Money

Managing your money can seem daunting, but with a bit of preparation you can minimise financial worries and maximise your enjoyment of student life.

Checklist

Make or update your funding application
Open a student bank account
Apply for a TOTUM card (powered by NUS Extra)
Start a budget
Supplement your income
Check for additional support if you have a disability

Make or update your student finance application

Undergraduate

If you are a UK or EU student studying an undergraduate course or PGCE, and you have not already done so, you should apply for student finance without delay.

You need to advise us as soon as possible if your choice of university has changed since your original UCAS application. We will then confirm your place here with Student Finance. You can do this by emailing our Student Advice Team on studentadvice@brighton.ac.uk.

For more information about finance and loans visit the Student Finance website.

Be prepared for financial delays: We recommend that you make sure you have sufficient funds in your bank account when you arrive to cover your rent, food, study, travel and entertainment costs for at least the first two weeks of term in case there are any delays in receiving your student finance.

Bursaries and scholarships

Find out more about undergraduate bursaries, scholarships and other financial support for:

Postgraduate

If you are soon to be a postgraduate student and need more money for your course or living expenses, you should consider a postgraduate loan.

Postgraduate loans are now available for students who are resident in England and starting a masters course at a UK university. The scheme allows you to borrow up to a maximum of £11,222, which will be paid in three instalments at the start of each term.

Applications for postgraduate loans are open now.

More information about the loan scheme is available on gov.uk, The Student Room and FindAMasters.

Bursaries and scholarships

Find out more about postgraduate bursaries, scholarships and other financial support for:

Bursaries

If you are an English or EU undergraduate student, we will advise if you are potentially eligible for a bursary once you have completed stage 1 online enrolment after 20 August. You need to have given Student Finance England consent for them to share your household income information with us.

You do not need to apply for a bursary – your details are passed on to the university automatically by Student Finance England once you receive confirmation of your tuition fee and maintenance loan. Bursaries are paid in two instalments in January and in the spring.

Students who get the care leavers or estranged students bursary, will receive their first instalment at the start of term and the second in May 2021.

Open a student bank account

Your student loan or other funding will be paid into your bank account, so it makes sense to have an account organised before you arrive.

Look for student accounts with benefits that suit you.
Remember to take ID and confirmation of student status – your acceptance letter

If you have applied for student finance, make sure that the company you applied to has your correct bank details. If you are an EU or international student, please be aware that it may take several weeks to open a UK bank account after you have enrolled on your course. You need to make sure you have money for this period by making arrangements similar to those you make if you are going on holiday abroad, like using travellers cheques or a credit or cash card.

Apply for your TOTUM card, powered by NUS Extra

A TOTUM student discount card costs £14.99 per year and entitles you to 250 top brand student discounts both online and in-store.

Visit the Totum website for full details of offers and to apply for a TOTUM card.

Start a budget

Budget while you are here – calculate your income and expenses and work out what your weekly or monthly income and outgoings are.

Budgeting isn't just about seeing how much money you will need to pay for your food, travel and rent – it's a really good way of working out how much you can spend on the things you enjoy.

You can find helpful advice and tips on our Money Matters blog.

Do the numbers add up?

If your income is the same as or more than your outgoings, it looks like you've got things covered – stick to the budget and you'll be fine.

If your income is less than your outgoings, your money may not last until the end of term. Are there ways to cut back on your spending or increase your income, for example through a part-time job?

Income (+)

Student loan
Grants, bursaries, sponsorships or scholarships you're eligible for
Money from relatives or guardians
Income from a job
Benefits/tax credit

Outgoings (-)

Accommodation
Household bills
Contents insurance
Travel costs
Food, laundry
Household supplies and toiletries
Music, film and social activities
Clothes and shoes
Credit card or debt repayments
Books and equipment
Healthcare
Childcare

Supplement your income

If you find that you need extra income, there are a few options you can consider.

Look for a part-time job: our Careers Service website hosts a jobs database and guides you through securing a part-time job while you're here
Check which bursaries and scholarships you may be entitled to receive
Reclaim tax on gap year or summer jobs: if you earned less than your annual personal allowance (£12,500 for the tax year 20/21) and paid tax, visit the HMRC website to find out how to apply for a refund

View job vacancies from our Careers Service

Available support if you have a disability

UK students

Ensure that you apply for Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) and let us know as soon as possible so we can meet you to discuss what financial and practical help we have available to you.

The DSAs can help to pay for things such as travel, a note-taker or reader, study skills help, specialist equipment and other course-related costs. The support you are eligible to receive depends on your disability and not on your household income.

The application process for DSAs can take four or five months so it is important that you apply as soon as possible.

See the GOV.UK website for more information on DSAs. The Student Advice Team can also help with information about DWP benefits, including Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance and Personal Independence Payment.

Healthcare courses

If you are a UK student on an eligible healthcare course, you should instead apply for the NHS Bursary Disabled Students Allowance. This works in a similar manner to the regular DSAs but acts as a separate scheme.

Contact the Disability and Dyslexia team

EU and international students

If you are not from the UK you will not be eligible to receive the Disabled Students’ Allowances. However, we will do everything we can to support you and help you find funding to pay for equipment and support workers.

To help with this process, please investigate the following options before starting at university:

If you have a sponsor, ask if they can contribute money to cover disability-related expenses. Some scholarships offer funding to cover such costs.
If you are on the Erasmus programme, you may be eligible for grants to help you pay costs related to your disability. Speak to your Erasmus coordinator.
You may be eligible for a grant from your own government, so contact your education department to ask what support they can provide. Governments that provide support include Eire, Jersey and Guernsey, Sweden, Netherlands, and Thailand, though others may too.
You may be eligible for support from non-governmental organisations in your home country.

If additional funding is not available, we will work hard to meet your needs in the best way possible, so please get in touch as soon as you know you are coming so that we can begin to help you.

Find out about bursaries and scholarships

Course fees

Fee payments are handled by the university's Finance department. Contact the Finance department as soon as possible if you anticipate having any difficulties in paying your fees.

Find out more about paying fees and eligibility for discounts.

International students

Self-funded international students are required to pay a tuition fee deposit. You need to pay your deposit before we can issue you with your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number. You can pay your tuition fee deposit online.

Contact the Finance department

Pay your tuition fee deposit

Contact us

There are hardship funds to help students in certain circumstances and we can help you access these if you are eligible. We offer one-to-one sessions at all campuses.

If you are concerned about your financial situation either before you arrive or once you are here, please contact the Student Advice Service. Our service is confidential and non-judgemental.

Contact our Student Advice Service