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These pages cover the new financial arrangements for those paying "top-up" fees. This will be the case for most students starting in 2007.
Note that the Govenment has announced a slightly different opackage of terms for students starting in 2008.
Have a look at New funding arrangements for 2008 starters for details.
If you are considering deferring please contact the admissions tutor for your proposed course.
The support available for students from England, studying at Leeds consists of five main parts:
The arrangements vary for students from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: Have a look at www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance for details.
The amount you will get will depend on your family income or whether you are classed as an independent student. You may also have other sources of income such as benefits, parental contributions and income from work.
1. Support from the Government
2. Support from the University:Bursaries and Scholarships
4. How much Government Support will I get?
In 2007/08 the University of Leeds will be charging £3,070 fees for all courses. You can apply for a loan of up to £3,070 to pay for these fees, this not means tested, so your household income is not taken into account.
There is no longer a requirement to pay fees up-front, but you must remember to apply for this loan. Your fees are paid to the institution by the Student Loans Company and the loan is repaid, along with the loan for living costs after you graduate and are earning over £15,000 per annum.
This is a grant for students from lower income families. The maximum of £2,765 is payable where the family income is below £17,910. A partial grant will be payable where household income is between £17,911 and £38,330.
Up to £1,200 of the new grant will be paid in substitution for part of the student loan for maintenance. This has the effect of lessening the debt on graduation for students from lower income households.
Students who have an underlying entitlement to some benefits will get the special support grant paid in place of the Higher Education Grant. This is similar to the Higher Education Grant, but it does not reduce the student loan in cases where more than £1200 is payable.
75% of the Student Loan is available to all students. The remaining 25% will be ‘means tested’, where family income is above £37,900 , i.e. the amount you get will depend on your parents’ income.
This year the maximum loan amounts will be as follows:
Full year students |
Full amount (£) |
Parental home |
3,495 |
Elsewhere |
4,510 |
Maintenance loan entitlement for maintenance grant recipients will be reduced by up to £1,200.
Repaying the Student Loan
The Student Loan Company will start requesting payment the April following graduation. If you are earning under £15,000 per year you will not have to begin repayment, but you will have to complete a deferment form.
As an example if you were earning £20,000 you would make annual payments of 9% on £5,000, or £450 per year. This is deducted from earnings by the Inland Revenue, who pay the SLC, but this is not a graduate tax.
The loan can be paid off sooner if you can afford it, and for 2006 starters, the loan is written off over 25 years.
If your family income is £25,000 or less and you are from the UK, you will automatically receive a Leeds bursary. To get these bursaries it is vital that you give the LEA permission to share your financial details with the University.
For more information see the University pages about Bursaries
The table below shows the income brackets for the Leeds Bursary
| Household income (per year) |
Bursary |
| £18,000 or less | £1,330 |
| £18,001 - £18,500 | £1,200 |
| £18,501 - £19,500 | £1,070 |
| £19,501 - £20,500 | £940 |
| £20,501 - £21,500 | £820 |
| £21,501 - £22,500 | £690 |
| £22,501 - £23,500 | £560 |
| £23,501 - £24,500 | £430 |
| £24,501 - £25,500 | £310 |
There are also a number of other scholarships and bursaries available, these include Leeds Scholarship, paying a maximum of £3000 where family income is £16,000 or below. There are also other funds for people from specific areas or studying specific subjects.
Visit the University's page on scholarships
Certain students are eligible for additional support for their particular needs. These are outlined below.
Substantial financial assistance is available for disabled students to help with additional costs incurred in attending your course as a direct result of your disability. This can cover equipment, travel and cost of non medical helpers. DSA is available for full and part time students. It is not means tested and does not have to be repaid.
If you are coming to the University of Leeds, you are strongly advised to contact the Disability Services team well in advance of the start of your studies. They can assist with your application for DSA.
Go to the Disability Services website
Help for students with children
Help is available for students who have children both through the LEA in the form of the Parents Leaning allowance and the Childcare Grant and also through the Inland Revenue in the form of Child Tax Credit
Have a look at our page Financial Assistance for those with families
Help is also available if you have an adult dependant or if you are a care leaver.
For information on these supplementary grants please contact your LEA or the Student Advice Centre
The table below gives some examples of how much support students with different household incomes would get.
Household Income £ |
Assessed Contribution £ |
Maintanance grant £ |
Loan £ |
Total £ |
Living away from home |
||||
17,910 |
0 |
2,765 |
3,280 |
6,045 |
20,000 |
0 |
2,417 |
3,280 |
5,697 |
25,000 |
0 |
1,584 |
3,280 |
4,864 |
27,120 |
0 |
1,230 |
3,280 |
4,510 |
30,000 |
0 |
927 |
3,585 |
4,510 |
35,000 |
0 |
401 |
4,109 |
4,510 |
38,330 |
0 |
50 |
4,460 |
4,510 |
38,805 |
0 |
0 |
4,510 |
4,510 |
40,000 |
125 |
0 |
4,385 |
4,385 |
45,000 |
652 |
0 |
3,858 |
3,858 |
49,493 and over |
1,125 |
0 |
3,385 |
3,385 |
Living at home
17,910 |
0 |
2,765 |
2,265 |
5,030 |
20,000 |
0 |
2,417 |
2,265 |
4,682 |
25,000 |
0 |
1,584 |
2,265 |
3,849 |
27,120 |
0 |
1,230 |
2,265 |
3,495 |
30,000 |
0 |
927 |
2,568 |
3,495 |
35,000 |
0 |
401 |
3,094 |
3,495 |
38,330 |
0 |
50 |
3,445 |
3,495 |
38,805 |
0 |
0 |
3,495 |
3,495 |
40,000 |
125 |
0 |
3,370 |
3,370 |
45,000 |
652 |
0 |
2,843 |
2,843 |
47,118 and over |
875 |
0 |
2,620 |
2,620 |
Calculation of household income
Parental income
If you live with only one of your natural parents, the income of step-parents will be taken into account in assessing the household income.
The income considered by your LEA is your parents’ ‘residual income’. This is their gross income minus certain disregards such as payments into a pension scheme which qualify for tax relief, and allowances for other dependents or if a parent is also a student. Anything that is considered taxable under Inland Revenue Taxation Acts is counted as your parents’ income, such as their salary, taxable income from their self employed business and interest on any stocks and shares.
Your LEA will usually look at your parents’ income for the tax year before the start of your course, so if you plan to start your course in September 2007 they will look at the tax year April 2006 to April 2007. If your parents’ income has fallen significantly since the previous tax year your parents can ask your LEA to consider looking at their income for the current year (ie from April 2007).
Your own income
Certain income you have is taken into account when calculating household income. This does not include income from casual work during the course, but may include certain benefits.
Independent students
If you are classed as an independent student your parents’ income is not taken into account when assessing the award. Generally you are independent if:
You can also be classed as an independent student if your LEA consider you to be irreconcilably estranged from your parents. This rule is only used in exceptional circumstances and the onus is on the student to show this is the case and provide evidence (such as a social worker report or a letter from a counsellor or therapist).
For new system Independent students you residual income is assessed with the same thresholds as household income in other cases. If you have a partner their income will be also taken into account when calculating the residual income.
Many students do part-time work alongside their studies. Leeds University Union has a job shop called Joblink advertising appropriate part time jobs with local employers.
If your parents are able to assist consider asking them to set up a standing order - avoid lump sums. Ensure that tuition fees are paid as a priority.
Very few students are eligible for these, however, if you have a disability or dependants you should check your entitlement. Contact The Student Advice Centre for details.
All HE institutions are given a pot of money each year for students in hardship. Further details available from our page on ALF .
Banks are very keen to get student custom. Incentives such as railcards, cash and money-off vouchers are useful. However, good interest rates, low charges and facilities for graduates are better in the long term.
LUU Student Advice Centre
Leeds University Union
PO Box 157
Leeds
LS1 1UH
Telephone: 0113 380 1300
e-mail: advice@luu.leeds.ac.uk
For information on fees and student support from the University of Leeds click here
Department for Education and Skills (DfES)
Telephone 0845 607 7577 (student support helpline)
or 0800 731 9133 (student support publications)
Student Loans Company Limited,
100 Bothwell Street,
GLASGOW.
G2 7JD.
General Enquiries: 0845 026 2019
Accounts Receivable (fees office)
Accounts Receivable Office Manager - Abi Shearsmith- 35796
Fees, student - academic LEA and sponsored - 36056/36059/36063
Self-financing - surnames A-J - 35965
Self-financing - surnames K-Z - 36054
Residence - 35965/36054/36055
Please be aware that we are only able to advise current or prospective students of Leeds University.
These pages are for guidance only and are not a substitute for diverse legislation that they cover. The information was checked and correct at the time of writing.
If you have any comments or queries about this page please email advice@luu.leeds.ac.uk.
© LUU Student Advice Centre June 2007
