Funding and Advice

Eligible students are able to get a Tuition Fee Loan from the government, which helps to pay the course fee.  This is available to students studying an undergraduate degree or Foundation Degree.

You can request a loan which covers the whole of the fee or just part of the fee.  You will need to apply for a Tuition Fee Loan each year of your course.

The Tuition Fee Loan is paid directly from the Student Loans Company to the University.

It is also possible to get a maintenance loan, which helps with the cost of living (e.g. rent, food, course materials, etc).  How much you can get depends on your circumstances (e.g. household income) and whether you choose to live in the parental home.

Students from lower-income households receive more financial support.  You can get an idea of how much support is available to you using the student finance calculator.

The maintenance loan is paid to the student in three instalments in the academic year:

• September: about a week after registering on your course
• January: when you return from the Christmas / winter holiday
• April: when you return from the Easter/spring holiday

Extra funds – which don’t have to be repaid – might be available if you have dependents.

The Adult Dependants’ Grant is for students who have a spouse (or partner if you are over 25) who is financially dependent on them.

The Childcare Grant is funding specifically for childcare expenses incurred whilst studying, and the Parents’ Learning Allowance helps student parents to pay for course expenses such as books, study materials and travel costs.

All the grants are means-tested (based on household income).

We recommend first checking your eligibility for funding using the ‘Eligibility’ link.

If you have any concerns about your eligibility, contact the Student Finance England helpline on 0300 100 0607. Monday – Friday 8am to 7pm.

New students are advised to apply by 31 May in the year that they are starting (e.g. 31 May 2026 if you are due to start in September 2026).

However, it is possible to apply after this date, but your funding might not be ready for the start of the course.

The quickest and easiest way to apply is online.

Eligible students are able to get a Tuition Fee Loan from the government, which helps to pay the course fee.

This is available to students studying an Undergraduate or Foundation Degree.

You can request a loan which covers the whole of the fee or just part of the fee.

You will need to apply for a Tuition Fee Loan each year of your course.

The Tuition Fee Loan is paid directly from the Student Loans Company to the University.

In order to qualify you must be studying at a minimum of 25% intensity e.g. a minimum of 30 credits per academic year.

• When you create a new account, make sure you make a note of your Customer Reference Number, password and secret answer and keep this information safe.
• You will need your valid UK passport, your national insurance number, your bank details and your course details to complete an application.
• Do not wait until you know for certain which university you are going to. Apply as early as possible and provide the details of your first-choice university and course. It is simple to change this information later if necessary.
• If you do not receive a letter from Student Finance England three months after applying, log in to your account and/or give them a call on their helpline to get an update.

• Familiarise yourself with the funding which is available to students
• Check that you are getting the maximum level of funding available to you (or email studentmoney@chi.ac.uk)
• If you need or want to supplement your income with part-time employment, our Careers & Employability Service may be able to help you find work.
• If you have children or a disability, claim benefits during your study.
• Open student bank accounts with overdrafts if you are starting a full-time undergraduate course. These can be a useful resource but it is important to remember that this is a way of borrowing money from a bank and you will need to pay it back (usually after you finish the course).
• For students who are experiencing financial difficulty, the University has a Support Fund and an emergency loan facility. Please see the information on our Money advice: money worries help page for more information on these and how to apply.

Funding from Student Finance England is usually paid in three instalments:

• About a week after starting in September/October
• On the first day of semester two in January/February
• On the first day back after the Easter/Spring holiday in April.

Our halls accommodation fees are due in three instalments to match these payment dates.

The Student Loans Company phone lines are open between 8am and 7pm, Monday to Friday:

For SEF Undergraduate Loans, please call: 0300 100 0607.

Alternative contacts:

• Advanced Learner Loans (0300 100 0619)
• EU/Tuition Fee Only students (0141 243 3570)

Repayments:

• SLC Repayment line (0300 100 0611)
• Overseas (Outside the UK) line (+44 141 243 3660)

Live chat and social media:

Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm:

• Student Finance England live chat
• Repayments social media

The Support Package/Chichester Bursary is paid in one instalment early in the second Semester.

The licence period for most of the University Hall of Residences is 37 weeks and the payment schedule is in line with when funding from Student Finance England is scheduled to arrive.

Private rented accommodation contracts are usually for 12 calendar months but it is often better to plan to use your student funding to help with the nine months of the academic year and use earnings from summer employment to pay for three months during the summer.

You will need to plan for the essential expenditure first (such as paying for accommodation and food) and then you can calculate how much you have left for non-essentials (such as going out!)

To help you budget, you can calculate your potential monthly living costs using the Whatuni Student Budget Calculator.

You will need to start making repayments on the money you have borrowed once you have finished your course and you are earning above the threshold. You can find out more information on the Gov.uk ‘Repaying your student loan’ page.