Financial support

Find out more about financial support and advice to help smooth your path through university.

Discover the support you may be eligible for from the Government or from the University depending on your mode of study.

Dennis Turner Hardship Fund

If you are a current student and find yourself in financial hardship whilst you are studying, you may be eligible to apply to the University's hardship fund called the Dennis Turner Hardship Fund

Further sources of financial support

Whether you are a mature student returning to education after time away or if you have a young family or even if you have a disability that may have an impact on your ability to study we have support for you.

If you are a student with dependants, you could be eligible for additional support.

These schemes can help towards childcare costs and other costs associated with your course.

  • Childcare Grant is available to help with the cost of registered approved childcare if you are studying full-time
  • The Parents' Learning Allowance can provide support if you are a full-time student with dependent children
  • An Adult Dependants' Grant may be available if you have an adult who is financially dependent on you

The gov.uk website has further details on the Student Finance - Extra help (opens new window).

Students may be also able to apply for Child Tax Credit or Universal Credit (opens new window)to help with the day-to-day living costs for dependent children 

Although most full-time students are not entitled to social security benefits, certain students in vulnerable groups (including single parents and disabled students) may be eligible for support.

Students who are eligible to receive means-tested benefits, such as Income Support, Housing Benefit or higher-rate DLA, may be eligible for a higher rate of maintenance loan.

But note that some student income can still affect means-tested benefits. If you want to take a course of education, you should ask your local benefit office how this may affect your claim.

Also, visit the gov.uk website for lots of useful information for benefits for students with low incomes (opens new window). 

The gov.uk website also has details on other benefits you may be able to claim the during your study, including:

  • Housing Benefit
  • Jobseeker's Allowance
  • Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Working Tax Credit
  • Child Tax Credit
  • Universal Credit

If you want any advice on benefits as a student then contact the Students' Union Advice and Representation Centre for more detail.

Students with disabilities or learning difficulties may be eligible for the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA), to help fund any extra costs that they may have to pay when studying.

This can include specialist equipment, a non-medical helper, extra travel costs, or other costs.

You will need written proof of your disability from an appropriate member of the medical profession.

If you have a specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia, you will be asked to have an independent assessment of your needs.

  • Students can apply for a single allowance to cover all costs. This is to cover specific costs that you have as a result of being a student and not for general living costs. If you are eligible for DLA or Income Support as a result of a disability then you should continue to claim these towards your living costs. 

Please note that students are required to pay for the first £200 of the cost of a computer.

Find out more

Funding for NHS courses

Please note that new students on nursing, midwifery and allied health professions courses will need to apply for standard student funding rather than NHS support. Please visit www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students (opens new window) for further information relating to residency and eligibility criteria.

Eligible UK students can apply for a tuition fee loan to cover the full cost of the fees as well as a maintenance loan towards their living costs. The exact amount depends on household income and whether the student is living with parents or independently.

There are also additional grants for dependants, childcare (although these are extremely tightly means-tested against household income) and, if you have a disability, you can also apply for the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA).

To apply, complete the online application form at www.gov.uk/student-finance (opens new window) (the application process normally opens the February BEFORE the course start date).

Additional funding from the NHS

There is additional funding from the NHS for students on nursing, midwifery and allied health professional courses. This takes the form of a £5,000 non-repayable grant paid in each year of the course.

There will also be an additional £2,000 for students with dependant children and a further £1,000 per year for students studying on a shortage subject, which currently are:- 

  • learning disability nursing
  • mental health nursing
  • radiography (diagnostic and therapeutic)
  • prosthetics and orthotics
  • orthoptics and podiatry

For more information go to www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students (opens new window) or you can contact the Gateway to discuss your eligibility. 

 

If you are studying for a career in social work, you may be entitled to receive a non-repayable bursary from the NHS.

This is in addition to the undergraduate financial support on offer. You can find an overview of the scheme on the www.gov.uk/student-finance (opens new window) website in the NHS and Social Work students factsheet (opens new window).

Visit the NHS website (opens new window) for further details on eligibility and application procedure.

Teacher training (PGCE) students pay the same undergraduate fees as other students.

Students can apply for the same financial assistance as other undergraduate students, namely:

  • Student Loan for fees
  • Maintenance Loan
  • Additional grants, if applicable 

The gov.uk website has two sections which you may find useful:

Extra help

The DfE Training Agency (opens new window) offers a generous package of teacher training bursaries for certain subjects.

Our Institute of Education can also help with further enquiries.

Grants for students in need

The Hockerill Educational Foundation invites applications for grants (usually £500 - £1000 p.a.) to teachers in training who have particular financial difficulties, such as:

  • those who have additional family or other costs and responsibilities
  • those who have no family support to fall back on
  • mature students for whom teaching is a career change
  • those not eligible for the normal statutory loan/grant  support.

Students training to teach Religious Education are their highest priority, but they can also help students in other areas, particularly primary education students.

Find out more at:

A part-time job can be a useful addition to your CV as well as providing additional income. Visit The Workplace to help you access a range of part-time jobs that are fairly paid and can fit in round your studies.

Find out more at The Workplace.

Pre-entry advice and guidance: the Gateway

Our education guidance advisors offer friendly and professional advice to prospective students. They have a huge amount of experience answering enquiries on all aspects of coming to the University, including fees and finances, previous study rules, and eligibility criteria.

Contact the Gateway:

Tel: 01902 321032
Email: gateway@wlv.ac.uk
Web: www.wlv.ac.uk/gateway