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Financial Support

Funding criteria is set by the government and is reviewed every year. Funding is yet to be confirmed for 2025 and so the information provided here refers to the criteria for 2024 and may be subject to change for September 2025 course intake.

Many students are worried about the increased cost of undertaking a degree. However, completing a higher education course will contribute to brighter employment prospects, as well as help you to gain the confidence and transferable skills needed for today’s world of work. Riverside College supports students to access quality, local higher education in the most affordable way.

There is student financial support available for Higher Education students. There are loans which do have to be paid back, and for some full-time courses there are bursaries which do not need to be paid back.

Tuition fee loans and a bursary all make gaining a higher education qualification much more affordable than you may think.

When applying for Student Finance for a Higher Education course that you are studying at Riverside College, you must include the INSTITUTION name as RIVERSIDE COLLEGE.

Tuition Fees Loans

You can get a Tuition Fee Loan to cover the full cost of your fees.  You don’t need to pay for your tuition fees upfront. Tuition Fee Loans cover your college tuition fees and are paid directly to the college by Student Finance England. Tuition fee loans are available to all eligible students regardless of household income.

Tuition fee loans need to be paid back and the amount you pay back is dependent on how much you earn.

For more information and to apply, go to www.gov.uk/studentfinance.

Student loans: a guide to terms and conditions 2023 to 2024

Maintenance Loans

You may also be eligible for a Maintenance Loan to help with day-to-day living costs, such as rent or food.  How much you can get usually depends on your household income, course intensity and where you live whilst studying.

Additional Support:
You may be able to apply for additional support depending on the course you wish to study and your circumstances.

Dependant’s Grants
https://media.slc.co.uk/sfe/quickstartfinanceguide/dependants-grants.html

For up to date information about eligibility and to apply, go to www.gov.uk/studentfinance.

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Repayment of Loans

You’ll only start making repayments if your income is over the repayment threshold, which is currently £25,000 a year for 2024 admissions, £2,083 a month, or £480 a week in the UK. If your income falls below the repayment threshold, your repayments will stop and only restart when your income is over the threshold again.  You can also make additional voluntary repayments at any time.You’ll repay 9% of your income over the repayment threshold, which is currently £25,000 a year, £2,083 a month or £480 a week in the UK. If your income changes, either rising or falling, your repayment amounts will automatically change to reflect this.
 
Annual salary Monthly repayment
£25,000 £0
£28,000 £22
£29,500 £33
£31,000 £45
£33,000 £60

For up-to-date information about repayments, go to: https://media.slc.co.uk/sfe/quickstartfinanceguide/repayment.html

Student Loans: a guide to terms and conditions 2023 to 2024

Student Finance Explained:

Can I get Student Finance? 

Understanding Student Loan Interest:

When can I apply?

How to make a student finance application:

How to upload evidence to support your student finance application:

Disabled Students’ Allowance

If you’ve got a disability, including a long-term health condition, mental-health condition or specific learning difficulty, you could get help with the extra costs you might have.

  • Non-medical helper allowance
  • Specialist equipment allowance
  • General allowance (for other disability-related costs)
  • Disability-related travel allowance.

The amount you can get depends on your needs, not your household income.  This doesn’t have to be paid back.

For up to date information about eligibility and to apply, go to www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-dsas

For up to date information about eligibility and to apply, go to www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-dsas

https://media.slc.co.uk/sfe/quickstartfinanceguide/dsa.html

Bursary

£500 bursary for new full-time Foundation degree students and for new full-time HND students in Year One of their Higher Education course (who are studying in College for 12 hours a week or more).

Riverside College is committed to helping students within their first year of full-time Higher Education study on a foundation degree and HND programmes (to purchase, for example, course-related equipment). We are pleased to offer a £500 bursary which will be linked to student attendance, punctuality, and achievement for first-year full-time students who are studying in College for 12 hours a week or more).

To find out more about other forms of bursary that we offer for Higher Education, please view our HE Policies and Procedures area.

To find out what support you could be eligible for, please call our Admissions Team on 0151 257 2053.

How to Apply for a Higher Education Course at Riverside College

For more information on Higher Education courses at Riverside College and student finance, please call our Higher Education Admissions Team on 0151 257 2053. You can apply through the college application form by clicking here. You do not need to apply through the UCAS system.

Additional Supporting Information:

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