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University Financial Support

Apply for a bursaryUseful information

Fees and Financial Support for Higher Education Learners
At Cornwall College we want to be able to offer you support and guidance with fees and funding for our University courses.

Can I get financial support to help me with my studies?
Higher Education learners can apply for a student loan to cover their tuition costs from Student finance – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Student Maintenance loan
You can also apply for a maintenance loan to help towards the cost of living, and this is paid directly to you. For full details please go to gov.uk/student-finance

Does the College offer Bursaries to Higher Education students?
Full-time and part-time learners, can apply for additional financial support through our Higher Education Bursary. We have a limited number of £450 awards to support you with your studies.

Would I be eligible for a HE bursary?
You could be eligible to apply for one of our HE bursaries if you are an undergraduate and fall into one or more of the following categories:

  • Your household income is £25,000 per year or below
  • Your postcode is listed as an area of low participation in HE
  • You are a care leaver
  • You have a declared disability

PGCE, Cert Ed and MSc students do not qualify for this bursary as other financial support is available.

When can I apply for a HE Bursary?
Our applications for a Higher Education Bursary will open on Monday 9th October 2023.

How will I know if I have been successful?
Once we have assessed your bursary application we will be in touch with you to confirm the outcome. If you are awarded a bursary you will receive 50% of this during the autumn term with the following 50% awarded in April 2024. Awards are dependent on achieving 85% attendance.

Can I get support towards accommodation costs?
If you are a 1st year higher education student, you could qualify for a bursary of £1000 to support you with your accommodation costs. You could be eligible for this bursary if you meet the following criteria:

  • Enrolled on a 1st year, higher education course with the Cornwall College Group
  • Your household income is £25,000 per year or below and you are in receipt of a full student maintenance loan
  • Your term time address is different to your home time address
  • You have a dated tenancy agreement for the academic year 2023/24 (this can be uploaded to our bursary portal before you start with us in September).

PGCE, Cert Ed, and MSc students will not qualify for this bursary as other financial support is available.

Our accommodation bursaries are extremely limited and will be awarded based on qualifying criteria, on a first come, first served basis. Our accommodation bursaries will open at 9am on Wednesday 16th August 2023.

How can I apply for a bursary?
Applying for a bursary is easy. Please watch the video below which will take you through the registration steps. You will need your student reference number to register and once into the portal select the relevant bursary e.g. Higher Education Accommodation Bursary, if applying for this bursary

Click here to apply for a bursary

Is there any other financial support available to me?
You may be able to receive further financial assistance through our HE Hardship Fund. The Cornwall College Group operate a Hardship Fund to support most HE learners who are experiencing financial difficulty with emergency cash payments. The fund will open once the term starts in September 2024.

Postgraduate Loan (MA/MSc)
Further information can be found at gov.uk/student-finance

For further details on our Access Agreement detailing our commitment to financially supporting our higher education learners, please go to the link below: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/the-register/search-for-access-and-participation-plans/#/AccessPlans/accessplans/10001696

If you have previously studied at degree level we strongly advise that you contact Student Finance England to find out whether or not you are eligible for financial assistance.

Additional grants for students with dependents
If you have children or adult dependents you may be eligible for additional means tested grants, such as the Childcare grant, Parents’ Learning Allowance and Adult Dependents’ grant. More information can be found at:  sfengland.slc.co.uk

Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs)
Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) are extra help for HE students who have a disability, a mental-health condition or specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia, ADHD or dyspraxia.

To fill out a DSA form online, go to:gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-dsas/how-to-claim