For Staff

Fees & funding 2012: Frequently asked questions

based on BIS guidance


Why is Leeds charging £9,000?

Direct government teaching funding for universities is being cut by 80%.  Our preference would have been for maintaining more of a balance between graduate contributions and direct government support, but we need now to respond to the situation as is. The funding gap created by the cuts needs to be filled if the University is to maintain and improve the student experience we offer, and provide financial support to students from low income households.

The flat fee reflects the high quality of a Leeds education, whatever discipline a student chooses to study.

Do students have to take a loan to pay their fees?

No, students will be able to pay fees during their studies. Arrangements for this are being finalised but usually fees are paid in two instalments during the year.

You say you are investing in the student experience, all the examples are things you have done, what are your future plans?

We are considering major refurbishment of the Edward Boyle library plus there are new teaching facilities and major IT investments, for example to support the admissions process, within our plans.

Why is the fee the same for all courses? Why is an arts course charged at the same price as an engineering course when the contact time is so different?

A good education cannot be measured in terms of how many hours you spend in the classroom and it's important to recognise that different subjects require different learning methods. In engineering, for example, there is a need for practical laboratory sessions whereas in the arts students need to spend time engaged in independent reading, making greater use of our world-class library resources - from online journals to special collections.

The flat fee reflects the high quality of a Leeds education, whatever discipline a student chooses to study. Also, over 70% of graduate jobs do not require a specific degree, they want graduates who are problem solvers, can think critically, creatively and independently.

How much will it cost for years abroad or in industry?

There will be a substantially reduced fee of £2,500 for a year abroad (studying or working abroad) and a fee of £1,500 for work placement year in the UK. This cost can be covered by a tuition fee loan. Some subjects may also offer scholarships to help with these costs.

Why is there a fee for study abroad?

Any fees for study abroad can be included within the tuition fee loan so will not have to be paid up-front.

You are still studying and using the facilities of a high quality university in your year abroad. You pay fees to Leeds but you will not pay any fees to the host university, many of whom charge higher fees than Leeds.  Leeds has reciprocal arrangements with our global partners which means that students from the university that you go to will come to Leeds to study but pay fees at their home institution.

The fee for Study Abroad also covers the organisation and set up, academic and pastoral support time and goes part way to cover the administration of the exchange programme.

Leeds has one of the largest study abroad programmes with arrangements with a wide range of universities. Students can choose from nearly 200 institutions - from Spain to Singapore - and gain confidence, broaden horizons, and develop skills and experiences that improve future employability.

  • Nearly 900 Leeds students study abroad every year.
  • More than 400 of these are not on language degrees.

Why is there a fee for industrial placements?

Any fees for industrial placements can be included within the tuition fee loan so will not have to be paid up-front.

Benefits to students of an industrial placement are substantial. They are able to apply knowledge and theory acquired through the first two years of study in an industrial environment and gain valuable work experience so ultimately making them more immediately employable on graduation.

There are a wide range of different types of placement options. In the case of the 12 month integrated placements the fee covers organisation and set up plus academic support time.

What will the fee include? What is not included?

As a general rule the only additional items that students will have to pay for through their course are textbooks and printing of work. In many cases textbooks are available on-line and the requirement for printing has been minimised through the ability to download information from the VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) and the use of electronic submission for coursework where appropriate.

There are a small number of exceptions. Where there are additional costs this tends to relate to travel and subsistence for fieldwork and placements and additional items for project work although this is not the case in all areas. Students are asked to contact individual schools for more information.

In advance of open days, schools need to be specific about what is additional in their area.

What information are we providing to prospective students?

Students considering Leeds for 2012 entry will find information about fees and finance on our website at www.leeds.ac.uk/yourfinances and at open days (24 & 25 June and 8 October 2011). Printed copies of the Money Guide will be available in October , there will be talks on funding during and a funding clinic in the central exhibition. See http://www.leeds.ac.uk/opendays

We will also write to students who have registered interest in Leeds to explain the financial support available from the University.

Can you explain employability-statistics for Leeds?

The graduate destination statistics used in league tables only look at employment or further study 6 months after graduation. Many of our students decide to travel or take volunteering work while they decide the most appropriate next step for them. Even so, our latest figures show that 73% of our graduates are in graduate-level employment or further study 6 months after graduating.  And many go on to great things regardless of when they started their first graduate job.

Through their time with us we help prepare our students for life after Leeds and our graduates are in great demand amongst employers - the High Fliers survey of graduate recruiters puts Leeds in the top 10 amongst employers

Plus we were the first university to support student enterprise through our careers service by giving support for students wanting to start their own companies.

What do you mean by committed to raising aspirations and access to higher education?

We want to ensure people with the talent and drive can take advantage of higher education - regardless of their background. One example of the work we do is the 'Reach for Excellence' scheme. This provides support for students within the region who have real potential but are in schools where traditionally these students are unlikely to consider higher education and, even if they do, would see Leeds as being out of their reach. Independent evaluation of the scheme shows that there has been significant improvement in achievement and in raising aspirations. We are committed to continuing with this and other schemes aimed at improving access to Leeds.

When do repayments for student loans start?

Repayments will only start when a graduate is earning £21,000 a year or more. At the earliest, repayments would start in the April after graduation.

I've read about a National Scholarship Scheme, how will that work?

This is a national initiative but students will not be required to apply to it directly. They will be automatically assessed for eligibility for the Scheme. The scholarship funding will be used, with match or additional funding from individual institutions, in university support packages. Institutions were asked to submit proposals for the funding in their Access Agreements.

Leeds will be part of the scheme and our support package for students with household incomes below £25,000 will be, in part, funded through the Scheme.

Will loan repayments affect my ability to get a mortgage? Question and answer taken from the BIS (Dept for Business, Innovation and Skills) guidance

The Council of Mortgage Lenders has advised that a student loan is very unlikely to impact materially on an individual's ability to get a mortgage. The amount of mortgage available may depend on net income.

Will loan repayments affect my ability to take out a loan? Question and answer taken from the BIS (Dept for Business, Innovation and Skills) guidance

This will be a decision for the loan provider, but student loan information won't be shared with credit reference agencies by Student Finance England.

What are the arrangements for part-time students?

The fees and financial support arrangements are changing for part-time students. The two most significant changes are that:

  • Students on most programmes will no longer have to pay their tuition fees up front.
  • Loans for tuition will be extended to eligible part-time first-degree students who complete a minimum of 25% of the full-time course load per year (30 credits or more).

Part-time students are not eligible for maintenance loans or grants.

For further information, see our website at www.leeds.ac.uk/lifelonglearningcentre, or email part-time@leeds.ac.uk or telephone 0113 343 3212.

I'm an international student; do these changes affect me?

No, these changes only affect students from the UK and European Union. Fees and financial support arrangements for non-EU students are decided by universities and we will be setting our fees for 2012 in summer 2011. Fees for international students are listed at http://www.leeds.ac.uk/info/20019/international/137/your_finances

What about current students who leave and re-join after September 2012?

If they leave and re-join they will be classed as a new student from a government funding perspective, thus eligible for the new support package and the higher fee will be payable. Transfers are treated differently (as below).

What about students who have begun a course before 1st September 2012 but then transfer after that date (in 2012/13 or subsequent academic years) to a different course - will the changes affect these students?

If a student transfers under these circumstances they will be supported as a continuing student and will not be affected by the changes provided that their mode of study (full-time/part-time) remains the same. This will apply regardless of whether the course to which they transfer is delivered at the same or a different university.

If a student may need to change mode of study (from full-time to part-time, or vice versa) on the same programme, please contact the financial aid team to discuss arrangements (financialaid@leeds.ac.uk or call 0113 343 2007). The team can also help with other similar queries.

If a student starts in 2012 and leaves part way through their studies, will they still have to pay their fee or part of their fee?

Details of how these scenarios would affect students who have taken a tuition fee loan are not yet confirmed. However, as is the case now, we would expect that leavers pay for the proportion of the year or course on which they have registered.