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► Students returning to Sussex in 2008/09 who began their course after October 2006
This page gives information about funding for returning full time undergraduate students who began their Sussex course in either the 2006/07 or 2007/08 academic year.
The information given is only intended to provide an overview. For more detailed information, speak to your Local Authority (LA), Education Library Board (ELB) or one of our advisers during a drop-in session. Alternatively, download ‘Money Matters’, our comprehensive guide to student finance here.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Most students who began their course at Sussex from October 2006 onward will be considered to be ‘new-system’ students. However there are some exceptions for certain students:-
- Students who took a gap year in 2005/06, who received confirmation of their deferred place for 2006/07 by 01August 2005,and who were continuing on their course in 2007/08; or
- Students who were not able to take up their intended place in 2005/06 because of A-Level results that were successfully apealed against, who took up their place in 2006/07 and were continuing on their course in 2007/08; or
- Students who transferred from a similar course that started before September 2006; or
- Students who started an end-on degree course in 2006/07 after completing a Foundation Degree, Higher National Certificate (HNC), Higher National Diploma (HND) or Diploma of Higher Education course in 2005/06.
If you fall into any of these categories, you will be considered to be an ‘old-system’ student and the information given on these pages will not be relevant to you. Old-system students should look at our webpages for ‘students returning to Sussex in 2007/08 who began their course before October 2006'.
Page contents:
How much are the tuition fees for 2008/09?
Do I have to pay my tuition fees upfront in 2008/09?
How much is the maximum Maintenance Loan for 2008/09?
How much is the maximum Maintenance Grant for 2008/09?
What other funding is available in 2008/09 to help with my course and living costs?
I got funding from my LA/ELB this year – do I need to apply again for 2008/9?
→ How do I do this?
→ How will I be assessed?
→ How will my LA or ELB assess my household income?
→ How will I find out what I've been awarded?
→ How will I be paid?
When will I have to repay my loans?
Can I get any additional help from the University of Sussex?
What other financial help can I get?
How much are the tuition fees for 2008/09?
Full-time new-system undergraduate students returning to Sussex in October 2008 will be charged tuition fees of £3,145 for the year.
Do I have to pay my tuition fees upfront in 2008/09?
If you do not want to pay your fees upfront, you may be eligible to take out a low-interest non means-tested fee loan of up to £3,145 to cover the entire cost of your fees. The interest on the loan is linked to inflation, which ensures that the value of the loan that is repaid remains the same in real terms as the amount borrowed. Any fee loan that remains unpaid (except for arrears) after 25 years will be written off
How much is the maximum Maintenance Loan for 2008/09?
The maximum amount of Maintenance Loan available to new-system students returning to Sussex in October 2008 is shown in the table below:
Maximum available
75% non means-tested element
25% means-tested element
Students living away from their parents' home
£4,625
£3,470
£1,155
Final year rate
£4,280
£3,210
£1,070
Students living with their parents
£3,580
£2,685
£895
Final year rate
£3,235
£2,425
£810
NB: Different rates of Maintenance Loan apply to students on a year abroad as part of their course.
If you have a household income of below £39,780, you should be eligible to receive support equal to at least your individual maximum entitlement to the loan*. The amount you get will be reduced however by £1 for every £9.50 of household income between £39,780 and £50,753 (£49,945 for final year students). If your household income is £50,753 or over (£49,945 or over for final year students), you will only receive 75% of your individual maximum entitlement to the loan.
The threshold figure above which a student who is living with their parents whilst they are studying will only receive the 75% non menas-tested element of the loan is £48,283 (£47,475 for final year students).
* Please note that up to £1,260 of any Maintenance Grant (see below) you receive will be paid in substitution for an equivalent amount of the Maintenance Loan. This means that the maximum rate of Maintenance Loan that you can actually receive will be reduced by £1 for every £1 of Maintenance Grant that you receive. Whilst you will still receive at least the same amount of money, it means that more of it will be in the form of a non-repayable grant rather than as a repayable loan.
How much is the maximum Maintenance Grant for 2008/09?
The maximum Maintenance Grant available for new-system students retruning to Sussex in October 2008 is £2,835 (£3,335 for students from Nothern Ireland) for the year.
If you have a household income of £18,360 or less, you should be eligible to receive the full £2,835 (£3,335 for students from Nothern Ireland) grant. If your household income is between £18,361 and £27,810 you should still receive some grant but the higher your household income the more your grant will be reduced. Up to £1,260 of any grant you receive will be paid in substitution for an equivalent amount of the Maintenance Loan (ie. your loan entitlement will be reduced by £1 for every £1 of grant up to a maximum of £1,260). Whilst you will still receive at least the same amount of money, it means that more of it will be in the form of a non-repayable grant rather than as a repayable loan.
For students who have an underlying entitlement to means-tested benefits such as Income Support, you may be eligible for a Special Support Grant of up to £2,835 (£3,335 for students from Northern Ireland) for the year instead of the Maintenance Grant. This grant will be means-tested and paid in exactly the same way as the Maintenance Grant, the only difference is that there is no substitution for the Maintenance Loan if you receive the full Special Support Grant as it is paid to cover course-related costs rather than just general living costs. This means that the maximum rate of Maintenance Loan that you are elligible to receive will NOT be reduced by any amount of Special Support Grant that you receive.
What other funding is available in 2008/09 to help with my course and living costs?
There are a range of other grants available to help some students meet additional costs but whether or not you will be eligible for any of these grants will depend on your circumstances and also, in most but not all cases, your income. Additional grants available to new-system students returning in October 2008 are:
Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs): If you have a disability (including learning disabilities such as dyslexia), and you are likely to incur additional costs as a result of undertaking your course and as a direct result of your disability, you may be eligible for a DSA. There are three categories of DSA:
- A specialist equipment allowance of up to £5,030 for the whole course
- A non-medical helpers allowance of up to £20,000 for the year
- A general allowance of up to £1,680 for the year.
These allowances could be used, for example, to buy specialist support software, to pay for a note taker, or to cover the cost of additional printing/photocopying. How much you will receive is based on your individual needs and does NOT depend on your income.
You may also be able to get some help with any extra travel costs you have to pay to attend your course as a result of your disability.
Adult Dependants’ Grant: If you have an adult living with you (such as a partner or relative) who is financially dependant on you, you may be eligible for a grant of up to £2,575 for the year. How much you receive will depend on your income and the income of your adult dependant(s).
Parents’ Learning Allowance: If you have dependant children, you may be eligible for a grant of up to £1,470 for the year to help with course-related costs. How much you receive will depend on your income and the income of your dependants.
Childcare Grant: If you have dependant children in certain types of 'prescribed' childcare, you may be eligible for a grant to help meet the costs of this childcare.
'Prescribed' childcare includes any of the following:
- Where the childcare provider is registered by Ofstead (can include registered childminders, nurseries, play groups, childrens centres and holiday play schemes for children under 7).
- Where the childcare is for children aged between 8 and 14, and where the provider has been approved by an accredited organisation's quality assurance scheme.
- Any form of childcare used by English students that would qualify for the childcare element of Working Tax Credit (but see * below).
The amount you recieve will be based on your actual costs but the maximum amount is capped:
- For one child: up to £148.75 per week (85% of actual costs of up to £175 per week)
- For two or more children: up to £255 per week (85% of actual costs of up to £300 per week).
How much you receive will also depend on your income and the income of your dependants.
* You cannot get the Childcare Grant if you already recieve the childcare element of Working Tax Credit. You will have to decide to continue with a claim for either the Childcare Grant or WTC childcare element
Grants to help with some travel costs: If you have to travel as part of your course (for example, to clinical training for medical students or to another country if your course includes a year abroad), you may be eligible for help with your travel costs. You will be expected to pay the first £295 but your LA or ELB will pay any ‘reasonable’ costs above this. If you have to go to a college outside the UK for at least 50& of an academic quarter and you have to take out medical insurance, your LA or ELB will also pay a grant equal to the premium.
For more information about any of the grants listed above and how they are assessed, speak to your LA/ELB or speak to an adviser during one of our drop-in sessions.
I got funding from my LA/ELB this year – do I need to apply again for 2008/9?
Yes. You need to apply for financial support for each year that you are on your course if you want funding for that year.
How do I do this?
Your Local Authority (LA) or Education Library Board (ELB), should have automatically sent you a PR1 form in March 2008. If you haven’t received yours yet, contact your LA/ELB or download one from Student Finance Direct.
Please note however that, this year, some local authorities in England are taking part in a pilot scheme:
Pilot Scheme LAs:
London Borough of Brent
Darlington Borough Council
London Borough of Hackney
Hartlepool Borough Council
North Yorkshire County Council
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
South Tyneside Council
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council
London Borough of Southwark
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
York City Council
If you normally live in one of the areas covered by the pilot scheme, your LA will not be involved in the application process and you should direct all enquiries to the Student Loans Company (SLC) Customer Support Office on 0845 607 7577.
If you are applying for means-tested support (the 25% means-tested element of the Maintenance Loan, the Maintenance Grant and any supplementary grants), you will need to provide financial information on your form, in which case the deadline for returning your completed form is 30 May 2008. If you choose not to provide financial information on your form, and are therefore only applying for the Fee Loan and the non means-tested 75% element of the Maintenance Loan, the deadline for returning your completed form is 25 April 2008. If you miss these deadlines, there is no guarantee that you will receive your money at the beginning of term.
If you decide now not to apply for funding for 2008/09 but change your mind later, you can still apply up until 31 May 2009. This is the final deadline however and applications will only be considered after this date in exceptional circumstances.
You can track the progress of your application by using the Student Finance Direct ‘customer portal'.
How will I be assessed?
How you are assessed will depend on whether you are an independent or dependant student.
Generally speaking, if you were previously assessed as a dependant student, you will be assessed as a dependant student again for 2008/09 UNLESS you have turned 25 OR married/entered into a civil partnership OR have care responsibilities for a child under 18 before 1st September 2008. If you were previously assessed as an ‘independent’ student, you will be assessed as an ‘independent’ student again for 2008/09.
If you are assessed as an independent student, your LA or ELB will look at your income and the income of any partner (including a same-sex partner) that you live with.
If you do not meet any of the conditions listed above you will usually be classified as a dependant student. If you are assessed as a dependant student, your LA or ELB will look at your income and the income of the parent or parents that you normally live with. If your parents are separated and the parent that you normally live with lives with a new partner (including a same-sex partner), your LA or ELB will also look at the partner’s income.
How will my LA or ELB assess my household income?
For most students, household income is based on the following:
- Your gross taxable income (excluding any earnings from part-time or holiday work) for the forthcoming academic year (ie. for the 2008/09 academic year); and either
- the gross taxable income for the previous financial year (ie. April 2007-April 2008) of the parent(s) you normally live with and, where your parents have separated, any new partner the parent you normally live with now has; or
- the gross taxable income for the previous financial year (ie. April 2007-April 2008) of any partner that you live with
- Deductions from household income will be made for any payments made into a personal pension scheme or an employer’s pension scheme that qualifies for tax relief, plus £1,100 for any child who is totally or mainly financially dependent on either you or your parent(s)/partner. Once your LA or ELB have made any relevant deductions from your income the amount that is left is the amount that will be used when assessing how much support you are entitled to.
You can use the on-line ready reckoner on the Student Finance Direct website for an estimate of what support you might be eligible to receive based on your individual household income.
When assessing you for any of the supplementary grants available, your LA or ELB will look at your individual circumstances plus, where appropriate, the income of your partner and/or dependants. For more information about how you are assessed for any of these grants please contact your LA, ELB or Student Advice Centre.
How will I find out what I've been awarded?
You will receive a letter called a ‘Student Support Notification’ from Student Finance Direct, which will tell you how much you have been assessed as being entitled to. You will also receive a payment schedule from the Student Loans Company telling you when your payments will arrive.
How will I be paid?
Fee Loan Any fee loan you apply for will be paid directly to the University of Sussex. All you need to do is provide Student Accounts in Sussex House with a copy of your Student Support Notification.
If you are paying your fees upfront (ie. if you do not take out the fee loan), you will need to negotiate with Student Accounts about how you intend to pay. Details of payment arrangements are given in your pre-course information packs or you can contact Student Accounts on 0800 0194979. If you are worried about how you are going to pay your fees, please speak to one of our advisers.
Maintenance Loan, Maintenance Grant and any supplementary grants: These will be paid by termly instalment directly into your bank account. In order to avoid any delay in receiving these payments, it is important that you make sure you have opened a bank account before starting your course and that you have given the Student Loans Company your account details and National Insurance number. You can contact the Student Loans Company on 0845 607 7577.
When will I have to repay my loans?
You will not have to start repaying your student loan until the April after you have finished your course or left your course and only once you are earning over £15,000. Once you are earning over £15,000, the amount you repay each month is linked to how much you earn but will always be 9% of the amount you are earning above £15,000. Examples of the amount you would be repaying depending on your income are given in the table below (rounded down to the nearest pound):
Gross yearly income
Monthly repayments
Up to £15,000
£0
£18,000
£22
£20,000
£37
£25,000
£75
If you have kept up your repayments, any loan you still owe will be cancelled after 25 years. It will also be cancelled if you become permanently disabled and unfit for work or if you die.
Can I get any additional help from the University of Sussex?
The University of Sussex offers the following scholarships and bursaries to new-system students returning to Sussex in 2008:
Sussex Bursary: A bursary of £1,000 for each year of your course is available to all new-system students whose verified household income is £18,360 pa or less. This means that, if you are eligible for the full Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant you will also be automatically entitled to receive a Sussex Bursary.
Chancellor’s Scholarship: If your family’s income is less than £28,500 pa you may also be eligible for a Chancellor’s Scholarship of £1,000 for each year of your course. There are 200 Chancellor’s Scholarships available to new-system students in 2008 and the selection criteria will favour applicants with no family background of higher education; who have other circumstances of disadvantage; or who have made a positive impact on their community.
Other Sussex Scholarships and awards: There are a number of other scholarships available at Sussex for undergraduates. For further information about these, have a look at ‘additional help available to University of Sussex students' or at the University of Sussex scholarship and bursaries office webpage.
What other financial help can I get?
Have a look at our ‘additional sources of income' and ‘additional help available to University of Sussex students' webpages for information about other possible sources of financial help including the Access to Learning Fund, earnings from part-time work and awards from trusts, charities or educational foundations.
For information about possible entitlement to welfare benefits or tax credits, click here.
You can also get advice about budgeting and money management (including tips on ways to save money) and download useful publications such as ‘Money Matters’ from the relevant sections of our webpages.
