Wales 2015/16 - student fees and grants

National student fee

1st cycle full time – fees are set by institutions but capped at GBP 9 000 for institutions with an approved tuition fee plan to promote fair access (to safeguard fair access for low income and other under-represented groups) and GBP 6000 for institutions without a plan. Students are not required to pay up front and can apply for a fee grant of up to GBP 5 190 and a fee loan of up to GBP 4 000 to cover the full tuition fee. The ‘most common amount’ shown represents the repayable fee of GBP 4 000. Repayments are income-contingent and are set at 9 % of earnings
above the threshold of GBP 21 000; interest rates are Retail Price Index plus 3 %.

1st cycle part-time – fees are unregulated. Students can apply for a tuition fee loan of up to GBP 2 625 if they are studying in Wales, or GBP 6 750 if they are studying elsewhere in the UK. The loan amount depends on the course intensity, which must be at least 25 % for the student to qualify for the loan.

2nd cycle – fees are unregulated and vary widely. The ‘most common' figure of GBP 4 052 represents the indicative fee level for research students in 2015/16, set by Research Councils UK.

1st and 2nd cycle international students – fees are unregulated.

Student grants

1st cycle full-time – the support package includes a need based grant for living costs. The grant is awarded on a sliding scale with a full grant of GBP 5 161 for students with a household income of GBP 18 370 or less. In 2013/14, 68 % of applicants eligible for support (grant and/or loan) were awarded a grant: 39 % were awarded a full grant and 29 % were awarded a partial grant.

Loans

1st cycle full-time – the support package includes a loan for living costs for all students. The maximum loan for students living in the family home is GBP 4 162. For students living away from the family home, the maximum is GBP 5 376 outside London and GBP 7 532 in London. The amount is reduced for students who receive a need based grant. Repayments as for tuition fee loans.

1st cycle part-time – a need-based course grant is available to students studying at an intensity of at least 50 %.

2nd cycle – there is no universal support package.

2nd cycle postgraduate non-taught – individual institutions can  provide a merit based grant, which tends to follow the minimum stipend recommended by Research Councils UK, GBP 14 057 for 2015/16.

Tax benefit for student's parents

Tax benefits for parents and family allowances do not play a role in the student support system.

Family allowances

Tax benefits for parents and family allowances do not play a role in the student support system.