Fees & Financial Support - Information for Higher Education Students

All students who commenced Higher Education study from September 2006 onwards are required to pay top up fees as follows:

All Students: Students commencing or continuing in Higher Education in September 2010 have a tuition fee of £3140.

In order to qualify for funding you must be aged 18 or over and be attending a Higher Education course (HND, HNC, Foundation Degree, BA, PGCE).

Your main funding is available through Student Finance England as follows:

Tuition Fee Loan	Available to all students
Maintenance Grant	Available to students from a low income background, but not in receipt of means tested benefits.
Special Support Grant	Available to students in receipt of means tested benefits.
Maintenance Loan	Available to all students.

There is also Childcare support and Disabled Student's Allowance (DSA) available, if applicable. If you are a part time student, you may be able to apply for assistance with your tuition fees and help towards your equipment of up to £260.

You are able to apply on line at www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance , or call Student Finance England on 0845 300 5090 for a paper application.

Advice for students with existing qualifications:

Under new Government funding arrangements introduced this year, students enrolling on a higher education course from 2008/9 who already have a qualification at an equivalent or lower level qualification may in some circumstances not be eligible for a publicly-funded place on a course and may have to pay additional fees over and above those published in the College prospectuses. This does not apply to some provision considered a priority by the Government such as Foundation Degrees and certain subject areas. Students who qualify for the disabled students’ allowance will also be exempt form this funding change.

PGCE Students

PGCE Students (Teacher Training) are able to apply for the Higher Education Support as detailed above. A bursary of £4,000 is available for your year of study. This is payable in 10 monthly instalments from October until July. Application forms are usually sent out to students who have been accepted on the course in August.

Other Important Information

EU students who have been resident in the UK consistently for 3 years before the start of their course will be able to receive the same support as a UK student.
If you are an EU student and have not been in the UK for 3 years you will only be able to receive the Fee Loan to assist with your tuition fees.
International students are required to pay international fees. Please contact our Overseas Officer, on tel 0044 1903 606410 or email international@nbcol.ac.uk.
Students who have previously studied in Higher Education may not receive support for their entire course and should contact Student Finance England for clarification.

Northbrook College Support

Top Up Bursary	Students who pay top up fees may apply in the following categories: Income Assessed - household incomes under £25,000 Progressing from FE to HE at Northbrook Career Change Care Leavers Limited Bursaries are available. Applications are usually available from June onwards.
IncomeRelated Bursary	Students commencing Higher Education from September 2008 are eligible to receive an Income Related Bursary from the college if they receive the full maintenance grant from the Student Loan Company. Payments are made from January onwards and students will be prompted for any additional information that is required.
Achievement Bursary	Top up Fee students could receive a £500 award at the end of the academic year. You will need to attend the full year and pass your assessments and exams. Your eligibility for the reward will be determined on receipt of your results from the Examining Board.
Access To Learning Fund	This is a grant based on student's income and expenditure whilst at college. Full time students who receive the maximum Maintenance Loan can apply, as can part time students receiving full support. Application forms are usually available from October onwards.

Important Contact Information

Student Loans Company 0845 026 2019

Student Finance England www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

EU Team - DfES 01325 391199 EUTeam@dfes.gsi.gov.uk
Mowden Hall
Staindrop Road
Darlington
DL3 9BG
United Kingdom

Student Financial Support Team

We're here to help. For more information on what financial support is available, please contact a member of the Student Financial Support team direct on 01903 606014 or email sfs@nbcol.ac.uk

We also offer a drop in service, at our West Durrington campus, open at
the following times:
9am-5pm Monday to Thursday
9am-4.30pm Friday