University College Plymouth St Mark & St John

2012/13 Entry - Fees and Assistance

At UCP Marjon a typical fee for a full time undergraduate degree will be £7,800 for a years tuition, saving you up to £1,200 per year compared to most other universities. 

2 year accelerated degrees will be charged at £8,700 per year (reflecting the longer academic terms for these degrees) which can save you up to £9,600 compared to a typical three year UK degree (£17,400 for a degree compared to £27,000 for a three year degree at most other instituitions). 

From September 2012 the Work-based Foundation Degrees (Children, Young People and Communities) will be charged at £4,900 per year.

Tuition Fees 2012-13

Some things to remember:

You do not have to pay for your course yourself upfront.

• You can get a tuition loan to cover the cost of your tuition and a maintenance grant and maintenance loan to cover living expenses. You only start to pay back your loans once you are earning over £21,000 a year after you have left university.
• For those graduates earning over £21,000 per year, their annual loan repayment is 9% of any income over £21,000.  For instance, an annual graduate wage of £22,000 would result in a student loan repayment rate of £7.50 per month (9% of £1000).  As your salary increases so does the amount you will be expected to repay.     
• The repayment period is a maximum of 30 years beginning from the April after you leave your course.  Any remaining balance on the loan is wiped out after 30 years.
• Credit agencies won't have details of your student loan therefore it won't affect your credit rating or limit your ability to get a mortgage.
• Part time students are also eligible for a tuition fee loan.
• Non-repayable government grants are available to help with living costs such as food, accommodation and travel.
• For more detailed information on financial support for full time study in 2012/13 please click here.

The Maintenance Loan is there to help with the living costs incurred while in higher education.  The exact amount you can borrow will depend on several factors - including household income, where you live while you’re studying, when you started your course and whether you’re in your final year.  Follow the link for details about rates - or use the Student Finance Calculator for a quick guide.

The Maintenance Grant is there to help with accommodation and other living costs while you’re on a full-time higher education course and does not have to be repaid.   The actual amount of maintenance grant/loan you receive depends on your household income and other factors - including when you started your course.  This is referred to as 'means testing'.

Tuition Fee Loan covers the full amount you’re charged for tuition fees (please click here for 2012/13 tuition fees).  The amount that you can borrow does not depend upon your household income (not means tested). Student Finance England makes the payment directly to your university or college.

Follow the link for details about rates - or use the Student Finance Calculator for a quick guide.

If you receive a Maintenance Grant, the amount of Maintenance Loan you can get may be reduced. If you get the Special Support Grant, it won't affect how much you get through the Maintenance Loan.

Special Support Grant replaces the maintenance grant for students who meet the conditions for being a ‘prescribed person’ under the Income Support or Housing Benefit Regulations. Students who are likely to qualify include: single parents; other student parents - if they have a partner who is also a student; students with certain disabilities.  If you’re not sure which grant to apply for, contact Student finance England

Childcare Grant is for students with dependent children. If you qualify, the Childcare Grant could cover as much as 85 per cent of your childcare costs.  This is a means tested grant.

Adult dependants’ Grant is for full-time higher education students with an adult who is dependant upon them financially.

Scholarship and Bursary Information:

Bursaries and scholarships are extra sources of financial help from colleges and universities. They’re paid directly into your bank account and are on top of any student loans or grants you may get and do not have to be repaid.  Please see the section below for more detail. These bursaries and scholarships are for new 2012 entrants.

•  National Scholarship Programme (NSP):  If you have a family income of less than £25,000 you may be eligible to apply for the National Scholarship Programme.  More details about this scheme can be found here.
• Full-time student Scholarships: £500 pa (maximum of 3 years, years 2 and 3 dependent on satisfactory progress). Cash scholarships for UK students with UCAS tariff scores from A-level or equivalent qualifications (excluding A/S level) and obtained in a maximum of two consecutive years in excess of 360 points.
• Partial fee waivers for students from other OFFA countable groups who have not fully met the eligibility criteria for the NSP.  Please contact our student finance team for more details - studentfinance@marjon.ac.uk 
• These schemes are not available to students in partnership institutions or for co-funded students
• NHS bursaries:  If you’re getting an NHS Bursary (i.e. on BSc Speech and Language) you may still qualify for a reduced rate maintenance loan through Student Finance England.  You’ll need to make a separate application for help through the standard student finance package.  More information can be found on the Direct Gov website. 
• The Access to Learning Fund (ALF) can provide extra financial help for full time and part time UK students who are experiencing serious financial difficulties.  The fund is means tested taking into account individual circumstances and government guidelines state that to be considered for an award applicants must have accessed their maximum entitlement to student loans and grants as well as student interest free backing facilities.  The ALF is administered by the Finance & Welfare Team in Student Support.  Applications can be collected from Student Support reception area.

When you complete the main student finance application you'll be asked whether you consent to Student Finance England sharing your details with your university or college. Giving your consent allows Student Finance England to use information on our behalf to assess what you're entitled to.

Student Finance information for: Part time study

If you’re starting a part-time course in higher education, you could get financial help through the Fee Grant, Course Grant and other sources - depending on your circumstances.  You’ll need to make a separate application for each academic year, using the application form for part-time student finance (PTG1).

2012/13 Entry - Applications

Student Finance for Full-time Study

How and when to apply for student finance-   Apply as soon as possible!  

If your course starts after 1 September 2012 (academic year 2012/13), you can apply now for student finance. You can still apply for 2011/12.  Find out how the application process works and what you need to do to apply here.

 To make sure your first payment is ready at the start of term - don't wait until you've been offered a place on a course.  You’ll need to apply separately for each year of your course. 

The fastest and easiest way to apply for student finance is to apply online

A single application lets you apply for student loans, grants, bursaries and you can also use it to indicate whether you want to apply for extra help. 

Your parents or partner may need to supply financial information to support your application. If you apply online, they will be able to supply their information online  as well.

For extra information and advice follow the links for details regarding

Help with student finance online services  - Eligibility for student finance - Full time student finance FAQ