Are you gearing up to start your university journey? If you’re joining us here at Solent, we can’t wait to meet you!
Before you arrive, there are a few things to do, and the most important is arranging student finance. We know that when it comes to finances, it’s easy to get lost, so here you’ll find a guide on everything you need to know about funding your degree.
Need to speak to someone? Drop our friendly student finance team an email.
What is student finance?
You might already be familiar with what student finance is, but in case you’re not, dive into our quick overview!
Students in the UK have access to student finance – a government-run scheme that provides repayable loans to undergraduates pursuing higher education. Depending on factors like household income and personal circumstances, some students will be eligible for both a loan covering their course fees and a maintenance loan.
Students don’t repay their loans until after they have graduated and are earning a certain amount of money.
Everything you need to know can be found on the Student Finance England website. The system is set up to help you understand what you’re eligible for, and how to go about applying, so take a look and you’ll be a pro in no time!
If you’d benefit from some guidance on whether you’re eligible for funding at Solent, don’t hesitate to reach out to us! Contact us on income.team@solent.ac.uk.
Are you eligible?
It can feel like there are a lot of stipulations when it comes to eligibility around student finance, but for ease, if you’re a:
- UK national or Irish citizen, or
- have ‘settled status’
and
- Your home is in England
- and you’ve lived in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man for three years continuously
You can apply for funding to cover fees and, potentially, maintenance costs!
For students coming to Solent from other parts of the UK, such as Northern Ireland and Wales, head to this page for useful links and information.
For a full breakdown, please do check out the Student Finance England website.
When should you apply?
It's a good idea to apply for your student finance as soon as you can. We recommend getting started in the March before you enrol, giving you plenty of time to meet that May deadline.
P.S. you don’t need to have been offered a place at university before you apply for student finance.
Ready to apply? Here’s how to do it
There are a few steps when it comes to applying for student funding, and it’s a good idea to get ahead by prioritising your application. Looking for in-depth guidance? Check out our 52 Weeks to Go series, which breaks down your application process week-by-week.
Student Finance England have a handy step-by-step guide on applying for funding here, but in summary:
- Check your eligibility
- Understand how much you’re entitled to, and if this includes additional financial support
- Start putting your application together online
- Send in your application
From there, you’ll receive updates on next steps, timelines, and alerts on anything you need to do to ensure your finance comes through on time.
And finally..
Try not to worry! Anything related to finances can feel overwhelming, but we’re here for you, and so is Student Finance England. Most importantly, remember that you’ve got this! Follow the steps, ask for help if you need it, be sure to submit your application with plenty of time, and you’ll be all good.
Funding for part-time HNCs/HNDs and degrees
If you're looking to study part-time for an HNC or HND, or for a degree, you may be able to receive student funding. You can contact Student Finance England (0300 100 0607) for an application form or apply online through the GOV.UK website.
Please note: Solent University does not currently administer advanced learner loans. Therefore, we cannot provide you with a learning and funding information letter, should you apply for a loan.
Student loans
You may be able to receive financial support if your part-time course has a ‘course intensity’ of 25% or more. This measures how much of your course you complete each year compared to an equivalent full-time course. To find out if more about course intensity, please contact the Student Hub.
The loans you could eligible for are a tuition fee loan or a maintenance loan.
Other sources of funding for part-time students
Loans aren't the only option for financing a part-time course here at Solent. Many of the funding sources mentioned below have specific criteria that must be satisfied (residence in the UK, whether you have dependants, if you already have a degree, income assessment, and so on), so please read any information carefully.
If you have any queries about funding, please contact a student funding adviser.
