Loans and funding

For courses starting on or after 1st January 2027, there are some changes planned to the way that higher education courses are funded, so you may need to apply for student finance through the new student finance system. The new system is called the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE).

Depending on your circumstances you may be able to apply for:

  • Tuition Fee Loans to help pay your course tuition fees.
  • Maintenance Loans to help with your living costs.

The amount of Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan you receive partly depends on the number of credits you study. From September 2026, you can create a student finance account for LLE funding, and you’ll be able to get an estimate of how much you can borrow throughout your studies without making a formal application.

Any student loan you borrow does not need to be paid back until you’ve finished your course, and you earn over a certain amount.

 

Additional Financial Support

Depending on your personal circumstances, you may also be able to apply for extra financial help, such as a grant or allowance if you’re on a low income, are disabled or have children.

For more information, including how to apply for student finance, please visit www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance for details.

£500 bursary for Bury College students

Students who progress directly from a Level 3 full-time course at Bury College onto a course at the University Centre will benefit from a £500 bursary, paid each academic year of your course.  

In order for you to receive the £500 bursary you must meet the following criteria:

  • You must have commenced an undergraduate course of study in September 2027 or later at Bury College University Centre and be paying full-time tuition fees. Fees must be paid via tuition fee loan or you must be self-funded
  • The bursary will be paid to you on your first higher education course and not on subsequent courses
  • You must have successfully completed a full Level 3 qualification (e.g. A-levels, Advanced Diploma, or Advanced Apprenticeship, Access to HE or T Level) at Bury College in the academic year 2026/2027
  • Payments will be made in two instalments (50% in December and 50% in March) of each consecutive academic year of undergraduate study, subject to achieving at least 90% attendance and satisfactory academic progress
  • Payments will be terminated if you withdraw, are suspended, transfer to another institution or fail your programme of study

Paying back your fees

The Student Loans Company offers affordable repayment plans. How much you repay depends on your income - the amount you earn (including things like bonuses and overtime) before tax and other deductions – as well as the repayment plan you are on. You’ll repay a percentage of your income over the income ‘threshold’ for your type of loan, depending on how often you get paid. The income thresholds are different for each plan type.

Additional information about financial support can be found by contacting our Advice and Guidance centre on: 0161 280 8280 or guidance.centre@burycollege.ac.uk

You can also contact Student Finance England on: 0300 100 0607 or by visiting www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

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