Information for part-time undergraduate students

Changes to Student Finance for Part-time Students

Martin Lewis, May 2012

"For the first time ever part-timers will be eligible for the official student Loans Company loans [...] The two key criteria are that you've never done a degree before [...] and you must be taking at least 25% of a full-time course, so that means over a quarter of the course content in each year"



How much are Anglia Ruskin's fees for part-time undergraduates?

Fees for part-time students are linked, pro rata to (are in proportion to), the full-time fee rate, based on the number of credits studied and subject to government legislation.

For example:

  • If you study Accounting and Finance BSc at University Centre Peterborough full-time (120 credits per year) you will pay £6,500 per year for 3 years. If you study the same course part-time at 50% intensity (60 credits per year) you will pay £3,250 per year for 6 years.
(If you aren't sure what intensity you will be studying at please contact our Applicant Enquiries team)


What is course intensity?

Student Finance England FAQ

Course intensity is how long it takes to complete your part-time course compared to the equivalent full-time course. So, if your course takes six years to complete and the full-time equivalent takes three, your course intensity will be 50%. Your course intensity can be different from one year to another.

Tuition fee loans for part-time students

Since September 2012, loans for tuition fees have been made available to you if you are an eligible part-time student who completes a minimum of 25% of a full-time course per year, and are studying for your first degree. If you are eligible you won't have to pay up front for your tuition. If you think you may not meet these criteria, other help may be available.

Until you start earning £21,000 or over, no fees will need to be repaid. The earliest you can expect to commence repaying your loan is four years after you started your degree - by which time the threshold is likely to have risen in line with inflation. No matter the cost of your course, you will repay the same proportion of your salary - 9% of any earnings above that £21,000 threshold.


What other help can part-time students get?

If you are studying at 25% or greater intensity, you may be entitled to a Fee Waiver or the National Scholarship Programme (NSP). There are more than 30 NSPs available to part-time students. NSPs are allocated on a first-come first-served basis and you can apply online. If you have an NSP you will not be awarded a Fee Waiver in addition.


Where can I find out more?

More information on finance can be found in the Part-time Student Guide from The Independent Taskforce on Student Finance.

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