Money

Fees, loans and grants

How do I apply for student funding?

There are three ways to apply: online, by downloading a form to complete by hand, or by asking your local authority for a form. New students need to complete form PN1. Continuing students use form PR1. You need to apply for funding each year.

For more info on this, and much else, see the DirectGov pages on student finance.

What student funding will I get from the government?

Much depends on your and or your family’s income. All students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and for 75% of the Maintenance Loan. The other 25% is means tested on income. If income is low, you may also be eligible for part or all the Maintenance Grant. There are also grants for disabled students, students with children and part time students.

The home/EU tuition fee for the academic year 2009-10, is £3,225.
The maintenance loan for 2009-10 for a student outside London is: £4,950.
The maximum maintenance grant is: £2,906.

For more info on this, and much else, see the DirectGov pages on student finance.

What student funding will I get from the University?

The University has a Warwick Undergraduate Aid Programme (WUAP) that provides scholarships for students who are from lower income homes. For more information see the University's page on Undergraduate Funding. Also see the University’s “Funding your Studies” booklet.

I have run out of money. What can I do?

Undergraduate or postgraduate, full or part-time home students can apply to the University’s Access to Learning Fund. This is money from the government and is allocated on a discretionary basis of need. There is an application form you can download from the University website, along with more information about the fund.

Alternatively, you can collect a form from the Student Funding Office in University House: phone them on 024 7615 0096; email studentfunding@warwick.ac.uk; or come see us at the Student Advice Centre. See the links below for more options.

Personal finances

How can I handle my money more effectively?

Draw up a budget. Make a piece of paper with two columns (or a spreadsheet). In the first column, put all your outgoings: rent, electricity, gas, mobile, transport everywhere, food, socialising etc. Be sensible with the amounts you allow yourself e.g. you shouldn't be spending much more than £15/£20 per week for food. Be honest with yourself; you're not going to show anyone else your budget, so you'd only be lying to yourself! In the second column, put in all the money you have coming in: student loan, grants, allowances, and job pay.

If you have more outgoings than incomings, then you either have a look at where you can save some money, or find a way to make more money i.e. get a job. There are two main options on campus for jobs: either Unitemps, or jobs here at the Students' Union. Alternatively, you could sign up with other employment agencies, or just look in shop windows.

Where can I get help with my debts?

The Student Advice Centre can help with consumer and other debts by arranging a debt payment plan with your creditors. This plan wouldn’t include your Student Loan because that loan is repaid under special circumstances i.e. no repayments until the April after you graduate and repayments fixed to your earned income automatically deducted from your salary through the tax system.

The FSA, Britain's financial watchdog, has designed a new website What about money? to give you the facts about money. See below for more useful links.

I am an international student, and I have a question about my finances.

For questions like "How do I open a bank account?", or "How do I deal with difficulties paying my tuition fees?", check our advice page for international students.

Useful links

National Debtline — a helpline that provides free confidential and independent advice on how to deal with debt problems.

International Office's page on Finance — covers paying fees, budgeting, and dealing with financial difficulties.

Student Debt Guide — advice page specifically for students, made by the Debt Advice Foundation. They also run a free phone line, available at 0800 043 40 50.

Student Tax Advice — their website and a tax refund calculator have been created to help answer frequently asked questions about tax.

Money4MedStudents — provides practical and unbiased information and advice for medical students.

Consumer Credit Counselling Service — a charity that helps you manage your debts and understand money.

Financial Ombudsman Service — the official independent expert in settling complaints between consumers and businesses providing financial services.

Brightside UNIAID — a charity to help students deal with finances, which hosts a home student calculator and an international student calculator to help you plan and manage your money for your studies.