What you need to know about student finance

Going to university is massive. It’s the gateway to your dream job and it’s also a once in a lifetime opportunity for you to discover who you really are. To get here you’re going to have to make sure you’ve got your student finance sorted.

To help, we have put together a useful guide on where to find information that could help you to figure out:

  • How much you can borrow
  • Whether you are entitled to additional funding
  • How to apply

What finance am I entitled to?

A good starting point is to check out the student finance calculator on Gov.uk. This will ask you a series of questions relating to your personal circumstance and give you an estimate of what you could be entitled to borrow including tuition fees and maintenance loan (for living costs). The calculator may also indicate additional funding that you could be entitled to.

Am I entitled to additional funding?

Funding is circumstantial. Our university is committed to making higher learning accessible to all. For this reason, there are all sorts of additional funding available from our university depending on your circumstance.

Scholarships and bursaries

Scholarships and bursaries don’t need to be repaid. You apply for these directly at our university. Details of what’s available can be found on our scholarships and bursaries page.

Student support funds, prizes and awards

There are a number of support funds, prizes and awards available to you as a student of the University of Cumbria. You can find out more on our Student Support Funds, Prizes and Awards page.

Disabled Student Allowances (DSAs)

DSAs are for students who have extra costs associated with health problems, learning difficulties or disabilities. Further information can be found by accessing our Disability and SpLD page.

Students with children or dependant adults

If you have children, or an adult who depends on you financially you may be entitled to a grant. Further information can be found on our undergraduate student finance page.

When should I apply?

Details of when to apply can be found on Student Finance England.

How do I apply?

Students in England apply for a student loan through Student Finance England.

The application process differs for students from other parts of the UK, so here are the links for students from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

EU students

EU students can also apply for a loan through Student Finance England. Use the form finder on the gov.uk website to access the forms you need to complete.

Still have questions?

We’re always here to help if you need more guidance or have any questions about managing your money whilst at university. Simply get in touch with our Money Advice team by emailing moneyadvice@cumbria.ac.uk.

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