FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN UNION (EU) STUDENTS What this Guide will cover: Student Finance for 2017/18 Undergraduate, NHS and GEM Courses in Wales FAQ’s for Prospective EU Students
Student Loan Repayment
Student Finance for 2017/18 EU Students attending a Welsh Institution (Undergraduate Courses) Loan/Grant Name
Tuition Fee Loan
Loan/Grant Maximum Amount £4,046
Students who are attending an institution in England, Scotland or Northern Ireland should visit the respective funding websites for information on their entitlements.
Who is Eligible?
Means Tested?
Repayable?
Full-time EU undergraduate students
How is it Paid?
Direct to University Tuition Fee Grant £4,954 Full-time EU undergraduate students Direct to University Undergraduate students studying at Swansea University should apply to Student Finance Services: www.gov.uk/studentfinance
Student Finance for 2017/2018 EU Students attending a Welsh Institution (NHS Courses) Loan/Grant Name
Loan/Grant Maximum Amount Up to amount charged
Who is Eligible?
Means Tested?
Repayable?
How is it Paid?
NHS Wales Full-time EU students attending an NHS course Direct to Bursary Scheme – who commit to working in Wales University Fees Only Award If you intend to study an NHS course at Swansea University and can commit to working in Wales, you should apply online via: www.nwsspstudentfinance.wales.nhs.uk If you cannot commit to working in Wales, you can apply for Tuition Fee funding through Student Finance Services, as above.
Student Finance for 2017/18 EU Students attending a Welsh Institution (Graduate Entry Medicine) Year 1 Loan/Grant Name
Tuition Fee Loan
Loan/Grant Maximum Amount Up to £5,535
Tuition Fee Grant
Not Available
Who is Eligible?
Means Tested?
Repayable?
How is it Paid?
Full-time EU Graduate Entry Medicine Students
N/A
N/A
Direct to University N/A
All Graduate Entry Medicine students will need to self-fund the shortfall that the fee loan does not cover – the amount will be up to £3,465
Years 2, 3 & 4 Loan/Grant Name
Tuition Fee Loan
Loan/Grant Maximum Amount £5,535
Who is Eligible?
Means Tested?
Repayable?
Full-Time EU students attending the GEM course
How is it Paid?
Direct to University NHS GEM Fee Up to £3,465 Full-Time EU students attending the GEM course Direct to Bursary University If studying at Swansea University you should apply to Student Finance EU team (based in England) for the Fee Loan and to the NHS Bursary Office in Wales for the Fee Bursary
Please visit the www.gov.uk/studentfinance website for more information or the NHS Bursary office in Wales on 029 2090 5380.
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FAQs for Prospective EU Students
Did you know.....?
Will the UK’s exit from the EU (Brexit) affect my funding entitlement?
Students commencing their studies in 2017/18 or 2018/19 will continue to have access to student loans and grants for the remainder of their course, even if the course concludes after the UK’s exit from the EU. Funding for students who commence their studies from 2019/20 has not yet been confirmed.
How much will Tuition Fees be?
As a European Union (EU) student, when you go to university in another EU country you are entitled to pay the same course fee as a national. Undergraduate Home and EU students starting in academic year 2017/18 will be charged £9,000 in Tuition Fees. However, non NHS funded/GEM EU students studying in Wales can apply for a Tuition Fee Grant to cover a portion of the cost.
When should I apply?
Applications usually open in April, keep an eye on the funding provider’s website and apply as soon as you can. You will need to submit a paper application as EU students cannot currently apply online. The form you need to complete is the EU17N. NHS funded students will receive information about applying for funding when they are accepted onto the course.
Where and how should I apply?
If you plan to study in Wales
Apply to*:
Fee Loan
www.gov.uk/studentfinance
Fee Grant
www.gov.uk/studentfinance
NHS Fees Only Award
Apply to the NHS in Wales Tel: 029 2090 5380
* Please ensure that you send any of the application forms or required documents using recorded delivery. This will give you proof that your applicant was sent and received.
How and when will the tuition fee loans/grants be paid?
Are there any circumstances under which I may be eligible for help with living costs?
Once you have completed the application process you will receive a financial notification which will give you the dates of when the Student Loan Company will make the payments direct to your institution. The NHS will write to you to confirm the fee bursary, which will be paid direct to the institution.
Most students from a European Union country outside the UK will not be eligible for help with living costs, however if you have been in the UK for a number of years and if you meet certain strict residency conditions you may be able to be classed as a home student rather than an EU student and receive maintenance funding.
You must apply to Student Finance Services, based in England, for a tuition fee loan and/or grant, even if you intend to study in Wales
Important…..! If you’re on an NHS course, there are two funding routes. See here for more information: www.swansea.ac.uk/ undergraduate/feesandfunding/studentloans andgrants/nhsfunding
Remember......! You will need to make a new application for each year of your course
Help may also be available if you’re a migrant worker (or a relevant family member of such a worker) from an EEA country or Switzerland, or the child of a Turkish worker in the UK. More information on eligibility to help with living costs can be found by contacting the Money@CampusLife Team, visiting www.gov.uk and following the appropriate links for EU students or you can contact the EU team on 0141 243 3570.
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What If I am not eligible for help with living costs?
What if I’m not sure which university I will go to or what course I want to study?
If you do not meet the residency requirements to help with living costs it is important that you consider how you intend to meet all of your expenses whilst you study.
You need to indicate what your first choice university and course will be. If you change your mind later you can amend these details. We would advise you apply for funding this way, to ensure that your assessment is completed before the start of term. Don’t worry if you change your mind about attending university as your application can always be cancelled at a later date.
How much will it cost to live and study in Swansea?
Is any help available if I get into financial difficulty whilst I am studying?
For more information on the eligibility criteria for the purposes of tuition fee loan grant and NHS bursary assessments, please
For more information on the cost of living and likely course costs you may incur, visit our webpage: www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/fees-and-funding/costof-living/
contact the Money@CampusLife Team
Enrolled EU students are eligible to apply to the Swansea University Opportunity Award. However, assessment criteria and procedures apply; and all applicants are expected to have made adequate financial provision for all tuition fees, course costs and living costs prior to the start of their course. More information and the application form are available on the Money@CampusLife pages on the Swansea University website.
Previous Study You can usually only get student finance for your first degree. If you have taken a higher-education course in the past (Degree, HND, HNC, Foundation degree etc.) then this is likely to affect any future entitlement to Tuition Fee Loans, even if you attended just one day of the course. If you intend to study an NHS course, and access funding through the NHS Wales Bursary Scheme by committing to working in Wales, you may still be eligible for the NHS Fees Only Award even if you already have a non-NHS degree. Under current previous study rules, you can only receive support from the Student Loans Company for a limited number of years. Simply put, each student has entitlement to funding for the length of their course plus one additional year. This ‘plus one’ year is intended to cover any false starts or transfers. So, if you are studying on a 3-year course your entitlement would be: 3 + 1 = 4 years. Previous study rules can be very complex and depend on many different factors. If you have previous study it is advised that you contact the Money@CampusLife Team to discuss your individual circumstances with an advisor.
Compelling Personal Reasons (CPR): If you have to repeat a year of your studies as a result of ill health or a personal issue, you may be able to access an additional year of funding without affecting your +1 year.
For more information please speak to the Money@CampusLife advisor to request a “Change of Enrolment Status” information leaflet.
Contact Money@CampusLife on 01792 606699 or by email at Money.CampusLife@swansea.ac.uk
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Student Loan Repayment What do I repay?
Student loans are available to ‘home’ and EU students studying at university (subject to eligibility criteria). The loans that you receive during your studies will need to be paid back after you leave University. Remember, most EU students will only receive the Tuition Fee funding. Your student loan is made up of two parts: o Maintenance Loan (if eligible – see page 2 for more details) o Tuition Fee Loan.
When will I start repaying my loan?
You only start to repay your loan once you are earning over £21,000. Repayments will start at the beginning of the tax year (the April after you leave university). If your salary drops below £21,000 (for example if you take a career break or are unemployed) repayments will stop. Repayments only start again when you earn over £21,000.
How much will I have to pay?
You repay 9% of whatever you earn above £21,000. Your repayments will be the same regardless of how much you borrow, as the repayment is calculated based on how much you earn; not how much you borrowed. However, if you borrowed more you’ll spend longer repaying the loan. After 30 years, regardless of how much of your loan has been repaid, the remaining debt is cancelled.
Repayment examples Salary
£25,000 £30,000 £35,000 £40,000 £50,000
Amount of salary from which 9% will be deducted £4,000 £9,000 £14,000 £19,000 £29,000
Monthly repayment
£30.00 £67.50 £105.00 £142.50 £217.50
How are repayments made?
Loan repayments will be deducted from your salary, normally through the PAYE tax system.
Any grants, bursaries or scholarships paid to you during your time at university do not need to be paid back
It is expected that only a very small proportion of students will repay their loans in full. Therefore it may be helpful to view this as a 30 year ‘tax’ and not as a loan that needs to be repaid in full
Student loans are not recorded on credit files, so having a student loan will not have an effect on your credit rating
How much interest will I be charged? Income While you’re studying and up until the April after you leave college or university £21,000 or less
Rate of Interest Rate of Inflation (Retail Price Index) plus 3% Rate of Inflation
£21,000 to £41,000
Rate of Inflation plus up to 3% (on a gradual scale) Rate of Inflation plus 3%
£41,000 and over
Please Note: Information in this leaflet is correct as of August 2017 and may be subject to change 4
For more information, please contact Money@CampusLife: 01792 606699 Money.CampusLife@swansea.ac.uk www.swansea.ac.uk/money-advice
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This leaflet is also available in alternate formats such as Braille, large print etc. For further information please contact: CampusLife Reception on 01792 602000.
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