Cambridge Student Finance: the facts

Transcription

1 Cambridge Student Finance: the facts

2 Cambridge Student Finance: the facts This leaflet outlines the facts about student finance and the extensive support on offer to UK and EU students at the University of Cambridge. Did you know... Low living costs living costs at Cambridge are much lower than many imagine. For example, you only pay for accommodation during term time unless you stay in Cambridge over the vacations Tuition fees Cambridge s tuition fees for UK/EU undergraduates are (at 3,290 per year) exactly the same as 99 per cent of other English universities Financial support Cambridge has one of the most extensive bursary schemes in the country, offering up to 3,400 each year to ensure that students are able to meet their living costs while they re at the University Excellent career prospects Cambridge students are highly employable and we have one of the highest graduate employment rates in the UK. Last year, across all subjects, only five per cent were still seeking employment or further study six months after graduating

3 What does it cost to study at Cambridge? Whichever university you choose to apply to there are two costs that you ll need to consider your tuition fees and your living costs. Why Cambridge? Studying at the University of Cambridge is cost-effective because: tuition fees are the same as those for almost all English universities we offer very competitive living costs and extensive financial support as a Cambridge graduate you ll be highly employable and sought after Before we go into more detail, the table below outlines the costs involved in studying at Cambridge. Cost-effective Cambridge What am I paying for? Tuition fees Living costs total Accommodation Kitchen facilities charges Tuition fees The University of Cambridge, in common with almost all English universities, will be charging UK/EU students tuition fees of 3,290* per year for all undergraduate courses in Students taking a course with a year abroad, such as Asian and Middle Eastern Studies or Modern and Medieval Languages, will be charged half the standard tuition fee during their year abroad. How much does it cost? 3,290 per year 6,000 7,500 per year per week per week en suite per week College meals 2 3 Transport Cheap or free! Living costs What are living costs? Your living costs are all the things that you ll need to pay for (excluding your tuition fees) while you re studying at university and include: accommodation study costs books, photocopying, study materials etc food travel social activities personal expenses clothing, toiletries, telephone, insurance, tv licence etc Your total living costs will obviously vary depending on your lifestyle and your course. However, we estimate that you should allow 6,000 7,500 a year to meet your living costs during term-time. * Tuition fees for affiliated students (except those studying Medicine or Veterinary Medicine, and those in receipt of the Disabled Students Allowance) and for Islands students (from the Channel Islands and from the Isle of Man) will be at a higher level than the standard UK/EU fee. Please see the website for more details. 1

4 Accommodation Unlike other UK universities, Cambridge offers College-owned accommodation to almost all undergraduate students* throughout their entire course. The advantages of this include: you don t have to pay private rental deposits or commercial rates you don t have to pay rent during the vacations unless you stay in Cambridge, so you re not paying for an empty room (most students stay in Cambridge for weeks of the year, meaning they pay for weeks of rent instead of 52) Room rents are currently between 70 and 115 per week (based on a 30-week year), depending on the size and facilities of your room (en suite rooms cost around per week). Estimated rents include heating, electricity, cleaning and some self-catering facilities. * Accommodation guarantee applies to single undergraduates without a family. 2 Study costs There are a total of 114 libraries across the University, including libraries in each College, each department, and the main University Library. With so many libraries available, most students find they don t have to buy many (if any!) books for their course. In addition, some Colleges offer book grants to help you purchase key course textbooks, if you wish to buy your own copy. Colleges and departments have excellent computing facilities, with plenty of technical support and advice. Many student rooms have free or very low cost access to the University network and the Internet. Food The Colleges encourage communal dining and all students have access to College dining facilities, where you can buy cafeteriastyle meals as well as more formal dinners (known as formal halls ). Some Colleges levy a charge towards the cost of the College kitchens the kitchen facilities charge and then offer meals at lower prices as a result. Most kitchen facilities charges are in the range per week and individual meals can be purchased for around 2 3. Alternatively, basic self-catering facilities are available if you want to cook for yourself. Travel Transport costs as a student in Cambridge are minimal, as the city is small enough to walk or cycle around. Social activities How much you spend on socialising is your choice, but it s worth noting that many social events are College-based and student-run so they don t cost very much entry to an average Friday night event in College costs around 3. You ll also find discounted prices at College bars. Each College has a range of facilities to support activities from drama, music and photography, for example, to a wide variety of sports usually free to students in the College. The University also has around 600 clubs and societies open to students at little or no cost.

5 How will I cover my costs? When you start adding up the figures, the costs of going to university can seem daunting. However, there s lots of help available, particularly for UK students, and this section outlines the financial support on offer in more detail. Government loan for tuition fees UK/EU students studying for their first undergraduate degree don t have to pay their tuition fees up front, or while they re studying. If you wish to do so, you can take out a government student loan for tuition fees. The loan for tuition fees is paid directly to the University, meaning that you can defer payment until after you ve graduated and are earning a minimum amount. UK medical students will also be entitled to an NHS bursary to cover their tuition fees in one or more years depending on the course. Please see the Department of Health website for more information: Will I have to pay the student loan for tuition fees back? You will have to pay the loan for tuition fees back. However, you only start repaying it in small, manageable instalments after you ve left university and once you re earning a minimum salary (currently 15,000 per year*). Government loan for living costs (for UK students only) In addition to the student loan for tuition fees, you ll be able to take out a government student loan for living costs (sometimes referred to as a maintenance loan) if you wish to. As a guide, in the maximum amount that can be borrowed by students living away from home is 4,950. Will I have to pay the student loan for living costs back? As this is a loan, the money you borrow will have to be paid back in instalments but, like the student loan for tuition fees, this won t be until after you ve graduated and are earning a minimum salary (currently 15,000 per year, as determined by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, BIS). Government maintenance grant (for UK students only) Full-time students from lower income families will be entitled to a means-tested maintenance grant to help with accommodation and other living costs. Levels of support vary between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the amount you receive is dependent on your household s income, as assessed by the appropriate student finance award agency. However, to give an indication, an English student could receive up to 2,906 per year in More information about maintenance grants is available from the government s Student Finance website (see the back cover). Will I have to pay the maintenance grant back? No. As this is a grant, you won t have to pay it back at any time. * Determined by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). 3

6 Will receiving a maintenance grant affect what other financial support I m eligible for? Receiving a maintenance grant may reduce the amount of student loan for living costs you ll receive. Please see the government s Student Finance website for more details (see the back cover). Cambridge Bursary Scheme (for UK and EU students) The Cambridge Bursary Scheme is one of the most extensive available in the UK, providing Bursaries of up to 10,200 over three years or 13,600 over four years. The value of each Bursary will be based on your household s income, and calculated on a sliding scale up to a maximum of 3,400 per year in More information about the Bursary Scheme can be found on p5 9. College awards There are additional sources of funding available from the Cambridge Colleges. Students can apply for support such as book and equipment grants, to help with specific study-related costs, and travel awards both for academic work and personal enrichment. Colleges also award scholarships and prizes for academic achievement. In addition, grants are available from Colleges to deal with unforeseen financial difficulties. For more information go to: admissions/undergraduate/finance/ colleges.html. Access to Learning Fund The University has an Access to Learning Fund to support students who have particular financial needs or who are facing unexpected financial difficulties. More information is available at: Support for students with a disability Students with a disability may be eligible for the government s Disabled Students Allowance, to help with costs incurred as a direct result of their disability. More information is available on the government s Student Finance website (see the back cover). The University also has a number of funds specifically for students with a disability (see: Music awards Cambridge is well-known for the excellence and diversity of its music-making, and as a result has a number of awards for outstanding musicians. More information is available at: undergraduate/musicawards/. Sports grants and bursaries A small amount of financial support is available to outstanding sportspeople studying at the University. For more information please see: 4

7 Cambridge Bursary Scheme At Cambridge, we don t want financial considerations to put you off applying to the University. Equally, we want to ensure you have the financial support you need throughout your time with us. The Cambridge Bursary Scheme ensures that our UK and EU students are able to meet their living costs for every year of their course, not just their first. Our guarantee Every UK student who qualifies for a full government maintenance grant will also be eligible for a Bursary of 3,400* each year. Similarly, non-uk EU students could qualify for a European Bursary of up to 3,400* each year. UK/EU students with a household income of between 25,001 and 50,020 will qualify for a lower level of Bursary, based on a sliding scale. Mature UK students (aged 21 or over at the start of their undergraduate course) living in Cambridge throughout the year, and who qualify for a full government maintenance grant, will be eligible for a higher Cambridge Bursary of up to 5,650* each year. What makes the Cambridge Bursary Scheme so extensive? We consider our Bursary Scheme to be one of the most extensive available in the UK because: there s no limit to the number of Bursaries available each year students will receive a Bursary in each year of their course not just their first if they continue to meet the eligibility criteria the maximum 3,400* Bursary is one of the highest bursary values available from any UK university students with household incomes of up to 50,020 per year are eligible for a Bursary, meaning that a significant proportion of our students will receive a Bursary Who provides the funds for the Cambridge Bursary Scheme? The Bursaries are provided by the University of Cambridge, the Isaac Newton Trust, the Cambridge Colleges, and by a number of other sponsors. Details of all the contributors can be found on the Bursary Scheme website. To find out more about the Cambridge Bursaries for UK students, see p6 7. To find out more about the European Bursaries for non-uk EU students, see p8 9. For further info... Cambridge Bursary Scheme Information, guidance and advice about the Cambridge Bursary Scheme can be found online at: * Please note that values quoted are for , unless otherwise specified. 5

8 Cambridge Bursaries (for UK Students) What are Cambridge Bursaries for? Cambridge Bursaries, alongside other sources of financial support available, are to help those in need meet their living costs while they're at the University. They're not for tuition fees, which can be met with a government student loan for fees. Will I have to pay the Bursary back? No. As the Bursary is not a loan, you won t have to pay it back at any time. Will receiving a Cambridge Bursary affect what other financial support I m eligible for? The Cambridge Bursary is in addition to any government maintenance grant or student loan which you receive and so your eligibility for other sources of financial assistance won t be affected (eg it won t affect the level of government student loan for living costs or means-tested maintenance grant UK students are entitled to). How much will I receive? The Bursary amount that UK students receive is calculated by taking three factors into account, as outlined in the box below. At the time of going to print details of future support levels haven t been finalised. The table opposite shows estimated levels for and the maximum amount of Cambridge Bursary available will be reviewed on an annual basis. How many Cambridge Bursaries are awarded each year? There s no limit to the number of Cambridge Bursaries that are available, and in almost 3,000 students received a Bursary. Every eligible student who applies for a Cambridge Bursary will receive one. Figures for 2011 entry will be published on the University website once details are known. Factors used to calculate Bursaries for UK students The amount of If you receive the full 2,906 means-tested maintenance grant, then you ll government qualify for the full Cambridge Bursary of 3,400 per year. maintenance If you qualify for a lower level of government maintenance grant, your grant for which Bursary will be calculated on a sliding scale in accordance with this. you qualify 2. Any additional In addition to your maintenance grant, if you receive significant funding funding you from certain other sources (details on the Bursary Scheme website) your receive from Bursary will be reduced accordingly. certain other Please note that the first 1,000 of such additional funding is not taken sources into account when calculating Bursaries. Your Bursary will be reduced by half the amount that your extra income exceeds 1, Your age when you start your undergraduate course Some mature students (aged 21 or over) may qualify for a higher level of Cambridge Bursary of up to 5,650 per year.

9 Household Government Cambridge Total Income Maintenance Grant Bursary (UK students) Up to 25,000 2,906 3,400 6,306 30,000 1,906 2,150 4,056 34,000 1,106 1,150 2,256 40, ,461 50, Over 50, What s household income? 'Household income' is a government term. It ll usually be roughly what your household is paid every year before tax is taken and after certain sums, such as pension payments and allowances for other dependent children, have been subtracted. More information is available from the appropriate student finance award agency (see the back cover). How do I apply for a Cambridge Bursary? Applying for a Bursary is an easy and straightforward process. You just need to fill in a simple online application form once you arrive in Cambridge, and again at the beginning of each academic year (by the deadlines given). When will I receive my Cambridge Bursary? So long as all the required information has been received with your application, your Bursary will be paid in two equal instalments in January and at Easter, usually by deduction from your College bills. If some of the information we need isn t available when you make your Bursary application, you ll not miss out but your Bursary will be paid at a later date. Will my Cambridge Bursary be renewed automatically? No, you must submit an online application for renewal at the start of each academic year. If your financial circumstances are unchanged, your Bursary will be renewed each year you continue your undergraduate studies at Cambridge. If there have been changes to your financial circumstances since the previous year, the value of the Bursary you re eligible for will be re-calculated accordingly. 7

10 Cambridge Bursaries (for non-uk EU Students) What are the European Bursaries for? The Cambridge European Bursaries are provided to support students from households with an income of less than the equivalent of 50,020 per year. As a non-uk European Union (EU) student studying at the University, you could qualify for a European Bursary for living costs of up to 3,400* each year to help you finance your time as a student in Cambridge. Who can apply for a European Bursary? There are several criteria that you must meet in order to be eligible for a European Bursary. It s likely that you ll be eligible if you can answer yes to each of the following questions. Have you met the conditions of your offer to study at the University of Cambridge (including any financial guarantees) starting in October 2011 or later? Will this be your first full-time undergraduate degree, or are you starting your Clinical Studies in Medicine or Veterinary Medicine? Is the income of the family with which you live (their household income, see below) less than the equivalent of 50,020 per year? Have you applied to the Student Finance Services European Team for financial assistance to help with the cost of your tuition fees? Will I have to pay the Bursary back? No. The Bursaries are not loans and so you won t have to pay them back at any time. They re awarded so that students are able to meet their living costs while they re at the University. What s household income? For the European Bursaries, we define 'household income' as the joint pre-tax income of students' parents (or those adults who ve taken responsibility for providing financial support) during the last calendar year. You ll need to get these figures independently verified for the purposes of your Bursary application. How much will I receive? The Bursary amount that students receive is calculated by taking three factors into account, as outlined in the box opposite. Under current arrangements, your European Bursary amount will remain the same for each year of your course. * Please note that values quoted are for , unless otherwise specified. 8

11 Factors used to calculate Bursaries for EU students Your household The maximum Bursary of 3,400 is available only to students with a income household income up to the equivalent of 25,000 per year. If your household income is between 25,001 and 50,020 you ll qualify for a lower level of Bursary, based on a sliding scale. 2. Your own If you receive funding from certain other sources your Bursary will be income reduced accordingly. On the application form, you must declare all income from scholarships, grants, industrial sponsorship, charities, and the renting out of your permanent home while you live in Cambridge. Your Bursary amount will be reduced by half the sum by which this income exceeds 1,000. Receiving maintenance grants from another EU government doesn t prevent you from applying for a European Bursary but you must detail such income on your application form. Your Bursary amount will be reduced by half the sum by which this income exceeds 2, Whether you ve When applying for a European Bursary, you ll be asked to demonstrate applied for financial that you ve applied to the Student Finance Services European Team to assistance to cover cover your tuition fees. your tuition fees You re not eligible to apply if your tuition fees are being met from another source. How do I apply for a European Bursary? If you receive an offer of a place to study at Cambridge, you ll be sent an application form by your College together with the details of your offer. You ll need to complete and return the application form to your College by the deadline given (this will be a date in March 2011). When will I receive my European Bursary? You ll receive a letter in the following June (2011) informing you whether or not your application has been successful. This letter will detail the Bursary that you ll receive, and can be used to demonstrate that you can meet any financial guarantee set by your College. You ll then receive your Bursary from your College when you arrive for the start of term. Will my European Bursary be renewed automatically? Your European Bursary will automatically be renewed at the same rate for three years. If you re taking a four-year course, you ll need to reapply for a European Bursary at the start of the final year of your course. Details are correct at the time of print (March 2010) but should be checked against the University website for up-todate information. University of Cambridge, 2010 Designed by: Printed by Flying Colours Ltd Printed on 80% recycled content.

12 Student finance information Arrangements for financial support for students studying in the UK differ depending on where you re from. You should contact the relevant organisation for more information and guidance. Students from England Directgov Student Support Helpline Telephone: Students from Northern Ireland Student Finance ni Telephone: Students from Scotland Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) Telephone: Students from Wales Student Finance Wales Telephone: Students from the EU Student Finance Services European Team Telephone: +44 (0) Cambridge Admissions Office Fitzwilliam House 32 Trumpington Street Cambridge CB2 1QY Telephone: Fax: