Newer version available

There is a newer version of this publication available:
Student Support and Benefits Handbook 2021/22

Chapter 3: Undergraduate student support: Wales

This chapter covers:

1. Full-time undergraduates (here)

2. Part-time undergraduates (here)

3. How income affects student support (here)

4. Discretionary hardship funds (here)

There are different systems of undergraduate student support in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. See Chapter 2 for details of the system in England, Chapter 4 for Northern Ireland and CPAG’s Benefits for Students in Scotland for details of the system in Scotland.

Students living in Wales who wish to study in England, Northern Ireland or Scotland receive the same package of support as though they were studying in Wales.

In 2018/19, the student support package for new students in Wales changed significantly. Students who started before 2018/19 continue on the same arrangements as when they started their course. This chapter does not cover those who started their course before 2012/13. If you think this applies to you, see an adviser in your university or students’ union.

Basic facts

– Undergraduate students can apply for a mixture of grants and loans, depending on their personal circumstances.

– The type of financial support available depends on several factors, including when the course starts, its length, the discipline and whether the course is full time or part time.

- For students on the package of support introduced in 2018/19, the system aims to provide a minimum amount of support, in which household income changes only the proportions available in grant and loan rather than reduces the overall support available.

– Separate provision is available for social work, healthcare and initial teacher training students.

– Support from hardship funds may be available for those in financial difficulty.

 

 

Arrangements during the coronavirus pandemic

For 2020/21 and 2021/22, the Welsh government has announced several temporary adjustments to student support arrangements in light of the coronavirus pandemic. The main features can be summarised as follows.

– If students would normally study in person but all or part of their course is moved online due to the pandemic, they continue to be eligible for funding as if they were studying in person.

– If students would normally require to be ordinarily resident in Wales while studying to qualify for support, if they are unable to be in Wales or are temporarily studying remotely because of the pandemic, they are funded as if they were resident in Wales.

– As under the usual rules, students’ maintenance costs are assessed based on where they live in a given academic quarter but can be adjusted as circumstances change. In pre-COVID years, such changes are relatively unusual but may be more common as a result of coronavirus. For example, if a student lives in the parental home for one quarter and then away from home for two quarters, her/his maintenance support is based on this pattern of residence. If a student changes residence during a quarter, maintenance is calculated in reference to her/hisplace of residence for the majority of that quarter. Students should inform Student Finance Wales of changes.

Further information is available at the Student Finance Wales website at studentfinancewales.co.uk/covid-19. Contact an adviser in your students’ union, university or college if you need further guidance.

1. Full-time undergraduates

Full-time undergraduates in Wales on eligible courses (see below) and who are personally eligible (see below) can apply for financial assistance from the Welsh government. Separate provision is available for part-time undergraduates (see here). There have been a number of changes to student funding and support during the last 10 years, and so the support you can receive depends on when you started your course.

Who is eligible for support

To receive financial support, you must be ‘personally eligible’ by meeting residence conditions (see below) and be studying an eligible course (see below).

Residence conditions

To be personally eligible for support from the Welsh government, you must meet residency conditions.1Sch 2 E(SS)(W) Regs; Sch 1 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 These are generally the same as for England (see here), except that, where appropriate, you must be normally resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year. In addition, in Wales, students with certain forms of leave to remain can receive support, unlike in England. Ask an adviser for information.

Following the result of the referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union (EU), the Welsh government has stated that students from other EU countries who start their courses in 2020/21 and who have been assessed as eligible under the current rules will continue to receive funding until they complete their course. The Welsh government has announced that from 1 August 2021 it will no longer provide support for new EU students, with the exceptions of Irish nationals, or those EU, EEA or Swiss nationals who exercised Citizen’s Rights under the EU withdrawal agreement or similar agreements, and who were living in the UK by 31 December 2020. Certain family members of such nationals may also qualify. For more information, see the Student Finance Wales website or speak to an adviser at the university or college at which you intend to study.

 

1     Sch 2 E(SS)(W) Regs; Sch 1 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

What is an eligible course

To be eligible for support, broadly the course must be full time (as defined by the education provider) and be:1Regs 5-8 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 5 and Sch 2 E(SS) Regs 2017

•a first degree;
•a higher education diploma;
•a BTEC Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Higher National Diploma (HND);
•a course of initial teacher training;
•a course for the further training of teachers, or youth or community workers;
•a course to prepare for certain professional examinations of a standard higher than A level, or HNC/HND where a first degree is not required for entry;
•a course not higher than a first degree, but higher than those described in the above bullet point.

Note: some courses, particularly in art and design, can require students to undertake a ’foundation’ year or course. This is different from a foundation degree. It is normally a course of one academic year in length which precedes the main higher education degree course. Support for foundation courses is often limited as they do not come within the definition of ’higher education’. You may be eligible for support as a further education student (see Chapter 1). Speak to an adviser in your students’ union or institution for further guidance.

 

1     Regs 5-8 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 5 and Sch 2 E(SS) Regs 2017  »

Which system of student support applies

The student support to which you are entitled depends on when you started your course. In this Handbook:

•students who started their course between the 2012/13 academic year and the 2017/18 academic year are referred to as ‘2012 cohort’ students;
•students who started their course in the 2018/19 academic year or later are referred to as ‘2018 cohort’ students.

Students in the 2012 cohort can apply for a package of support, which includes:

•a grant to pay part of their tuition fees (see here);
•a loan for any remaining tuition fees (see here);
•either a Welsh government learning grant (see here) or a special support grant (see here);
•a loan for living costs (see here);
•supplementary grants in particular circumstances (see here).

Students in the 2018 cohort can apply for a different package of support, which includes:

•a loan for tuition fees (see here);
•a Welsh government learning grant, comprising:
◦a ‘base’ or minimum grant of £1,000 (see here); and
◦a further income-assessed maintenance grant (see here), including a special support payment for students entitled to claim social security benefits (see here);
•a loan for living costs (see here);
•supplementary grants in particular circumstances (see here).

Previous study

If you have previously attended a higher education course, the amount of support you can receive may be affected by the rules on previous study.1Regs 14-18 and 24 E(SS)(W) Regs; regs 6 and 7 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 The rules are broadly the same for both 2012 and 2018 cohort students.

If you hold an honours degree from a UK institution and are studying for a new qualification, unless you are covered by one of the exceptions (see below), you can only apply for a supplementary grant for travel costs, a grant for any dependants and a grant for disability-related costs.2Reg 24 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 7 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 You are not entitled to any other kind of support.

There are some exceptions:

•Students who hold an honours degree and who are undertaking a PGCE course receive full funding.
•Students undertaking a further full-time undergraduate course in certain professional subjects, such as social work, medicine, dentistry, architecture, town planning or veterinary science, can receive a loan for their living costs,3Reg 54 E(SS)(W)Regs; reg 7(5) E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 although not a loan for tuition fees or a maintenance grant, a special support grant or special support payment.
•Students who hold an honours degree who wish to study certain courses part time can receive full funding.4Reg 25 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 81 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017

If you do not already hold an honours degree, in general the maximum number of years of tuition fee loan and maintenance, special support grant or special support payment funding you can receive is equivalent to the ordinary length of your course plus one year, less any years of study previously undertaken.5Regs 14-15 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 6 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 If you have studied part of a year, you are treated as if you have undertaken a full year of study. Entitlement to loans for living costs is unaffected by the previous study rules if you do not hold an honours degree.

If you are transferring courses, or undertaking an ’end-on’ course (topping up from one qualification to another), these previous study rules affect you.

You may be able to secure additional years of ’full’ funding if you were unable to complete a previous year or course for ’compelling personal reasons’, such as illness or caring responsibilities.6Reg 15 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 6 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 You must provide evidence of this to Student Finance Wales.

Further information on previous study is available from your student adviser or studentfinancewales.co.uk.

 

1     Regs 14-18 and 24 E(SS)(W) Regs; regs 6 and 7 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017  »

2     Reg 24 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 7 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017  »

3     Reg 54 E(SS)(W)Regs; reg 7(5) E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

4     Reg 25 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 81 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

5     Regs 14-15 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 6 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017  »

6     Reg 15 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 6 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017  »

Grant and loan for tuition fees

If you started your course on or after 1 August 2018 (2018 cohort) and you are an eligible Welsh-domiciled student studying in Wales, or a non-UK EU student studying in Wales, you may be charged fees of up to £9,000 a year. A loan is available to cover this cost. Eligible Welsh-domciled students studying elsewhere in the UK may be charged up to £9,250. You can take out a loan to cover this cost.1Reg 40 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 19 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 In England, the fee cap for certain ‘accelerated degrees’ is £11,100 a year, but note that Welsh-domiciled students undertaking such courses can only access fee loans of up to £9,250 and will have to meet any shortfall from their own funds.

If you started your course on or after 1 September 2012 but before 1 August 2018 (2012 cohort) and you are an eligible Welsh-domiciled student studying in Wales, or you are a non-UK EU student studying in Wales, you may be charged fees of up to £9,000 a year. Eligible Welsh-domiciled students studying elsewhere in the UK may be charged up to £9,250. In 2021/22, if you are charged more than £4,605 in Wales or £4,855 elsewhere in the UK, you can apply for a fee grant from the Welsh government of up to £4,395 so that your liability does not exceed £4,605 or £4,855.2Reg 16 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 You can then take out a loan to pay for all, or part, of the remaining amount.3Reg 19 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017

The maximum loan available matches the fee you are charged, less any fee grant where this applies. The loan is not means tested on your income or the income of anyone in your household. However, it is added to your total student loan debt (including any loan taken out for your living costs). You must start your repayments from the April following your graduation or when you otherwise leave the course, if you are earning at least £27,295 a year (in 2021/22) and are working in the UK. If you live and work abroad following graduation, the thresholds may be different - contact the Student Loans Company for more details.

If you wish to pay all, or part, of your fees in cash in advance instead of taking out a student loan, you can do so. Your institution generally expects some indication of how you intend to pay your fees when you enrol.

Help with tuition fees for part-time courses is also available (see here).

 

1     Reg 40 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 19 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

2     Reg 16 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

3     Reg 19 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

Welsh government learning grant: 2018 cohort students

If you are a 2018 cohort student, you can apply for a Welsh government learning grant. This comprises two elements: a ‘base’ or minimum grant and an additional ‘maintenance grant’. These individual elements might not be made explicit in the information you receive from Student Finance Wales and may be referred to collectively as the Welsh government learning grant. If you are eligible for benefits, you should claim a special support payment as part of the grant.

Base grant

In 2021/22, if you are a 2018 cohort student, you receive a £1,000 ‘base grant’ as part of your living costs support.1Regs 43-45 E(SS)(W) Regs Student Finance Wales may refer to this as a ‘minimum grant’ or simply as part of your Welsh government learning grant. The base grant is non-means tested and non-repayable. If you apply for means-tested benefits, the base grant is treated as part of your special support payment (see below) and is not taken into account as income when working out your benefit entitlement. You should ensure that you apply for the special support payment in your student support application.

 

1     Regs 43-45 E(SS)(W) Regs »

Maintenance grant

In addition to a base grant, 2018 cohort students may also receive a maintenance grant for their living costs, which is added to the base grant.1Reg 46 E(SS)(W) Regs How much you get depends on where you study or live and your household income.

 

Maximum maintenance grant 2021/22

London	£9,124
Elsewhere	£7,100
Parental home	£5,885

 

 

If you are a care leaver, you automatically receive the maximum rate of the grant. Otherwise, you receive the full grant if your annual household income is £18,370 or less, and a partial grant on a sliding scale up to a household income of £59,200 a year. See here for details of the income assessment. Any grant you receive reduces the amount of your loan for living costs pound for pound - see here for details of loan amounts. However, the total cash support you can receive, whether by loan or a combination of loan and grant, should always remain the same.

 

1     Reg 46 E(SS)(W) Regs »

Special support payment

A special support payment is available to provide extra support for 2018 cohort students who are regarded as particularly vulnerable. You must be a full-time student eligible to claim means-tested social security benefits.1Reg 51 E(SS)(W) Regs

Most full-time students cannot receive universal credit (UC), or other means-tested social security benefits. Some students, however, can claim – eg, if you are a lone parent, or if you and your partner are both full-time students and have a child, or if you get the housing element in UC, or you receive disability living allowance (DLA) or personal independence payment (PIP). See the relevant benefits chapter for details of which students can claim UC or means-tested benefits.

If you are entitled to UC or means-tested benefits, you should claim the special support payment as part of your maintenance grant. The special support payment comprises the £1,000 base grant and up to £4,161 of any maintenance grant (£5,161 in total) which is then disregarded as income when calculating your entitlement to UC or means-tested benefits. Claiming the special support payment also entitles you to a higher minimum rate of loan for your living costs (see here), which means that your overall cash support is usually higher than students who claim the standard maintenance grant.2Regs 50-52 and 56 E(SS)(W) Regs Note: Student Finance Wales may not make clear the grant’s different elements. If this causes problems, contact an adviser.

 

1     Reg 51 E(SS)(W) Regs »

2     Regs 50-52 and 56 E(SS)(W) Regs »

Welsh government learning grant: 2012 cohort students

In 2021/22, the Welsh government learning grant for 2012 cohort students is a non-repayable, means-tested allowance of up to £5,161.1Reg 38 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 The maximum amount is payable to students with a household income of £18,730 or less, and a partial amount is paid on a sliding scale to students with a household income of up to £50,020.

Part of the grant substitutes the student loan for living costs. If you receive a Welsh government learning grant, the amount of loan for living costs you can receive is reduced by 50 pence for every £1 you receive, up to a maximum of £2,580. See here for more details on loans for living costs.

Example

Rhys receives an Welsh government learning grant of £1,540. The maximum amount of loan for living costs he can receive is reduced by £770.

 

If you are entitled to apply for means-tested benefits, the Welsh government learning grant is taken into account as income when working out your (or your partner’s) entitlement, so you should apply for a special support grant instead (see here).

 

1     Reg 38 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

Special support grant: 2012 cohort students

A special support grant is available to provide extra support for 2012 cohort students who are regarded as particularly vulnerable. You must be a full-time student eligible to claim means-tested social security benefits.1Reg 38 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017

Note: most full-time students cannot receive UC or other means-tested benefits. Some students, however, can claim – eg, if you are a lone parent, or you and your partner are both full-time students and you have a child, or you get the housing element in UC, or you receive DLA or PIP. See the relevant benefits chapter for details of which students can claim UC or means-tested benefits.

If you are entitled to UC or means-tested benefits, you should claim the special support grant rather than the Welsh government learning grant. Like the Welsh government learning grant, the special support grant is a non-repayable, means-tested allowance of up to £5,161.2Reg 39 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 The special support grant is based on the same income scales as the maintenance grant for each cohort (see here).

Unlike the Welsh government learning grant, however, the special support grant does not substitute any part of the student loan, and it is not taken into account as income when calculating your entitlement to means-tested benefits.

 

1     Reg 38 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

2     Reg 39 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

Loan for living costs

2018 cohort students

Student loans for living costs are available to eligible Welsh-domiciled 2018 cohort students. The amount of loan you can receive varies, depending on where you live or your place of study. It is reduced pound for pound by any Welsh government learning grant maintenance element you receive, but not by the base grant element.

 

Maximum amount of loan 2021/221Reg 55 E(SS)(W) Regs

London	£11,930
Elsewhere	£9,350
Parental home	£7,790

The loan is not further reduced by your household income. In practice, this means that the Welsh government learning grant and student loan combined should total the same amount regardless of your household income, but the proportions of loan and grant you receive will differ. You are entitled to at least the maximum amount of loan plus £1,000 base element of Welsh government learning grant. You may be entitled to additional amounts of student loan if your course length exceeds 30 weeks and three days in the year (see below).

If you receive the special support payment, your loan is not reduced below a certain minimum level, regardless of the total grant received.

Minimum amount of loan for special support payment recipients 2021/222Reg 56 E(SS)(W) Regs

London	£5,965
Elsewhere	£4,675
Parental home	£3,895

 

In many cases, the amount of loan to which you are entitled will be higher. Your exact loan entitlement is calculated by subtracting the special support payment from either a notional ‘applicable amount’ of living costs support (see below) or the total base and maintenance grant you are eligible for, plus the minimum rate of loan – whichever of these two figures is higher. Any amount of grant paid that is not a special support payment is then subtracted from this figure to give the amount of loan to which you are entitled.3Reg 56 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017

 

Applicable amount 2021/22

London	£12,930
Elsewhere	£10,350
Parental home	£8,790

 

 

 

Example

Gwyneth is a new student at the University of Swansea in 2021/22. She is claiming UC as a single parent, and is entitled to the special support payment. She has no additional household income and receives full support as a student living away from home outside London. Her loan entitlement is calculated as follows.

Step one Gwyneth is entitled to a special support payment of £5,161, comprising her £1,000 base grant and the first £4,161 of her maintenance grant.

Step two The total base and maintenance grant she is entitled to is £8,100. The minimum rate of loan for Gwyneth is £4,675. £8,100 + £4,675 = £12,775. This amount is more than the ‘applicable amount’ of £10,350. Her notional maximum support is therefore £12,775.

Step three Gwyneth’s special support payment of £5,161 is subtracted from her notional maximum support of £12,775, giving £7,614. The amount of maintenance grant that is not the special support payment (£8,100 - £5,161 = £2,939) is then subtracted from this figure: £7,614 – £2,939 = £4,675.

Step four Gwyneth’s total loan for living costs entitlement in 2020/21 is £4,405. This is equal to the minimum rate of loan possible.

 

If you are getting a special support payment, you may also be entitled to additional amounts of loan if your course length exceeds 30 weeks and three days in the year (see below).

 

1     Reg 55 E(SS)(W) Regs »

2     Reg 56 E(SS)(W) Regs »

3     Reg 56 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

2012 cohort students

Student loans for living costs are available to eligible Welsh-domiciled 2012 cohort students. Part of the loan is subject to an income assessment (see here). If you receive a Welsh government learning grant, the loan is reduced by 50 pence for every £1 of grant you receive (see here). If your course requires attendance in excess of 30 weeks and three days, you may be able to receive additional amounts of loan (see below).

Maximum amount of loan 2021/221Regs 41-52 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017

 

	Full year	Final year
London	£10,907	£9,932
Elsewhere	£7,786	£7,213
Parental home	£6,027	£5,457
Overseas rate	£9,283	£8,074

 

1     Regs 41-52 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

Extra weeks allowance

Both 2012 and 2018 cohort students may be entitled to additional amounts of loan for any extra weeks of attendance over the standard 30 weeks and three days. Your institution can clarify whether your course has additional weeks.

The table below outlines the amount paid for each week your course exceeds the standard length. If your course year lasts 45 weeks or more, you are paid for a full 52 weeks of attendance.

 

Amount of extra weeks allowance 2021/22

	Weekly amount
London	£172
Elsewhere	£135
Parental home	£89
Overseas rate (2012 cohort only)	£188

Repaying your loan

Repayment terms are the same as for English students. The rules differ, depending on whether you started your course before or after 1 September 2012 (see here).

Partial cancellations

Eligible Welsh-domiciled students who have taken out a maintenance loan since 2010/11 may be able to have up to £1,500 of the loan cancelled when they reach the point when they begin making repayments.1The Cancellation of Student Loans for Living Costs Liability (Wales) Regulations 2020 This cancellation can only be applied once, and is not multiplied by the number of academic years in which you took out a loan. If the balance of your loan is less than £1,500, the cancellation is equal to the loan balance less the first repayment you make. Note: cancellation is not automatic and you should speak to the Student Loans Company to ensure it is applied; a manual payment of at least £5 is required.

If you have any outstanding penalties or charges on your loan, are in breach of your loan agreement or ’are shown by your conduct to be unfit to receive a cancellation’, it will be refused. You might be considered ’unfit’ if, for example, you provided false information when applying for the loan.

See gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan for more details.

 

1     The Cancellation of Student Loans for Living Costs Liability (Wales) Regulations 2020 »

Supplementary grants

A number of additional grants and allowances are available to both 2018 and 2012 cohort students who have extra needs.

Students with dependants

Students with dependent children may be able to receive a parents’ learning allowance1Reg 74 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 28 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 of up to £1,821 and/or a childcare grant2Reg 76 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 27 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 of 85 per cent of the actual costs of their childcare, up to a maximum of £179.62 a week for one child, or 85 per cent of the actual costs up to a maximum of £307.95 a week for two or more children.

If you have an adult dependant(s) ’wholly or mainly financially dependent’ on you, you may be eligible for a means-tested adult dependants’ grant up to a maximum of £3,190.3Reg 72 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 26 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 Students with children should also apply for child benefit (see Chapter 8), and either child tax credit (see Chapter 19) or UC (see Chapter 18).

 

1     Reg 74 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 28 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017  »

2     Reg 76 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 27 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017  »

3     Reg 72 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 26 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017  »

Disabled students’ allowance

If you are disabled and have extra costs associated with your course because of your disability, you may be entitled to extra help to pay for them. This is awarded on the same basis as in England (see here). 1Reg 63 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 24 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017

 

1     Reg 63 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 24 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017  »

Grant for travel costs

Medical and dental students on placement and students who must travel abroad may be entitled to help with the cost of travel. This is awarded on the same basis as in England (see here) except that the total support available is higher at £31,831 for the year.1Regs 64-67 E(SS)(W) Regs; regs 32-34 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017

 

1     Regs 64-67 E(SS)(W) Regs; regs 32-34 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017  »

Turing, Erasmus and other study or work placements

Funding rules can be different if you are studying abroad or are on a work placement (sometimes known as a ‘sandwich year’). Fees may be reduced, but in some circumstances support for living costs may also be limited.

Welsh universities and colleges are able to participate in the new Turing scheme launched by the UK Government to replace Erasmus following the UK’s departure from the EU (though some Erasmus study will continue in 2021/22, see below), which will launch in 2021/22. Participation is not compulsory and exact funding arrangements will vary by institution, so check with your university or college to see if they are participating and what support is available. The Welsh Government plans to launch an additional international study scheme for Welsh students in 2022/23, but details are not available at time of writing.

If you are on an Erasmus study exchange or Erasmus work placement, you can claim support for your living costs as usual, and may qualify for an additional Erasmus grant. See the Erasmus+ website for more details (erasmusplus.org.uk). Note: students at Welsh universities are longer be able to participate in Erasmus study and work placements following the end of the EU withdrawal transition period on 31 December 2020, but some placements arranged before this date will in the 2021/22 academic year. Check with your university or college for more information.

The funding rules for study abroad and sandwich years can be complex. Ask your university or students’ union advice centre for more information.

2. Part-time undergraduates

Support for part-time students is different from that available to full-time students. New and existing part-time undergraduate students can qualify for support for fees and living costs. The course and personal eligibility requirements are the same as for full-time students (see here), except that students who already hold honours degrees can still receive funding for a further degree at part-time intensity, if the course starts on 1 September 2017 or later and the subject is one of the following disciplines:1Reg 25(2) E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 81(28) E(SS)(W) Regs 2017

•engineering and technology;
•computing;
•subjects allied to medicine;
•biological and sport sciences;
•psychology;
•veterinary sciences;
•agriculture, food and related subjects;
•physical sciences or mathematical sciences;
•Welsh.

Certain other courses may also be eligible for funding as a further degree - check with your university or college.

The exact support for part-time students depends on when you started your course. For students starting after 1 August 2018, living costs support is more generous.

 

1     Reg 25(2) E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 81(28) E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

Grant for tuition fees

If you are a part-time undergraduate student (including a student from the European Union (EU) – see here), and you started your course before 1 September 2014, you may be eligible for a means-tested grant for your tuition fees.1Reg 85 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 You must be studying a course that is at least 50 per cent intensity of a full-time course – ie, it takes no longer than twice the time of the equivalent full-time course to complete. The maximum amount of grant to which you are eligible depends on the intensity of study for each academic year of the course (see here). The amount you receive may be reduced by your household income (see here).

Maximum grant for part-time fees 2021/22

Course intensity	Maximum grant available
Less than 60%	£690
60–74%	£820
75% or more	£1,025

 

1     Reg 85 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

Loan for tuition fees

Welsh-domiciled part-time students who started their course on 1 September 2014 or later can apply for a non-means-tested loan to help pay their tuition fees. These are similar to the loans for part-time students in England since 2012/13 (see here), but with some differences. In particular, the maximum loans for study in Wales are lower, and there is no regulation of part-time fees in Wales. This means that the fee charged may be higher than the loan you can receive.

Eligible Welsh-domiciled and non-UK EU students can get a loan of up to £2,625 a year if studying in Wales.1Reg 40 E(SS)(W) Regs; Reg 86(3) E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 If your course is at an institution in England, Scotland or Northern Ireland, the loan can be up to £6,935 a year.2Reg 40 E(SS)(W) Regs; Reg 86(4) E(SS)(W)Regs 2017 If your course fee is lower than these amounts, you can take out a loan up to the value of your fees. Repayment arrangements are the same as for full-time students starting their course after 1 September 2012 (see here).

If you started your course before 1 September 2014, see here for information on tuition fee grants.

 

1     Reg 40 E(SS)(W) Regs; Reg 86(3) E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

2     Reg 40 E(SS)(W) Regs; Reg 86(4) E(SS)(W)Regs 2017 »

Grant and loan for living costs: 2018 cohort students

If you start your part-time course in 2018/19 or later and are studying a course that is at least 25 per cent the intensity of an equivalent full-time course, you are entitled to a Welsh government learning grant (base grant and maintenance grant), special support payment (if this applies) and a loan for living costs on a similar basis to full-time students (see here and here). However, there are differences: the total amount you can receive is adjusted by the intensity of your study, it is not affected by where you study, and the minimum income threshold for support is different.

Base grant

All eligible part-time students, regardless of income, can receive a base grant. Student Finance Wales may refer to this as a ‘minimum grant’. The amount you receive is £1,000 pro rata, based on the intensity of study.1Reg 45 E(SS)(W) Regs For example, if you are studying at 50 per cent intensity (your course takes twice as long as the full-time equivalent), you receive £500.

 

1     Reg 45 E(SS)(W) Regs »

Maintenance grant

You are entitled to a maintenance grant if your household income is less than £59,200. If your household income is £25,000 or less or you are a care leaver, the maximum grant you can get is £5,000 pro rata by intensity of study. If your household income exceeds £25,000, your grant is calculated by subtracting £1 for every £6.84 of household income above £25,000 from the maximum £5,000. The remaining amount is then multiplied by the intensity of study to give the pro-rata amount.1Reg 47 E(SS)(W) Regs

If you are entitled to claim benefits as a part-time student, you should claim the maintenance grant as a special support payment (see here). This does not affect the amount you receive, but ensures it is not taken into account as income when calculating your benefit entitlement.2Reg 52 E(SS)(W) Regs

 

1     Reg 47 E(SS)(W) Regs »

2     Reg 52 E(SS)(W) Regs »

Loan for living costs

If you start your course in 2018/19 or later, you are entitled to a loan for your living costs. The amount you receive is not affected by your household income, but is reduced by any amount of maintenance grant you are entitled to, pound for pound. Like other part-time support, your entitlement to a loan is based on a notional maximum figure, pro rata according to the intensity of study. The notional maximum loan amount in 2021/22 is £6,640.1Reg 58 E(SS)(W) Regs

Example

James is a part-time student at Trinity St David University, studying at 50 per cent intensity of a full-time course. His household income is £35,000 and he is not entitled to a special support payment. His entitlement to living costs support is calculated as follows.

Step one Calculate his base grant, based on the intensity of study.

£1,000 x 50 per cent intensity = £500

Step two Calculate his maintenance grant, based on his income and the intensity of study.

James’ income (£35,000) is £10,000 over the threshold of £25,000.

£10,000 divided by £6.84 (rounded down to nearest pound) = £1,461

Maximum maintenance grant of £5,000 – £1,461 = £3,539

£3,539 x 50 per cent intensity = £1,769.50

Step three Calculate his loan, based on the intensity of study and offset by his maintenance grant.

£6,640 x 50 per cent intensity = £3,320

£3,320 – £1,769.50 = £1,550.50

James’ total support = £500 base grant + £1,769.50 maintenance grant + £1,550.50 living costs loan = £3,820

 

1     Reg 58 E(SS)(W) Regs  »

Grant for course costs: pre-2018 cohort students

If your course started in the 2017/18 academic year or earlier, a grant for course costs of up to £1,155 is available to students from low-income backgrounds to help with the costs of books, equipment and travel.1Regs 85 and 87 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 You must be studying a course that is at least 50 per cent intensity of a full-time course – ie, it takes no longer than twice the time of the equivalent full-time course to complete. The exact amount you receive depends on your household income (see here). This grant is not available to EU students. It does not affect your entitlement to means-tested benefits.

Maximum grant for part-time course costs 2021/22

 

Course intensity	Maximum grant available
Less than 60%	£1,155
60–74%	£1,155
75% or more	£1,155

 

1     Regs 85 and 87 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

Disabled students’ allowance

All part-time students who are are studying at an intensity of at least 25 per cent of an equivalent full-time course and have a disability can apply for a disabled students’ allowance.1Reg 63 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 88 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 The amount Student Finance Wales can award for non-medical help and other general expenditure is, however, reduced according to the workload of a part-time course.

 

1     Reg 63 E(SS)(W) Regs; reg 88 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017  »

Grants for dependants

All part-time students who are studying at an intensity of at least 50 per cent of an equivalent full-time course and have dependent children or an adult dependant can apply for the childcare grant, parents’ learning allowance or adult dependants’ grant.1Reg 77(2) E(SS)(W) Regs; regs 89-93 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 See here for further information. The amount you can receive depends on your income and that of your household.

The amount Student Finance Wales can award is reduced pro rata according to the workload of the part-time course.

 

1     Reg 77(2) E(SS)(W) Regs; regs 89-93 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

Fee waiver

This is available to part-time students undertaking no more than 20 credits in the academic year, who are in receipt of a means-tested benefit, and whose sole income is benefits or who are registered jobseekers. Students who already have a first degree are not eligible. This scheme is administered by universities and colleges.

3. How income affects student support

How your income is assessed

Much of the support you receive is based on your household income. The definition of household income in Wales is the same as that in England (see here).

Once your household income is assessed, it first reduces any maintenance grant or special support grant you are due to receive. The assessment is different, depending on whether you are a full-time or part-time student and which cohort of students you are in.

Full-time students

 

2018 cohort students

In 2021/22, the following applies:1Reg 46 E(SS)(W) Regs

•Regardless of your household income, you receive the base (or minimum) Welsh government learning grant of £1,000.
•If your household income is £18,370 or less, you receive the maximum additional maintenance grant element which applies.
•If your household income is between £18,371 and £59,200, you receive a reduced amount of the maintenance grant element.
◦If you are entitled to the parental home rate, for every £6.937 of your income that exceeds £18,370, your grant is reduced by £1.
◦If you are entitled to the London rate, for every £4.475 of your income that exceeds £18,370, your grant is reduced by £1.
◦If you are entitled to the elsewhere rate, for every £5.750 of your income that exceeds £18,370, your grant is reduced by £1.
•If your household income is £59,200 or more, you do not receive a maintenance grant. Income above £59,200 may also reduce any supplementary grants for dependants,2Reg 46 E(SS)(W) Regs and may reduce the grant for travel by up to £1,000, if the total amount payable to you exceeds £303.3Reg 65 E(SS)(W) Regs

Note: if your Welsh government learning grant is reduced by your household income, the amount of your student loan increases to compensate (see here).

 

2012 cohort students

In 2021/22, the following applies.4Regs 36 and 39 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017

•If your household income is £18,370 or less, you receive the maximum maintenance or special support grant.
•If your household income is between £18,371 and £50,020, you receive a reduced amount of the applicable grant (the minimum amount is £50).
◦For every £3.653 of household income between £18,371 and £26,500, £1 is deducted from the grant.
◦For every £4.18 of household income between £26,501 and £34,000, £1 is deducted from the grant.
◦For every £14.67 of household income above £34,000, £1 is deducted from the grant until the maximum household income of £50,020 is reached.
•No grant is payable if household income is £50,021 or more.

Income above £50,753 reduces other support at a rate of £1 for every £5 of additional income.5Sch 5 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 Any supplementary grants for dependants are reduced first, then the 25 per cent of the student loan that is means tested, and finally any grant for travel costs.6Reg 56 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017

 

1     Reg 46 E(SS)(W) Regs  »

2     Reg 46 E(SS)(W) Regs »

3     Reg 65 E(SS)(W) Regs »

4     Regs 36 and 39 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

5     Sch 5 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

6     Reg 56 E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

Part-time students

If you started your course on or after 1 September 2014 but before 1 August 2018 and your course is at least 50 per cent intensity of an equivalent full-time course, the following applies.1Reg 85(5) E(SS)(W) Regs 2017

If you are single and have no dependants:

•If your income is below £26,095, you receive the full course costs grant.
•If your income is between £26,096 and £28,180, you receive a partial grant.
•If your income exceeds £28,180, you do not receive any grant.

If you started your course before 1 September 2014, the following applies.2Reg 85(5) E(SS)(W) Regs 2017

If you are single and have no dependants:

•If your income is £16,864 or less, you are eligible for the maximum grant for fees and course costs.
•If your income is between £16,865 and £25,435, you receive some help with fees and course costs.
•If your income is between £25,436 and £28,180, you receive some help with course costs, but not with fees. The exact amount you receive depends on your income.
•If your income exceeds £28,180, you cannot receive support for fees or course costs.

Your taxable income and the taxable income of your partner are taken into account when determining how much support you receive.

Your parents’ income is ignored.

The above also applies if you are married or in a civil partnership, or aged 25 or over and living with a partner (including a same-sex partner) or have dependent children, but the following amounts are deducted from your income:3Reg 9(8) E(SS)(W) Regs 2017

•£2,000 for your partner;
•£2,000 for your eldest child;
•£1,000 for every other child.

If you are entitled to a grant for a dependant (see here), a different income assessment applies.

Student Finance Wales has published further information on its website at studentfinancewales.co.uk.

 

1     Reg 85(5) E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

2     Reg 85(5) E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

3     Reg 9(8) E(SS)(W) Regs 2017 »

4. Discretionary hardship funds

Higher education institutions usually provide discretionary hardship funds for ’home’ undergraduate and postgraduate students in financial difficulty. The funds issue both repayable loans and non-repayable grants.

Non-repayable grants may be available on a needs-assessed basis if you are experiencing financial difficulty serious enough to mean you may have to leave your course.

Hardship funds may be able to help with difficulties with living and study costs, such as childcare, rent, course costs and utility bills, or with large one-off and exceptional costs, such as major housing repairs and emergency situations such as fire or bereavement. Generally, hardship funds do not assist with the payment of tuition fees. The institution has discretion and makes the final decision.

Priority is usually given to students with children, mature students, students from low-income families, disabled students, final-year students and those who have left care. Usually, you must have applied for your full entitlement of a student loan, if you are eligible for one.

Individual institutions have different application processes and different pressures on the funds available and no sum is guaranteed. However, there is normally an appeals process if you want to challenge the fund administrator’s decision.