Are you passionate about protecting woodlands and the future of the earth?
Our planet needs woodland ecology and conservation graduates to secure a sustainable future, and so, we’ve designed this course for people like you.
You’ll learn the science and art of conserving and sustainably managing trees, woods and forests at the National School of Forestry on our Ambleside campus in the heart of the Lake District National Park.
You won’t just learn about it though, you’ll be doing it by exploring the woodlands on your doorstep, meeting the hosts who look after them and undertake surveys to understand them. Our course offers a four-year 'sandwich-route mode' of study, which will allow you the opportunity to undertake a one-year placement between your second and third year. You'll get the real world experience you need to put your studies into focus, as well as understand how your degree can help you in gaining a career.
Why Choose University of Cumbria
You’ll study for your degree while being closely supported by our tutors and experts at the Centre for National Parks and Protected Areas.
- The only UK degree course to bring together Forestry and Woodland Management
- Easy access to woodlands managed for conservation, timber production and conservation, giving you chance to explore the management of these different types of forests
- Work with the latest technology used in the industry, boosting your employability
- Residential study tours to the Uplands and Lowlands, giving you an insight into woodland ecology and conservation in other parts of Britain
- The opportunity for a one-year work placement in a related profession, bolstering your knowledge – and your CV - by putting it into practice in the real world
- Our links with industry organisations give you opportunities for paid placements and job prospects in the industry
- Tutors are involved in conducting ground-breaking, international research, which will inform your learning
- Small class sizes mean you’ll get close tutor guidance throughout your studies
- We have excellent links with Royal Forestry Society, Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) and other forestry organisations
- Opportunity for an international exchange at Humboldt State University, California, to experience the approaches to forestry woodland and conservation in another country
- Former students have stepped into jobs with woodland, national and wildlife trusts, have become self-employed eco consultants or a career in conservation
If you want an exciting, varied and professional career in forestry, then the outstanding facilities and experienced lecturers at our National School of Forestry will set you on the path to success.
Many of our full-time programmes can be studied over a longer period on a part-time basis. Please contact the course enquiries team for further details.
Study options
We also offer this course without a sandwich placement.
Graduate destinations
You'll be well prepared for a career in forest and woodland conservation in the UK and overseas, or for going into Masters level study and further applied research. Our graduates have moved onto positions in the Forestry Commission, the Woodland and National Trusts, Natural England, Scottish Natural Heritage and environmental NGOs, so you can be confident that you will receive the skills needed to progress into a fantastic career that appeals to your interests.
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Course summary
Course Overview
Climate change and biodiversity loss are the twin challenges of our time, choose woodland ecology and conservation to gain the expertise to enable you to become part of the solution.
Delivered by research-active academics, some of whom have recent woodland management experience; the course includes lectures, laboratory practicals, computer sessions and fieldwork in the ancient semi-natural woodlands and commercial forest plantations around our beautiful Ambleside Campus, in the heart of the Lake District National Park. You will be inspired by passionate lecturers telling you about their own research findings, and by field trips where staff discuss the ecologically evidence-based decisions they made.
The National School of Forestry has been producing future foresters and woodland ecologists for fifty years. A professional body, the Institute of Chartered Foresters, accredits this course, and the Woodland Trust awards the prize for best graduate. Some recent students have benefitted from our exchange programme with Humboldt State University, studying among the redwoods of California.
Placement year
We want our students to get paid placements, rather than voluntary internships, but nothing can be guaranteed. We facilitate seeking placements and have contacts with previous providers, but it has to be the responsibility of the student to secure the placement. Some placements pay a wage, others offer free accommodation, others just a training budget. Some provide a car or use of a pool vehicle, for others you need your own transport. If you do not already have a driving licence, be aware that you will have to learn to drive in order to have any realistic hope of obtaining a placement, or a future job. What we can say is that students who go on placements provide feedback that the experience has been beneficial. It is fairly common for students to return from placement with job offers from their providers for when they graduate. Indeed, some students return part-time because they have taken jobs at the end of their placement.
Why Choose University of Cumbria?
- This is the only Woodland Ecology and Conservation course in the UK, possibly the world.
- Woodland Ecology and Conservation with and without placement received 100% Overall Satisfaction in the 2019 NSS as part of a suite of forestry and conservation courses
- Full employment of 2019 Woodland Ecology and Conservation with and without placement graduates in the woodland ecology and forest industry sector.
- Recent graduates have included National Park Wildlife Rangers, Planning Foresters with Forest and Land Scotland, Woodland Management Consultants and Assistant Forest Managers with Tillhill Forestry.
Modules
Year one
Compulsory modules
- Introduction to Managing Trees, Woods and Forests
- Measuring Trees and Forests
- Silviculture 1
- Ecology
- Biodiversity I
- Biodiversity II
- Professional Development
- Biodiversity Monitoring - Qualifactory Practice Unit
Year two
Compulsory modules
- Biodiversity Monitoring
- Silviculture 2
- Research Methods and Data Analysis
- Geographic Information Systems
- Forest Policy and Governance
- Forest Health and Protection
- Applied Field Studies - Qualificatory Practice Unit
- Work Placement
- Work Experience
Year three
Compulsory modules
- Dissertation
- Forest Management Planning
- Woodland Ecology and Conservation
- Placement
Optional modules (subject to availability and demand)
- Applied Field Studies
- Business Skills
- Advanced Geographic Information Science
- Remote Sensing
- Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
- Forest Carbon Management
- Conservation & Society
- Ecosystem Services
- Urban Forestry and Arboriculture
Programme Specification
Assessment, Feedback, and Teaching and Learning methods
Full details are available in the programme specification.
Timetables
The teaching timetable should be available from the end of August. Access to the timetable is through the Student Hub – you will be able to access the Student Hub after you have completed online registration. The teaching day is 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday; please keep your other commitments open until confirmation of your teaching timetable, and bear in mind that many courses will offer placements or fieldwork which sometimes extends into the evenings and weekends.
Entry requirements
Have a question about our entry requirements?
Entry Requirements
96-112 UCAS tariff points - to include GCSE in Mathematics at grade C/4 or above (or equivalent).
Find out more about qualification options from the UCAS tariff table.
Please check selection criteria for any additional entry requirements.
Application information
Full-time courses
Apply online through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), between September and January; they will send your application on to us. Applications submitted after this date will be considered late and the course you have applied for might be full by this time; however, we will consider you for alternative suitable courses.
Their website www.ucas.com provides all the information you need about universities, courses, locations, entry requirements and financial support. You are allowed to select up to five course choices. You need to use the correct UCAS campus and course codes as not all courses are offered at every campus. You will be asked for the following information when you apply online:
Institution code name: UoC
Institution code: C99
Campus location:
- A Ambleside
- B Brampton Road, Carlisle
- E University of Cumbria at Energus, Workington
- F Fusehill Street, Carlisle
- L Lancaster
- T University of Cumbria in London
- Y University of Cumbria at Furness College, Barrow-in-Furness
Part-time courses
Applications should be made online directly to the university; visit our website or contact enquirycentre@cumbria.ac.uk for details and guidance. There is no official closing date but we would encourage you to apply as early as possible, as many courses are competitive.
What makes a good application?
We consider all aspects of your application, not simply your qualifications and grades. We look at your academic background and performance, relevant experience (particularly for professional courses where some voluntary or paid experience is required) and your reference. Above all, we look for motivation, commitment and potential-evidence that you can benefit from study at higher education level.
Make sure you include:
- Relevant qualifications/evidence of ability: check our website for the specific entry requirements required for each course. Tell us your previous academic results and your projected grades.
- A supportive reference, from an employer or your school or college.
- A good personal statement.
- Explain clearly what attracts you to the course and tell us about your wider interests and experience. If you are applying for a course that incorporates professional training and placements, you should include any relevant experience or visits you have made in the workplace. Highlight your individual strengths and qualities, personal skills, capacity for teamwork, contribution to the community and your enterprise, originality and determination. Select some activities which bring out these qualities.
What next?
When we receive your application, we will send you an acknowledgement and if you are successful at this stage you will get either an offer (with an invitation to visit the campus to which you have applied), or an invitation to interview on a particular date. If we are not able to offer you a place on your chosen course we will usually try to offer you a place on a similar course and will contact you to discuss this. Alternatively, if we think you are suitable, but cannot offer you a place on your preferred campus because of the level of competition, we will offer you a place at another campus if one is available.
And if I accept?
The admissions team will contact you and send further information from February onwards about accommodation, and from May/June onwards about preparing to join the university. If you have any other queries, please telephone the admissions offices for information and advice on 0845 6061144.
Deferred entry
We welcome applications for deferred entry on some courses. If you have specific plans during your year out, indicate these on your personal statement as they may be relevant to your course and could enhance your application.
International students
Applications for full-time undergraduate study are made through UCAS. Please see the international pages of our website for full details of our entry requirements (including English-language skills) as well as contacts for advice and support.
From 2009 the UK Border Agency introduced a Points-Based Immigration System (PBS) for students coming to the UK from outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Students entering higher education will need to obtain a Confirmation of Acceptance (CAS) plus finance confirmation to obtain a Tier 4 student visa. UK education providers are licensed by the UK Border Agency. When students apply for their visa (or entry clearance) they will need a valid Certificate of Acceptance of Studies from the university. Please note that a CAS is not a guarantee that a visa will be issued.
See the following websites for further details: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk
Tuition fees for Home students
The following tuition fees are for UK students and student with Home Fee Status, studying undergraduate courses in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 academic years (between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2022).
Full-time
| Course | Annual fee |
|---|---|
| BA, BSc, BEng or LLB | £9,250 |
| DipHE or CertHE | £9,250 |
| FdA or FdSc | £9,250 |
| BA, BSc with integrated foundation year | £6,000 (year 1) BA or BSc fee for the year of study applies in years 2-4 |
| Sandwich or placement year | £1,650. Fee payable by students who enrol in 2020/21 or 2021/22 for their sandwich or placement year |
| BA, BSc, BEng or LLB - accelerated 2 year degree | £11,100 |
Please note: These fees apply to the 2020/21 and 2021/22 academic years only* and may be subject to inflationary increases in subsequent years of study. * The sandwich or placement year fees stated above apply to students who enrol in 2020/21 or 2021/22 for their sandwich or placement year
Paying your fees
If you are taking a student loan, you won't have to do a thing after you have had your loan approved - the Student Loan Company will pay your fees directly to the university. For more information, please see the student finance section.
If you decide not to take a student loan, you can pay your tuition fees online, directly to the university. You can pay in full or spread out the cost through a maximum of three instalments. To discuss instalments, email us at accountsreceivableteam@cumbria.ac.uk.
Tuition fee invoices are sent electronically to students’ university and personal email accounts.
Make a payment - without an invoice
Make a payment - with an invoice
Part-time
The tuition fees for part-time courses are based on the full-time fee. It may be calculated either pro-rata or by module, depending on the type of course. To confirm whether your course is modular or pro-rata, please contact uocadmissions@cumbria.ac.uk.
Modular billing
Most part-time students are invoiced by module shortly after the start of each module. If your programme allows the extension of study beyond the standard period of enrolment, modular billing enables you to study at a rate you can afford, and over a period of time which suits you.
The tuition fee payable for each module is based on the full-time fee for the relevant year of study. These fees represent the cost of studying for 120 credits in a year. For example, in 2021/22, where the full-time fee is £9,250, each 10 credit module will cost £771. The tuition fee payable for modules may increase by inflation each year.
Pro-rata billing
Some courses are calculated on a pro-rata basis, by taking the cost of the equivalent full-time course and dividing it by the number of years it will take to complete. Please note that some course fees may be subject to inflation.
Paying your fees
Most students choose to take a student loan. If you are taking a student loan, you won't have to do a thing once your loan is approved - the Student Loan Company will pay your fees directly to the university. For more information, please see the below.
If you decide not to take a student loan, you can pay your tuition fees online, directly to the university. Tuition fee invoices are sent electronically to student’s university and personal email accounts.
Student loans
You may be eligible for support depending on your residency status, including a loan to help with the cost of university fees. There are two types of loans you may be able to apply for - tuition fee and maintenance loans. Please visit direct.gov for more information
Full-time
Tuition fee loans
Funding bodies offer loans up to the full value of your course as well as support with living costs. This is paid directly to the university each year, and is not usually dependent on your household income, however it may be restricted if you have previously studied at higher education level.
When applying for your student loans, you will need to apply online to the relevant student funding authority for the area in which you live. Please see gov.uk for further information on your funding organisation.
Your loan application is likely to take around 8 weeks to finalise so it is important to complete your application as soon as possible. We recommend completing your application by the end of May (new students) or June (continuing students) to avoid any delays in receiving your funding.
Maintenance loans
You may be able to apply for a maintenance loan to assist with meeting living costs such as food, accommodation and travel expenses. For students normally living in England, these are normally paid in three instalments throughout the university year directly to your bank account.
Depending on household income, students who normally live in England may be able to apply for the following amounts. If your home address is outside England, please visit the gov.uk webpage for your local funding organisation, for more information.
| Living arrangements | 2020/21 | 2021/22 |
|---|---|---|
| Living at Home | Up to £7,747 | Up to £7,987 |
| Living away from home (outside of London) | Up to £9,203 | Up to £9,488 |
| Living away from home (in London) | Up to £12,010 | Up to £12,382 |
| Studying abroad (for 1 year) | Up to £10,539 | Up to £10,866 |
You can work out how much of a loan you are entitled to apply for using the Student Finance Calculator.
Repaying your loan
Graduates with a home address in England and Wales, who have a student loan, only start repaying their loan the April after graduation or leaving their course and once they earn over the threshold, which is £27,295 per year.
You only pay 9% of anything you earn above that amount. If you don't earn more than the threshold, you won't pay anything.
Here's what your monthly repayments could look like:
| Annual income before tax | Monthly salary | Monthly repayment |
|---|---|---|
| £27,295 | £2,274 | £0 |
| £29,500 | £2,458 | £17 |
| £31,000 | £2,583 | £28 |
| £33,000 | £2,750 | £43 |
If your income changes, the amount you repay will change too, this happens automatically.
If you stop working, or start to earn below the repayment threshold, your repayments will stop until you earn over the threshold.
You’ll make a repayment if you go over the weekly or monthly threshold at any point during the year, for example, if you get a bonus or work overtime. You can request a refund at the end of the tax year if your total income was below the annual repayment threshold. After 30 years, any outstanding loan is written off.
If your home address is in Scotland or Northern Ireland, visit Gov.uk for more information about making repayments.
These loans attract interest, which is charged at different rates depending on your earnings. For more details on interest rates, please visit the Gov.uk website
Part-time
For students normally resident in the UK, tuition fee loans are available for students studying for their first higher education qualification, which is at least 25% of the intensity of the equivalent full-time course. CPD students may also be eligible for a loan based on level of study, intensity of the course and prior study. Visit gov.uk website for more information and eligibility criteria.
Tuition fee loans are not means-tested and you can apply for up to the maximum amount of your fees, which is £6,935 in 2020/21 and 2021/22. Tuition fee loans are paid directly to the university so you don’t have to worry about arranging payment.
Eligible courses for part-time tuition fee loans include:
- a first degree, for example BA, BSc or BEd
- a Foundation Degree
- a Certificate of Higher Education
- a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)
- an Initial Teacher Training course
- an integrated master’s degree
Part-time Maintenance Loans
Part Time students normally resident in the UK, who started an eligible course on or after 1 August 2018 can apply for a Maintenance Loan to help with their day-to-day living costs, such as rent or food. The Maintenance Loan is paid directly to your bank account, in three instalments, usually at the start of each term.
For more information about funding for part-time study, visit Gov.uk
For more guidance on applying for a student loan, visit the Student Room's Student Finance Zone.
Repaying your Part-time loan
Part-time students will have to repay any loans you borrow, but not until the April after you finish or leave your course, or the April four years after the start of your course – whichever comes first – and, only then, if your income is over the repayment threshold.
How much you repay each month depends on your income, not how much you borrowed.
You will repay 9% of your income over the repayment threshold, which is currently £26,575 a year, £2,214 a month or £511 a week. If your income drops below the threshold, your repayments will stop automatically.
You will be charged interest from the day your first student finance payment is made until your loan has been repaid in full or cancelled. The interest rate is based on the UK Retail Price Index (RPI) and will vary depending on your circumstances. For more details on interest rates, please visit www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan
What if I've studied before?
Health students
Students enrolling on a Nursing, Midwifery or Allied Health Professional course in England may qualify for a student loan even if they have accessed student loan funding for other programmes in the past. This is subject to eligibility.
Other students
If you have undertaken any other previous Higher Education study, it is important to be aware that this can sometimes have an impact on the student funding, including tuition fee loans, available to you when you start a new course. For more information, visit the gov.uk webpage.
This is a complex area. If you are not sure of your entitlement to funding, it is really important that you seek advice from your funding organisation or with a Student Money Adviser who can clarify exactly how your previous study will impact on your future student funding entitlement.
Financial support
Scholarships and Bursaries
Cumbria Bursary (first year undergraduate students)
The Cumbria Bursary is our targeted financial support package for 1st year ‘home’ undergraduate students studying a qualifying course who are commencing their studies in the 2021/22 academic year. It is a non-repayable bursary designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000.
The Cumbria Bursary is provided through a fixed number of allocated awards and uses a scored prioritisation process to impartially rank all eligible applicants (with household incomes of less than £25,000 per annum). We award bursaries to those with the highest scores.
These awards are worth £1,000 per year of full-time study or £500 per year of part-time study, for a maximum of 5 years (part-time) for students entering onto full time or substantive part-time* undergraduate programmes.
A proportion of our Cumbria Bursaries will be allocated specifically to students who are aged 21 and over on the 1st September 2021, who also meet the eligibility criteria outlined here.
*Part-time students must be studying at least 50% of a full-time equivalent course and registered on a minimum three-year course.
Social Work bursary
It is possible for some undergraduate Social Work students to receive a bursary to support their studies in their second or subsequent years. The number of people who can get a bursary is limited (or capped), therefore there is no guarantee you’ll receive a bursary in your 2nd year. The university will provide a shortlist of students to the NHSBSA who will then assess bursary applications. Full details, including the eligibility criteria, are available on the NHSBSA website.
Progression Scholarship (first year undergraduate students from partner colleges)
If you are a student of any of the following colleges, you might be eligible for one of our Partnership Progression Scholarships offered to those applying to the University immediately after Further Education:
- Blackburn College
- Bury College
- Carlisle College
- Doncaster College
- Furness College
- Kendal College
- Lakes College West Cumbria
- Lancaster and Morecambe College
- Newton Rigg (Askham Bryan) College
- Northumberland College
- Southport College
We have a fixed number of Progression Scholarships for students starting study in the 2021/22 academic year.
The awards are worth £500 in total; these non-repayable grants are paid directly to your bank account in the first year only. The Progression Scholarship can be received alongside the Cumbria Bursary if a recipient is eligible and ranked to receive both awards.
Enhanced Learning Credits Scheme (ELCAS) - Armed forces personnel
We are proud to be a registered learning provider with the Ministry of Defence's ELCAS scheme. ELCAS is a scheme run by the Ministry of Defence to provide financial support to Armed Forces personnel (both serving and service leavers) to study a course at university.
Additional grants
If you have special circumstances, you may be able to get additional funding to help support you during your course from Student Finance England.
For students with children
- Parents’ Learning Allowance - means-tested on household income. Maximum available £1,821
- Childcare Grant - means-tested on household income. A maximum of 85% of your weekly childcare costs may be paid on your behalf, up to £179.62 per week for one child and £307.95 per week for two or more children.
For students with adult dependants
- Adult Dependants’ Grant - means-tested on household income. Maximum available £3,190
For students with a disability or specific learning difficulty
- Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) — students with a disability or specific learning difficulty may be eligible to receive help towards enabling costs; e.g. non-medical helper, specialist equipment etc.
New Student Funding for Health Courses
Learning Support Fund
The NHS Learning Support Fund offers students starting a Nursing, Midwifery or Allied Health Professional course additional support while studying for their degree. This includes:
- a Training Grant for all eligible students of £5,000 per academic year
- Parental Support of £2,000 for students with at least one dependent child under 15 years, or under 17 years if registered with special educational needs (this used to be called Child Dependants Allowance)
- reimbursement of excess costs incurred on practice placement for travel and temporary accommodation costs (Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses)
- Exceptional Support Fund for students experiencing financial hardship
For further details visit the NHSBSA website here.
Additional funding
There is an additional £1,000 a year available to new students from September 2020. This additional payment is to prioritise shortage groups that are key to delivering the NHS Long Term Plan.
The specialist subject payment includes students on courses for:
- mental health nursing
- learning disability nursing
- radiography (diagnostic and therapeutic)
- prosthetics and orthotics
- orthoptics and podiatry
Combined courses that include one of these shortage courses are also eligible. For example, adult and mental health nursing, will also qualify for the £1,000 payment. There will also be a regional incentive payment of up to £1,000. Further details of this will be confirmed soon.
Both the specialist subject and regional incentive payments will be added to your NHSLSF account automatically when you apply for the Training Grant.
For further details and a full list of eligible courses, visit the NHSBSA web page here.
Support funds
Depending on your circumstances, you might be able to qualify for extra funding. There are a number of different Awards and Funds that might be helpful should you require financial aid.
Visit our support funds page for more details.
Funding from Charitable Trusts
Use the Turn2us grant search to check whether you qualify for funding from a charitable trust.
Accommodation
From only £10 per night, we provide the lowest cost student accommodation in the North West. Check out our accommodation page for a full price list and more details about the residences.
Read more
Heating, lighting, water and internet costs are included in your rent and full-time students don't pay council tax.
Paying your accommodation fees
At the beginning of term, you will receive an email confirming your accommodation, your accommodation fees and a quick payment link. Please ensure that you have your student ID available prior to entering the online payments site.
Updates for EU, EEA & Swiss Students
The (Brexit) transition period ended on 31 December 2020; the UK has now left the European Union.
Fees for 2020/21
If you are a European student joining a programme between January and July 2021, you will still be eligible to pay home (UK) tuition fees. Please see the Home Students Tab for more information.
Fees for 2021/22
If you are an EU/EEA or Swiss National with Settled or Pre-Settled Status in the UK you will still be eligible to pay Home fees and have access to Student Finance England tuition loans.
If you are an EU/EEA or Swiss National living overseas you will be classified as "Overseas" for fees purposes from 1st September 2021.
The University of Cumbria wishes to support European students affected by this change in status through this transition period. We will award an (automatic) FEE REDUCTION SCHOLARSHIP to all eligible EU students starting their course with us in September 2021 or January 2022, which brings your fee into line with the fee paid by UK students. This will apply for the duration of your course.
To receive the EU fee reduction scholarship, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Be classified as ‘overseas’ for fees purposes.
- Be an EU/EEA/Swiss national on 1 September (2021) before the start of the programme.
Fees for 2022/23
A decision on the level of fee for EU/EEA/Swiss students starting their course with us in September 2022 has not yet been made.
This information does not apply to apprenticeships. Please see our Apprenticeship pages for more information.
Tuition fees for international students
The following tuition fees are for undergraduate students starting studying in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 academic years (between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2022).
Read more
| Course level | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree (BA, BSc, LLB) | £10,500† | £12,800† | |
| BA (Hons) Social Work | £15,500† | £15,500† | |
| Health pre-registration programmes | £15,500† | ||
| DipHE or CertHE | £10,500† | £12,800† | |
| BA or BSc with integrated foundation year | £7,500 (year 1)† BA or BSc fee for the year of study applies in years 2-4 |
|
|
| Sandwich or placement year | £1,650. Fee payable by students who enrol in 2019/20 or 2020/21 for their sandwich or placement year | £1,650. Fee payable by students who enrol in 2021/22 for their sandwich or placement year | |
| BA, BSc, BEng or LLB - accelerated 2 year degree | £12,600† | £15,300† | |
| Foundation degree (FdA, FdSc) | £10,500† | £12,800† | |
| Non-medical prescribing | £2,875 | £2,875 | |
| Pre-sessional English (6 weeks) | £2100* |
£2100* |
|
| Pre-sessional English (12 weeks) | £3800* | £3800* |
† An early payment discount is available for international students.
Please note: These fees apply to the 2020/21 and 2021/22 academic years only* and may be subject to inflationary increases in subsequent years of study. * The sandwich or placement year fees stated above apply to students who enrol in 2019/20 or 2020/21 for their sandwich or placement year.
* The pre-sessional courses include Password English Language Test. The Password English Language Test will be used to confirm that students have reached the correct English level to be able to continue onto their substantive degree.
Fee Deposit Policy
Before you can get started with your course, you will be required to pay a deposit of 50% of the substantive programme fee plus the full amount of any pre-sessional fees. Until we receive this deposit, you will not be issued a 'Confirmation of Acceptance'. Your offer letter will provide more information on how to pay your deposit, but we recommend paying online. Please note that the deposit is non-refundable unless your visa is refused due to exceptional circumstances.
Alternatively you can provide a letter of sponsorship/financial guarantee. This must be on letter-headed paper and include the following information:
- name of the programme and academic year for which the sponsorship applies
- amount of sponsorship (for example, full fees or specified amount in pounds sterling)
- your full name (as stated on your passport)
- your student identification number
- address and named contact to which the University of Cumbria should send the invoice
- full name and address of the sponsoring institution
Pre-sessional courses
Those required to attend a pre-sessional course will need to pay the full fee, in addition to the deposit, which is part payment of the substantive programme fee. The university will not issue the unconditional offer or CAS until both the deposit and full pre-sessional fees are paid.
If a student on the 12-week pre-sessional fails to progress on academic grounds, the full deposit for the substantive programme will be repaid. If a student on either the 6-week or 12-week pre-sessional fails to progress as a result of non-attendance, poor attendance or lack of effort, the minimum payment 50% of the fees for the substantive programme will not be repaid.
Deposit refunds
A refund of the 50% minimum payment will only be considered where a student has been refused a visa for non-fraudulent reasons. Students may apply for a refund by sending copies of the official visa refusal notification from the Home Office (UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)), together with passport details. The university reserves the right to verify details with UKVI.
Where the university decides to make a refund of the minimum payment, this will be refunded in pounds sterling to the person who originally made the payment. The university will transfer the deposit in the most cost-effective way but will not be liable for any bank charges involved in the money transfer. Please note refunds can take 3-4 weeks to arrive in your bank. Refunds will not be made if the visa application is refused, or a CAS is withdrawn, on the grounds of fraudulent activity by the student, or due to failure to disclose full details in the application.
Refunds will not be made if the student fails to attend at the start of the programme or withdraws after the start of the programme.
Paying your tuition fees
After you have paid your deposit or provided your sponsorship letter, you can decide to pay the fee balance in full, or follow our instalment plan. It will be denoted in your offer letter how much you need to pay for the first year of the course.
An early payment discount is available if you choose to pay your full annual tuition fee before the CAS is issued (or in limited cases by registration). The early payment discount is only available to self-funded students in their first year, and excludes pre-sessional courses, partnerships and students receiving other benefits such as scholarships.
If your offer letter denotes you can pay via deposit and then in instalments you will be required to pay 75% of your total tuition fees prior to registration. The deposit you have already paid will be included. For example: If your tuition fees are £10,000, and you’ve paid a deposit of £5000, you’ll need to pay £2,500 prior to registration to complete the 75% requirement. The remaining 25% must be paid three weeks before the end of your first term.
If you are enrolling onto a one semester programme or short course, the tuition fee must be paid in full prior to the start of the programme or course. If your tuition is being sponsored, then you will not be able to pay with an instalment plan.
Planning your finances
Studying in a different country is a big financial investment, so you need to ensure you have everything planned when it comes to spending your money.
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There are many points to consider before submitting your application, such as food, accommodation and other day-to-day expenses.
We recommend that you budget at least £7,500 for an academic year in the UK. This will include your accommodation and living expenses. To help you plan effectively, we suggest using the online International Student Calculator to set a proper budget for your academic life.
If you require a Tier 4 visa to study with the University you need to provide evidence of minimum funds that will be available to you. Please see UKVI requirements on their website in the “Tier 4 of the points based system: policy guidance” booklet. You will also find details of UKVI’s current requirements for the evidence you will need to provide during your application.
Accommodation
From only £10 per night, we provide the lowest cost student accommodation in the North West. Check out our accommodation page for a full price list and more details about the residences.
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Paying for your accommodation
If you choose to stay in university accommodation you will be required to make a pre-payment of £250.
After you have made the pre-payment, and the contract has been returned, the balance of your contract will be due. Payment must be made by registration. Instalments are not available.
Please note that you do have the option to pay for the accommodation in full with the contract.
Payment must be made in pounds sterling. You will be given the option online to convert your currency when making a payment.
If you’re having trouble paying online or have any questions, please contact your admissions officer who can give you advice about paying by bank transfer.
Additional costs
All students will need to purchase stationery, course books and personal equipment. Extra costs may also be applicable to cover field trips, membership fees etc. The following PDF link below provides an overview of these costs for this course.
Additional costsResources and facilities
Our National School of Forestry has over 50 years of experience in producing career ready graduates, thanks to our exceptional range of facilities enjoyed by students and researchers alike. Over a hundred hectares of Cumbrian countryside can be explored, giving you direct access to a wide range of habitats including coniferous woodland, wetland, willow plantations, arable farmland and more.
All this diversity allows many classes and field visits to be conducted just outside the lecture rooms, giving them chance to study in the real world as well as in our excellent new laboratory facilities.
