partial grant |
£37,426 and over | No grant |
To apply for the maintenance grant, contact your Local Education Authority – see www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport/ for more guidance.
Access to Learning Funds
Additional financial help is available to UK students for help with living costs. The Access to Learning Funds are available to help students who have genuine financial difficulties and assessment is carried out according to guidelines laid down by the Government. Certain groups of students are given priority (mature students, students with childcare costs, disabled students, students from a low-income background), and all students need to have taken out their full entitlement of student loan. Access to Learning Funds cannot be used to pay for tuition fees and you will need to be registered on a course of study before you can apply.
Extra help at Bristol in 2006
Remember, if you are thinking of applying to study at Bristol, please don't be put off by the cost of studying and living here. There is a wide range of help available to UK students.
Bursaries for 2006 entrants
Undergraduate students who qualify for the full Government maintenance grant of £2,700 per year will be eligible for a University bursary package worth up to £1,100 per year. Details of payment dates for this bursary are yet to be finalised and full information will be provided as soon as it is available.
Undergraduate students who qualify for only part of the Government maintenance grant will be eligible for a University bursary package of up to £700 per year.
You do not have to complete a separate application form for the bursary. The University will receive the financial assessment of your household income made by your LEA and will use this to assess your entitlement to a bursary. If your LEA assessment changes, so will your entitlement to the bursary.
There are also a small number of special bursaries and scholarships available.
Additional support for local students
Top-up bursaries of £1,000 per year are available to local students who qualify for a Government maintenance grant. These bursaries will be available in addition to the bursary support described above.
New scholarships for 2006
The University is also offering scholarships to students with outstanding ability and potential. Approximately 100 scholarships will be available to students applying to the following subject areas:
- Archaeological/Anthropological Sciences
- Biological Sciences
- Chemistry
- Computer Science/Systems
- Earth Sciences
- Electrical & Electronic Engineering
- German
- Italian
- Microbiology & related sciences
- Physics
- Russian
- Social Policy
All UK students will be eligible for the scholarships and will automatically be considered if applying in the relevant subject area. If you are awarded a scholarship, your household income will determine the level of scholarship you receive. Scholarships awarded to students in receipt of a Government maintenance grant will be valued at £2,500, and scholarships awarded to other students will be valued at £500. These scholarships will be available in addition to the bursary support described above, where students are eligible.
Vice-Chancellor's Scholarships for students with exceptional artistic, creative or sporting talent (incorporating the Wickham and Warren Scholarships)
Vice-Chancellor's scholarships are available to undergraduate students with exceptional musical, dramatic or sporting talent. There are 12 awards available, valued at £3,000 a year. The scheme is open to students applying to any undergraduate course at the University of Bristol.
Students should apply to the University through UCAS in the normal way but should also submit a separate scholarship application form. Application forms are available from this website - www.bris.ac.uk/studentfunding/home_ug/burs_schols/vc_burs.html..
Organ and choral scholarships
Organ scholarships are available at the Church of St Paul, Clifton, Church of St Mary Redcliffe and Bristol Cathedral. Choral scholarships are based at Bristol Cathedral and are for male singers only. Students do not have to be studying for a music degree. The value of these scholarships can vary. For further information including closing dates and application procedures, please contact Margaret Peirson in the Music Department, email m.e.peirson@bristol.ac.uk.
New hardship funds for 2006
In addition to national Access to Leaning Funds, the University will be putting significant funds into its own hardship funds for students who find themselves in financial difficulties during their studies, through no fault of their own. Further details will be available on this website in due course.
Taking a gap year in 2005?
If you have applied for a place in 2005 but are deferring entry until 2006, you will not be charged £3,000 tuition fees, as long as you receive written confirmation from the University by 1 August 2005 confirming that your place has been deferred. If you are deferring your place, you will be able to apply for tuition fee support from your Local Education Authority, as per the current student support regulations. Please see www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport/students/200_2005_entry.shtml for more information. If you are assessed as having to pay tuition fees, you will also be able to take a fee loan of up to £1,200 (subject to confirmation). You will be eligible to apply for a student loan for your living costs, and students from lower income households will also be eligible for the current Higher Education Grant of up to £1,000 a year. Please see the following website for more details: www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport/students/gap_gap_year.shtml.
Please check this website regularly for up-to-date information on what help will be available if you are applying to the University of Bristol.
For up-to-date information on Government help, please check www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport/.