Find out more about the funding available for our Higher Education (HE) courses.
For Higher Education (HE) courses, student loans are available to most students undertaking a full-time degree, foundation degree, HND/HNC, PGCE or Certificate in Education programme.
- Full-time students
Loans
Most students will be able to take out a Tuition Fee Loan for the full cost of their course. The Tuition Fee Loan is a non-income assessed loan which covers College tuition fees and is paid direct to the College by the Student Loans Company.
The Government offers Maintenance loans (for living expenses) to eligible students. These loans are repayable after you leave your course and you start earning at least £26,575. Maintenance loans are used for day-to-day living costs, such as accommodation costs/rent, food and travel. They are usually paid by the Student Loans Company in three instalments, directly into your bank account.
For more details on how to apply for your student loan, visit the Government's website. For more information about Student Loans and Grants, visit the Student Loans Company.
Bursaries
Students studying on a full-time degree programme* can access bursaries:
- Support Bursary - £500 per annum** for students with a household income below £25,000.
- Access and Progression Bursary - £500 per annum** for students with a household income between £25,001 and £42,600 and who have studied at Wirral Met College in the previous two years.
*who are paying the full fee of £7790 (20/21 onward new starts)
**paid in two instalments – at the end of term 1 and at the end of term 2. - Part-time students
Most part-time students will be able to apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to pay for their course fees, subject to the programme being at least 25% equivalent of a full-time programme. The maximum annual Tuition Fee Loan that is available to part-time students is £6,935 and is repayable when you leave your programme and start earning at least £26,575 per annum.
Visit www.gov.uk/student-finance for details of how to apply for student loans.
- Disabled Students’ Allowance
Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) is available to help with extra costs you may have in relation to your course as a direct result of a disability, long term health condition, mental health condition or specific learning difficulty. The level of any DSA award will depend on an individual needs assessment – Click here to visit the Student Loans Company website for more details.
- Higher Education Access and Participation Plan
The access and participation plans set out how higher education providers will improve equality of opportunity for underrepresented groups to access, succeed in and progress from higher education.
They include:
- the provider’s ambition for change
- what it plans to do to achieve that change
- the targets it has set
- the investment it will make to deliver the plan
- New Teacher Training Funding Available
You may be eligible for a Further Education (FE) Initial Teacher Education (ITE) bursary. These are tax-free amounts you receive to train in certain subjects. You do not need to pay them back.
Time is running out to apply! Awards will be made from a finite government funding pot on a first-come-first-served basis, so when the money is gone, it’s gone.
Get up to £29,000 tax free* for courses starting September 2024-25, for the following subjects:
- Maths
- Sciences including biology, chemistry and/or physics
- Engineering (and/or manufacturing)
- Computing
Get up to £15,000 tax free* for courses starting September 2024-25, for the following subjects:
- Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
- English (capped at 100 places)
*Terms, conditions and exclusions apply
Are you studying on an Access to Higher Education course at Wirral Met College?
If you successfully complete your Access to Higher Education programme at Wirral Met College and subsequently progress on to and successfully complete a HNC/D, Foundation Degree or Degree course, your Advanced Learner Loan fees on the Access programme will currently be waived. You will still have to pay for the HNC/D, Foundation Degree or Degree course fees.
Helpful links: