Fees and funding

Studying at university has become a big investment for students. We understand that money matters may be a concern for many students and their families; if you need advice, you have come to the right place.

Please see our 2013 entry FAQs below for general information about tuition fees and financial help.

We also have some extra information for:

If you need any further information or help, contact the Student Life Centre.

After you have applied

If you've already applied to Kingston University, you probably have lots of questions about exactly how your finances will work once you get here. Check out our tips and advice for managing your money.

Read about how to pay your fees or download our Money Matters guide (PDF).

Fees and student finance for courses starting in 2013

More detailed information for specific courses, including how to apply for student finance, can be found on each course page for 2013 entry. Check these pages for information relevant to the course you want to apply for/have applied for.

Tuition fees (or annual graduate contributions)

Kingston University will charge the following tuition fees to new full-time UK and EU undergraduates who start their courses in September 2013:

Course Tuition fee in 2013/14
Foundation Year in Science
Foundation Year in Engineering
Foundation Year in Computing, Information Systems and Maths		 £4,500
Foundation degrees in Early Years (including Management & Leadership and Special Educational Needs) £4,750
All other foundation degrees and HNDs £6,000
Pharmacy MPharm
Architecture BA(Hons)
Fashion BA(Hons)
Film Making BA(Hons)
Fine Art BA(Hons)
Graphic Design BA(Hons)
Graphic Design and Photography BA(Hons)
Illustration and Animation BA(Hons)
Interior Design BA(Hons)
Landscape Architecture BA(Hons)
Photography BA(Hons)
Product Design BA(Hons)
Product and Furniture Design BA(Hons)
 £9,000
All other degrees £8,750

All other extended undergraduate masters courses (such as MChem, MCom, MPharmSci and MEng) will have a fee of £8,750 per year for years 1, 2 and 3 and a lower fee of £5,000 for the fourth year.

These fees are annual and increase in line with inflation each year.

When will I have to pay the fees?

Eligible students who are studying for their first undergraduate degree will not have to pay these fees up front. A loan is available from the Government to cover the cost of tuition so you don't have to find the money to pay your tuition costs before or while you are studying. You won't have to start repaying the loan until you are earning over £21,000 a year.

The loan will also be available to European Union students and part-time students studying at least 25% (30 credits) per year. However, if you already hold an honours degree, or another qualification at the same level, you will not qualify for this loan.

What would I be eligible for to cover my living expenses?

There will be a loan for living costs to help with expenses such as accommodation, travel, books and course materials and food. There are three different rates of loan:

  • Up to £7,675 if you live away from home and study at a university in London, such as Kingston.
  • Up to £5,500 if you live away from home and study at a university outside London (this applies to Kingston University students studying at Marshalls Aerospace, Newcastle Aviation Academy, KLM UK Engineering Norwich, Exeter College or any other course which is taught outside Greater London).
  • Up to £4,375 if you live with your parents while studying.

There will also be a non-repayable grant for living costs of £3,354 for students whose household income is less than £25,000. A partial grant is payable if household income is less than £42,611. The grant replaces up to £1,677 of the loan.

Are there any scholarships or fee waivers available?

Please check back regularly as we will post more information about our scholarship schemes as soon as it is available.

When would I have to pay back my loans?

The earnings threshold at which student loans become repayable will increase from £15,000 per year to £21,000 per year for students who start courses in September 2012 or later. You would become liable to start repaying the loans after April 2016. If you earn less than £21,000 you will not be liable to make any repayments.

Once you are required to make repayments, you will pay 9% of the earnings above £21,000 – so a graduate earning £25,000 per year will be liable to pay £360 over the year, or £30 a month. The amount of the repayment is £45 per month lower than for students who start courses before September 2012. The rate of interest charged on the loans when they are being repaid will also increase as graduate earnings increase. A graduate earning less than the repayment threshold of £21,000 will be charged interest equivalent to the rate of inflation. Graduates with a higher income will be charged a higher rate of interest on a sliding scale, up to a maximum level of inflation plus 3%.

The repayment period will also be extended from the current maximum of 25 years to a maximum of 30 years.

I already hold an honours degree and want to do another one, how will this affect me?

Your fees will be the same as those above but you will not qualify for any help from the Government for either tuition fees or living costs and you will not qualify for either a National Scholarship or a Kingston Scholarship.

I am from Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. How does this affect me?

The tuition fees will be the same as for students from England but you will be able to apply for the package of student finance available to students from the Welsh Assembly Government, Scottish Government or Northern Ireland Executive (depending on where you come from).

Students from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are not eligible for the National Scholarship Programme as this is only available to students from England. You can, however, apply for a Kingston Scholarship.

I am an EU student intending to study in England – will this apply to me?

EU students from outside the UK that meet certain eligibility criteria will be able to apply for the loan for tuition fees. Most EU students will not be entitled to support for their living costs but you can apply for a fee waiver of £3,000 from the National Scholarship.

Updated 25 January 2013