Undergraduate finance

If you're a UK student, studying full or part-time for your first undergraduate degree, you can apply for a student loan from The Student Loans Company. Maintenance loans are also available to help with your living costs, such as rent and food. The amount of loan you get will depend on whether you'll be living away from home, your household income and the benefits you're entitled to.

You'll only start paying back your tuition fees and maintenance loan once you're earning over a minimum amount per year. If your earnings drop below that amount, repayments will automatically stop.

If you are intending to fund your studies yourself there are two ways you can do this.

• Single Payment – make a one-off payment for your full fees for the year before enrolment via our secure University Payment Portal using a variety of methods including card and e-wallets.

OR

• Instalments – set up a payment plan within the University Payment Portal to spread the cost of your tuition fee (this can only be done after you have enrolled and have been invoiced for your tuition fee). You can use a UK or international issued card to authorise the University to take payment for your fees on the agreed dates.

If you are funding your course using a Federal Direct Subsidised/Unsubsidised and/or PLUS loan, please contact our financial aid office for information about payment of tuition fees - [email protected]. 

You can find information about trusts and charities that offer educational funding from the Scholarship Hub website.

How do I apply?

The first step is to write to your chosen trust or charity, giving a summary of your situation. If you fit its funding criteria, the organisation will send you an application form.

You should include the following details in your letter:

• the title and starting year of your course
• your age and place of birth
• brief details of your previous studies
• a brief explanation of your financial difficulties and why you're applying
• your estimated financial requirements
• how your studies will benefit yourself or others

Make sure your letter is well presented. You might also need to get a reference from your course tutor so make sure they'll support your application.

Find out how to arrange payment via sponsorship, on our payment options page.

There may be additional costs related to your course (see the course page for more details) and studying. 

These include (please note: this is not an exhaustive list):

• living costs – such as travel to and from the University, rent and food
• potential additional tuition fees – if you choose to study abroad for part of your degree
• travel, accommodation and subsistence costs – if you do a work placement, field word or take part in field trips
• materials, equipment, clothing and resources – that are specific to your course, a project or piece of work
• professional body membership fees – such as to the British Psychological Society (BPS)
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks – this is required for certain education and healthcare courses
• PCs and laptops – there are open-access networked computers available across the University, plus laptops available to loan. However, you may find it useful to have your own PC, laptop or tablet which you can use around campus and in halls of residence
• stationery – for taking notes during lectures
• reassessment – if you need to be reassessed in either repeat or replace mode, you will be subject to extra costs. Reassessment by retake does not incur an additional cost. The type of reassessment offered to you will be agreed by the relevant Programme Assessment Board in line with the University's Undergraduate Regulations (AR2) or Postgraduate Regulations (AR3)
• childcare costs – if you care for children
• sports clubs and societies – there are membership fees if you would like to join any of the societies or sports clubs run by Kingston Students' Union
• fitness centre membership – with the Kingston University Fitness Centre at the Penrhyn Road campus
• graduation – students who wish to attend their graduation will need to pay for guest tickets, gown hire and photography, if they so choose
• replacement degree certificates and transcripts – if you misplace them in the future

Under the NHS Low Income Scheme you could get money off dental treatment. These awards are means-tested, which means they depend on your income. All students can apply.

To do so, you have to fill in a HC1 form, which you can get from the University's Health Centre, your dentist or your benefits office. Remember to include a copy of your Student Finance Notification with your application.

Full-time students are exempt from council tax while studying. If you're living in private accommodation in the boroughs of Kingston, Richmond, Wandsworth or Merton, the University will notify the council of your student status. This means you do not need to do anything else, although you will need to register with the council. 

However, if you're living in the University's halls of residence, you won't have to provide a council tax exemption form as halls of residence are classed as exempt dwellings. 

If you're living in private accommodation outside those four boroughs, you need a council tax exemption certificate to prove that you're exempt. You can get these from the Information Centre from mid-October. You can get more information from the National Union of Students (NUS).

• an interest-free overdraft – this can be very useful if, for example, you have to pay your rent before your loan arrives in your account
• hidden charges – some banks charge fees for unauthorised overdrafts, for example
• a student adviser – they can give advice and offer the right banking facilities for your needs
• access to internet banking – so you can keep track of your spending
• ability to set up Direct Debits – a UK current account is required to spread your payments over the academic year in line with Kingston University's instalment plan. 

To open a bank account, you might need to show your bank:

• a copy of your letter from Student Finance England, confirming your maintenance loan / grant amount
• identification (such as your passport, full UK driving licence or University registration card)
• proof of your term-time or home address
• confirmation that you have been offered a place on a course at Kingston University