STUDENT FINANCE
Going to university can be a big change, and understanding the financial side is crucial for making informed decisions about accessing higher education. Even though there are costs involved, there are also sources of funding available to help those in higher education.
Most students access student finance to support them through university. This page describes the main sources of funding available and how to access it. Many students supplement this income with part-time jobs, which UCW recommends be limited to a maximum of 15 hours per week during term-time. We also strongly advise against credit cards and payday loans due to their astronomical interest rates.
Aside from your tuition fees and living costs there are lots of ways to save money while being a student, such as student bank accounts and getting discounts with NUS Extra cards. Full-time students who only live with other students will also be exempt from paying Council Tax.
At UCW, we offer a range of support services for students. Our dedicated Student Support and Finance Officer is available to assist you throughout your academic journey, and we offer various scholarships, bursaries, and emergency funding to eligible students.
Although the process of navigating student finance can feel overwhelming, there is lots of support available and with research and planning you can ensure the right financial arrangements are in place.
Tuition fees for each course are listed on the individual course pages, so be sure to check the page for the specific course you’re interested in to find the fees.
Please note that all tuition fees and bursaries are subject to approval by the Office for Students (OfS) as part of our Access and Participation Plan. For more details, please visit this page. If you have questions about fees or bursaries, don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly HE Finance and Support Officer at finance@ucw.ac.uk or call 01934 411409.
Finance Guide
For further information on your options for funding our degree programmes, and the support that's available download our helpful guide...
FAQs
Tuition Fee Loans
Tuition fees are more competitive at UCW than at most traditional universities and, regardless of where a student goes to university, they do not need to be paid in advance or during the course of studies. Students can take out a loan to cover the cost of tuition fees, which is paid directly to their university on their behalf.
Maintenance Loans
Students will also need money for accommodation, food, transport, additional course fees and other living expenses. The Student Loans Company provides Maintenance Loans to help pay for these expenses. For 2023/24, students not living with their parents can borrow up to £9,978 for the year; those living at home can borrow up to £8,400. This funding is paid directly to students in three instalments at the start of each term.
How much will be loaned?
Tuition Fee Loans are non-means tested, whereas the size of a Maintenance Loan is partially determined by the finances of either the student, their partner, or their parents, depending on their circumstances. The Student Loans Company calculate the size of Maintenance Loans by looking into the income of a student’s parents (including a parent’s spouse/partner if the student lives with them). If a student is married or aged over 25 and living with their partner, then the income of the student’s spouse/partner will be assessed to determine the size of the Maintenance Loan.
Students who are classed as having ‘Independent Status’ will not receive a Maintenance Loan based on their parents’ or partner’s income. This applies to students who meet any of the following criteria:
• Aged over 25 at the start of the academic year
• Have been married prior to the start of the academic year
• Supported themselves for at least three years
• Have no living parents
• Are responsible for a child/children
• Are estranged from their parents
Repaying the loans
Upon finishing the course and graduating, the Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan are bundled together and start to accrue interest. Repayment takes the form of 9% of income above £25,000. This repayment is taken even if a student did not finish their degree.
| Annual salary before tax | Approximate monthly repayment |
|---|---|
| £25,000 | £0 |
| £30,000 | £37.50 |
| £35,000 | £75 |
| £40,000 | £112.50 |
Paying for university is one of students' biggest worries before starting a higher education course. Funding is available in the form of student loans to help cover tuition fees and living costs throughout your studies. Eligibility for these loans depends on your personal circumstances, and if you have studied higher education before, you may not qualify for loans. Please see the student loan calculator for guidance Student finance calculator - GOV.UK
UCW Bursary
UCW offers 50 bursaries of £2,000 each to students with a declared household income below £25,000 per annum. Because of the limited number, priority will be given to those experiencing multiple factors of financial hardship, such as those from the lowest income households who are also from a disadvantaged background, such as: single parents; care leavers or young carers; being estranged and living in an accredited Foyer; having a disability; or coming from an area with a low participation in higher education. This bursary is spread equally across the years of study, and can be paid in cash instalments in November and February, used as a fee waiver, or be in-kind support for accommodation, for example. Please note that to be eligible for this bursary, UCW students must be enrolled on a full-time and directly-funded Bath Spa University or UWE Bristol course with tuition fees of £8,900 per year. Find out the status of your course here. Applicants must have their student finance application approved by the middle of October to be able to be assessed for a bursary.
Excellence Scholarship
Students who achieve A Levels at ABB or a BTEC Extended Diploma at DDM are eligible to receive £350 in three instalments. The funds are paid in the November and February of the first year of study and the November of the second year. All full-time UCW students are eligible to apply for this scholarship.
Progression Scholarship
Students who completed a Level 3 course at Weston College within the five years preceding the commencement of their UCW course are eligible to receive £300. The funds are paid in three instalments in the November and February of the first year of study and the November of the second year. All full-time UCW students who meet the above criteria are eligible to apply for this scholarship.
Federation of Schools Scholarship
One UCW student who has progressed from a local College or Sixth Form will be awarded £300. The funds are paid in three instalments in the November and February of the first year of study and the November of the second year. All full-time UCW students who meet the above criteria are eligible to apply for this scholarship.
International Work Placement Scholarship
UCW students on any course who undertake overseas work placements at additional costs are eligible to apply for up to £500.
The Michael Scoines Joy of Music Scholarship
Weston College and UCW are pleased to be able to offer both FE and HE Music students the opportunity to apply for the Michael Scoines Joy of Music Scholarship.
This Scholarship has been set up in memory of a previous student; Michael Scoines.
Michael was born in London in 1952, and throughout his life he had a passion for drawing; he became an artist and travelled through Europe during the 1970s. He moved to Weston-super-Mare in 1980 and enjoyed living in North Somerset for forty years. Michael began his rehabilitation in Weston and Music played a crucial part in his recovery from addiction. Michael studied a BTEC in Music Technology at Weston College and then progressed to study the Foundation Degree in Music Production at UCW. Michael sadly passed away from lung cancer in February 2020, and his family would like to support students studying Music at FE and HE level as it had a hugely beneficial effect on Michael’s quality of life, health, and well-being.
Michael always loved music and his family hope this fund can help others break the cycle of addiction and find solace and inspiration in the creative and performing arts.
There are twelve Scholarships of £500 available to Weston College and UCW students (to be paid in two instalments – November and February). To be eligible to apply for this Scholarship students will need to be enrolled upon a Music course at either Weston College or UCW and must have an attendance of above 85%. Consideration will be given to students that are experiencing personal or financial barriers to education; however, all applications will be considered and assessed on their own merit. The closing date for applications is the 14th October 2022.
To apply for this Scholarship, please click here to complete the application form
For further information on this Scholarship please contact finance@ucw.ac.uk.
Part-time Scholarship
Non-sponsored and part-time UCW students are eligible for a scholarship of £1,500 spread across three years of study. The funds can either be paid in instalments in the November and February of each year of study, or used as a fee waiver.
Bath Spa University bursaries
Bath Spa University is providing awards worth up to £4,000 each, split over three years, to eligible new first-year students in 2023/24:
• Students must must have a home address in an area of low higher education participation based on POLAR4 or Adult HE (Quintile 1 and 2) as determined by the Office for Students
• Household income must be assessed and evidenced by Student Finance as below £15,000, £25,000 or £42,875
• Domiciled in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland
• Must be a first time undergraduate in the first year (including foundation year) of study
• Must not hold a first degree or higher qualification.
Part-time students, if eligible, will receive a bursary award that is proportional to their intensity of study. Students who repeat a year will not be entitled to a Bath Spa University Bursary Scheme award in that year. Full-time students are automatically assessed for this award based on information from Student Finance if they have applied for a means-based maintenance loan and have consented to share their financial information. For more information, email bursaries@bathspa.ac.uk or visit www.bathspa.ac.uk. Please also note that to be eligible for this bursary, UCW students must be enrolled on an indirectly-funded Bath Spa University course.
If you have had to suspend, withdraw from or repeat a year of study due to genuine personal reasons, you may be able to apply for Student Finance’s Compelling Personal Reasons (CPR). Student Finance can offer additional years of funding if they deem your circumstances to have affected your ability to study. You will still be financially liable for any original years of study.
Student Finance generally offers three years of funding for a full time undergraduate degree plus a gift year, which can be used for circumstances like repeating a year of study (if your course is longer than three years, Student Finance will offer funding for the duration of the course plus a gift year).
If you do not have enough funding to complete your studies, and have genuine personal reasons, you may be able to apply for CPR to access additional years of funding. For part time courses, Student Finance offer up to twelve years of funding, with no gift year.
What do Student Finance class as a CPR?
It will depend on the individual student’s circumstances and Student Finance’s discretion. If your ability to study has been affected by personal circumstances such as ill health or bereavement and you have had to suspend, withdraw or repeat studies, you may be entitled to CPR.
How do I apply for CPR?
To apply for CPR, you must write a covering letter to Student Finance, stating your reasons for applying for CPR, how this has affected your ability to study, and provide eligible evidence to support your application (e.g. a letter from a GP, social services or an upstanding person in the community, medical records or death certificate).
For support and information on how to apply for CPR, please contact UCW’s Student Finance Officer Hollie Wait at finance@ucw.ac.uk.
Repeating part of your studies can affect your entitlement to Student Finance funding, so it’s important to find out the information beforehand to consider your options and access support.
How many years of funding can I get from Student Finance if I repeat a year?
Student Finance generally offer three years of funding for a full-time undergraduate degree plus a gift year, which can be used for circumstances like repeating a year of study (if your course is longer than three years, Student Finance will offer funding for the duration of the course plus a gift year).
For part time-courses, Student Finance offer up to twelve years of funding, with no gift year.
What if I have previously repeated a year of study during my degree?
Repeating a year of study again will affect how many years of funding you can get with Student Finance. Every year of repeat study will class as a year of funding, so this will reduce how many years of funding you will have.
What if I have previously studied on another higher education course?
If you have previously studied on another higher education course, but did not complete the qualification, this will be deducted from your Student Finance entitlement. For example, if you studied at an university for a short time, withdrew and began a new course a year later, it would be calculated as four years of funding (three years + one gift year – one year of previous study = three years of funding left).
What if I have personal or medical reasons that affected my ability to pass the year of study?
If you have genuine personal reasons (for example a family circumstance or health issue) that affected your ability to pass the year, and therefore you need to retake, you can apply for Compelling Personal Reasons (CPR) with Student Finance. Please see the next dropdown for more information.
What if I don’t have enough years of funding from Student Finance to complete my studies?
If CPR does not apply to you, and you do not have enough years of funding to complete your studies, there may be some alternatives options.
For support and information, please contact UCW’s Student Finance Officer Hollie Wait at finance@ucw.ac.uk.
What if I need to repeat just one or a couple of modules?
If you need to repeat no more than 40 credits, you can trail this module through to your next year of study, which imposes no additional financial implications. If you need to retake more than 40 credits there are two options for repeating a year of study:
- Studying full-time, in which your fees will be charged on a pro rata basis.
- Studying part time, in which you will be charged the part-time fees figure.
Get your student finance application sorted
Submit your student finance application ASAP – don’t leave it until the last minute! Otherwise, you may have to wait for Student Finance to assess your application after you’ve begun your course, potentially leaving you out of pocket. Check your online account to see if you need to send any evidence to Student Finance or complete applications for Disabled Students’ Allowance or dependants’ grants. Also, check if your parents or partner need to submit their financial information for assessment.
Come prepared
Your first Student Finance payment will take three to five working days from enrolment to be paid into your bank account, so it’s best to come with some funds ready to pay for things like food, a bus pass and social events.
Consider a student bank account
Banks offer student accounts which come with benefits such as 0% interest overdrafts or freebies (e.g. 16-25 rail card). Although an overdraft can seem daunting, it may be useful to have one for financial emergencies. Don’t assume that your current bank’s student account is the best, shop around to find the right one for you.
Start to budget
Budgeting will help you to manage your money over each term, prioritising the essentials (e.g. rent, bills and food) and giving you a clear idea of how much money you have to spend each month. You can use websites, apps, spreadsheet or grab a paper copy from the HEART office to keep on top of your spending.
Apply for UCW scholarships
You could receive up to £350 during your studies to help towards costs! UCW students who are paying their fees via Student Finance may be entitled to a scholarship. Details of the scholarships and their eligibility criteria can be found in the 2023/24 finance booklet or on the finance page of our website. We will give you information about how to apply for these during the induction talk at enrolment week.
UCW is committed to supporting its students throughout their academic journey. Here are some of the financial support options we offer:
- Dedicated Support Officer: Student finance and financial management can be stressful; we had a finance officer that can support you throughout your journey at UCW.
- Short-Term Loans: UCW can provide short-term loans to help students who require immediate financial assistance.
- Access to Learning Fund: UCW discretionary hardship fund for students in financial emergencies.
- Scholarships and Bursaries: We offer scholarships and bursaries to students whose circumstances make them eligible for additional financial support. UCW Bursaries are awarded based on our Access and Participation Plan.
- Student Finance Guide: UCW produces an informative student finance guide, which can be downloaded from the student finance pages on our website.
Other Informtion
- Register your details at www.gov.uk/studentfinance.
- Answer the security questions, create a password and write down the Customer Reference Number somewhere safe as it will be needed every time you log in.
- Go step-by-step through the application process and remember to save as you go. You can always log in and change the information you have entered.
- Use the links to UCAS to drag information into your Student Finance application.
- When asked about your university choices, use the details of your first choice, especially if it is for a London university as you will be entitled to a bigger loan. If you change your mind, you will still be able to change this at a later date.
- The system can verify your identity using your passport number. If you don’t have a passport you can scan and upload your original birth certificate to your student finance account.
- Once you have completed the application and checked all the sections, you can submit it. Check its progress using your password and Customer Reference Number.
- If you do not qualify for ‘Independent Status’, you will need to provide your parents’ or guardians’ financial details for the previous tax year. This can be done either online or via a paper application. Proof of income may be required.
- If you are married, your partner’s income will need to be assessed or, if you have ‘Independent Status’, you will be assessed based on your own income.
- We recommend that you give ‘consent to share’ so that your university can assess you for additional financial support.
- Complete the Student Finance England PN1 form (which can be found on its website) if you prefer not to apply online.
There are other sources of funding for parents, carers, those with learning difficulties or disabilities, and those who are care leavers.
Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)
Students with a disability, mental health condition or Specific Learning Difference (SpLD) may be entitled to DSA. This support is calculated based upon needs, not income.
DSA does not have to be repaid and can be used to pay for any required additional support, equipment or resources, for example: specialist equipment or computer software; a one-to-one study skills tutor; non-medical helpers; or any extra travel fees.
Click her to view our DSA Guide
UCW students should contact the Learning Support Team on support@ucw.ac.uk for more information and help with the application process.
Other funding for parents and carers
Students with children or other dependents may be entitled to other funding, please go directly to student finance England to see all the support offered. Student finance for undergraduates: Overview - GOV.UK
Short-term Loans
UCW also offers Short-term Loans of up to £150 to help students who require emergency financial assistance. Apply for these by contacting UCW’s Student Finance Officer on finance@ucw.ac.uk or 01934 422 757.
Access to Learning Fund
UCW offers support for students who are experiencing financial hardship through no fault of their own through a limited discretionary financial support for full-time students (not on an apprenticeship route). Please email finance@ucw.ac.uk to obtain the form to make an application.
UCW is committed to supporting its students throughout their academic journey. Here are some of the financial support options we offer:
- Dedicated Support Officer: Student finance and financial management can be stressful; we had a finance officer that can support you throughout your journey at UCW.
- Short-Term Loans: UCW can provide short-term loans to help students who require immediate financial assistance.
- Access to Learning Fund: UCW discretionary hardship fund for students in financial emergencies.
- Scholarships and Bursaries: We offer scholarships and bursaries to students whose circumstances make them eligible for additional financial support. UCW Bursaries are awarded based on our Access and Participation Plan.
- Student Finance Guide: UCW produces an informative student finance guide, which can be downloaded from the student finance pages on our website.
UCW is committed to providing support to our students, one of the ways we offer support is through the UCW bursary which is a limited number of £2,000 bursaries to students that are eligible and assessed, these payments are split over 2 years of study and do not need to be paid back.
Please see below for criteria and further information.
Eligibility
Students are assessed in their first year of study with UCW for the bursary award.
Please note meeting eligibility does not guarantee an award.
You will need to meet the below criteria to be considered:
- UCW students must be enrolled on a full-time and directly funded Bath Spa University or UWE Bristol course with full time tuition fees. Find out the status of your course here.
- Household income below £25,000.
- Entitled and applied to Student Finance England
Students that meet the above criteria will be assessed but priority will be given to those experiencing multiple factors of financial hardship, such as those from the lowest income households who are also from a disadvantaged background, such as: single parents; care leavers or young carers; being estranged and living in an accredited Foyer; having a disability; or coming from an area with a low participation in higher education.
UCW use the Higher Education Bursaries and Scholarships Scheme (HEBSS) to assess income and bursary eligibility each year.
How to apply
Students do not need to make an application, when you fill out a student finance application you will tick a box that says you agree to share data with your university, and this allows your application to be seen by your university. This means by making a student finance application you will have applied for the bursary. You will not be notified if you are not successful and will only be contacted by Student Finance if you have been awarded the bursary.
Awards are assessed in October each year and you will be emailed directly by Student Finance if an award is made.
Payment Schedule
If you have been selected for the UCW bursary you will receive an email with payment details. Payments are a cash award paid into your bank account. Payments are made in four instalments over the first 2 years of study. Instalments are in November and February, they can be used as a fee waiver, or be in-kind support for accommodation, for example.
Continued eligibility
You must continue with your course of full-time study to keep receiving the UCW bursary, if you stop engaging with your course and your attendance falls below 85% you will no longer be eligible for the remaining payments.
If you suspend or repeat a year of study, then you will no longer be eligible for the bursary.
FdSc 2 year Course
Please note that if you are on a FdSc two year course you will only be awarded a bursary of £1000 for each new year of study totalling £2000 over your two years of study, if you continue onto a UCW top up course you will be entitled to the remainder of your bursary.
Bath Spa University bursaries
Students on Bath Spa courses may be eligible for the Bath Spa Bursary
The Bath Spa University bursary is only available to students that are enrolled on an indirectly-funded Bath Spa University course. Find out the status of your course here or you can look at which university your tuition fees will be going towards.
Please see Bath Spas website for accurate up to date information. For more information, email bursaries@bathspa.ac.uk or visit www.bathspa.ac.uk.
Contact us
If you have any questions or queries regarding the UCW Bursary, please contact UCW’s Student Finance Officer at finance@ucw.ac.uk.
Get your student finance application sorted
Submit your student finance application ASAP – don’t leave it until the last minute! Otherwise, you may have to wait for Student Finance to assess your application after you’ve begun your course, potentially leaving you out of pocket. Check your online account to see if you need to send any evidence to Student Finance or complete applications for Disabled Students’ Allowance or dependants’ grants. Also, check if your parents or partner need to submit their financial information for assessment.
Come prepared
Your first Student Finance payment will take three to five working days from enrolment to be paid into your bank account, so it’s best to come with some funds ready to pay for things like food, a bus pass and social events.
Consider a student bank account
Banks offer student accounts which come with benefits such as 0% interest overdrafts or freebies (e.g. 16-25 rail card). Although an overdraft can seem daunting, it may be useful to have one for financial emergencies. Don’t assume that your current bank’s student account is the best, shop around to find the right one for you.
Start to budget
Budgeting will help you to manage your money over each term, prioritising the essentials (e.g. rent, bills and food) and giving you a clear idea of how much money you have to spend each month. You can use websites, apps, spreadsheet or grab a paper copy from the HEART office to keep on top of your spending.
Apply for UCW scholarships
You could receive up to £350 during your studies to help towards costs! UCW students who are paying their fees via Student Finance may be entitled to a scholarship. Details of the scholarships and their eligibility criteria can be found in the 2023/24 finance booklet or on the finance page of our website. We will give you information about how to apply for these during the induction talk at enrolment week.
Tuition Fee Loans
Tuition fees are more competitive at UCW than at most traditional universities and, regardless of where a student goes to university, they do not need to be paid in advance or during the course of studies. Students can take out a loan to cover the cost of tuition fees, which is paid directly to their university on their behalf.
Maintenance Loans
Students will also need money for accommodation, food, transport, additional course fees and other living expenses. The Student Loans Company provides Maintenance Loans to help pay for these expenses. Please go directly to student finance England for most up to date figures on what you will be eligible for. Student finance for undergraduates: Overview - GOV.UK
How much will be loaned?
Tuition Fee Loans are non-means tested, whereas the size of a Maintenance Loan is partially determined by the finances of either the student, their partner, or their parents, depending on their circumstances. The Student Loans Company calculate the size of Maintenance Loans by looking into the income of a student’s parents (including a parent’s spouse/partner if the student lives with them). If a student is married or aged over 25 and living with their partner, then the income of the student’s spouse/partner will be assessed to determine the size of the Maintenance Loan.
Students who are classed as having ‘Independent Status’ will not receive a Maintenance Loan based on their parents’ or partner’s income. This applies to students who meet any of the following criteria:
- Aged over 25 at the start of the academic year
- Have been married prior to the start of the academic year
- Supported themselves for at least three years
- Have no living parents
- Are responsible for a child/children
- Are estranged from their parents
Repaying the loans
Upon finishing the course and graduating, the Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan are bundled together and start to accrue interest. This repayment is taken even if a student did not finish their degree. Please go directly to student finance England for most up to repayment information. Student finance for undergraduates: Overview - GOV.UK
Regardless of how much you borrow you will repay the same amounts each month as this is based on income and not amount owed.
If you have had to suspend, withdraw from or repeat a year of study due to genuine personal reasons, you may be able to apply for Student Finance’s Compelling Personal Reasons (CPR). Student Finance can offer additional years of funding if they deem your circumstances to have affected your ability to study. You will still be financially liable for any original years of study.
Student Finance generally offers three years of funding for a full-time undergraduate degree plus a gift year, which can be used for circumstances like repeating a year of study (if your course is longer than three years, Student Finance will offer funding for the duration of the course plus a gift year).
If you do not have enough funding to complete your studies, and have genuine personal reasons, you may be able to apply for CPR to access additional years of funding. For part time courses, Student Finance offer up to twelve years of funding, with no gift year.
What do Student Finance class as a CPR?
It will depend on the individual student’s circumstances and Student Finance’s discretion. If your ability to study has been affected by personal circumstances such as ill health or bereavement and you have had to suspend, withdraw or repeat studies, you may be entitled to CPR.
How do I apply for CPR?
To apply for CPR, you must write a covering letter to Student Finance, stating your reasons for applying for CPR, how this has affected your ability to study, and provide eligible evidence to support your application (e.g. a letter from a GP, social services or an upstanding person in the community, medical records or death certificate).
For support and information on how to apply for CPR, please contact UCW’s Student Finance Officer at finance@ucw.ac.uk.
Example Letter for CPR:
Dear Student Finance,
Re: [full name, customer reference number]
I am writing to request an additional year of discretionary funding due to compelling personal reasons that impacted my study during the 20xx/xx academic year.
During that year, I experienced [explain details of your CPR including dates].
This had an impact on [explain how your CPR affected you].
As a result, it meant my studies were also impacted [explain how your CPR affected your studies, e.g. if you were unable to attend teaching, missed or failed assessments, had to suspend/withdraw from your studies etc].
I have included supporting evidence from [detail who has provided the evidence].
I am returning to my studies during the next academic year, 20xx/xx. However, due to [my previous study/having already used my supplementary year of funding], I will not currently be entitled to a tuition fee loan.
I kindly request that you reconsider my application for student finance in light of these exceptional circumstances. I have attached [any supporting documentation, such as a doctor’s note, family statement, or other relevant documents] to help clarify and support my situation.
Yours sincerely,
[full name]Repeating part of your studies can affect your entitlement to Student Finance funding, so it’s important to find out the information beforehand to consider your options and access support.
How many years of funding can I get from Student Finance if I repeat a year?
Student Finance generally offer three years of funding for a full-time undergraduate degree plus a gift year, which can be used for circumstances like repeating a year of study (if your course is longer than three years, Student Finance will offer funding for the duration of the course plus a gift year).
For part time-courses, Student Finance offer up to twelve years of funding, with no gift year.
What if I have previously repeated a year of study during my degree?
Repeating a year of study again will affect how many years of funding you can get with Student Finance. Every year of repeat study will class as a year of funding, so this will reduce how many years of funding you will have.
What if I have previously studied on another higher education course?
If you have previously studied on another higher education course, but did not complete the qualification, this will be deducted from your Student Finance entitlement. For example, if you studied at an university for a short time, withdrew and began a new course a year later, it would be calculated as four years of funding (three years + one gift year – one year of previous study = three years of funding left).
What if I have personal or medical reasons that affected my ability to pass the year of study?
If you have genuine personal reasons (for example a family circumstance or health issue) that affected your ability to pass the year, and therefore you need to retake, you can apply for Compelling Personal Reasons (CPR) with Student Finance. Please see the next dropdown for more information.
What if I don’t have enough years of funding from Student Finance to complete my studies?
If CPR does not apply to you, and you do not have enough years of funding to complete your studies, there may be some alternatives options.
For support and information, please contact UCW’s Student Finance Officer at finance@ucw.ac.uk.
What if I need to repeat just one or a couple of modules?
If you need to repeat no more than 40 credits, you can trail this module through to your next year of study, which imposes no additional financial implications. If you need to retake more than 40 credits there are two options for repeating a year of study:
- Studying full-time, in which your fees will be charged on a pro rata basis.
- Studying part time, in which you will be charged the part-time fees figure.
UCW offer a range of scholarships to support students throughout their studies, please look through the details below to see which ones you may be eligible to apply for.
Scholarships are available to full-time and part-time students funding their fees through student finance or self-funding. Scholarships are not available to students studying on apprenticeship routes.
How to apply?
Applications are open to students in their first year of study, application forms are sent out at the start of term to eligible students. Application forms will have a set deadline, any applications or enquiries made after this will not be considered.
When and how will I be told?
If you are awarded a scholarship, you will be notified via email which scholarship, if you have applied for more than one, and the payment schedule. All scholarships are paid over two academic years and on successful award you will be notified via email of the payment schedule.
How do I keep my scholarship?
Students awarded scholarships must maintain an attendance of 85% to continue receiving the awards.
Excellence Scholarship
Students who achieve A Levels at ABB or a BTEC Extended Diploma at DDM are eligible to receive £350 in three instalments. The funds are paid in the November and February of the first year of study and the November of the second year. All full-time UCW students are eligible to apply for this scholarship.
Progression Scholarship
Students who completed a Level 3 course at Weston College within the five years preceding the commencement of their UCW course are eligible to receive £300. The funds are paid in three instalments in the November and February of the first year of study and the November of the second year. All full-time UCW students who meet the above criteria are eligible to apply for this scholarship.
Federation of Schools Scholarship
One UCW student who has progressed from a local College or Sixth Form will be awarded £300. The funds are paid in three instalments in the November and February of the first year of study and the November of the second year. All full-time UCW students who meet the above criteria are eligible to apply for this scholarship.
Employability Work Placement Scholarship
UCW students on any course who undertake overseas work placements at additional costs are eligible to apply for up to £500.
Part-time Scholarship
Non-sponsored and part-time UCW students are eligible for a scholarship of £1,500 spread across three years of study. The funds can either be paid in instalments in the November and February of each year of study or used as a fee waiver upon agreement.
