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Tuition fees for Academic Year 2012/13

The first step in drawing up a budget for student life is working out how much higher education will cost. You’ll need to consider tuition fees, accommodation and living costs. Check out what it will cost Northern Ireland students.

Entry in academic year 2012/13

Tuition fees for full time students

Tuition fee 2012/13 Amount
Students from Northern Ireland - Higher Fee £3,465
Students from Northern Ireland - Basic Fee £1,380
Students from Northern Ireland - tuition fee loans Loan to cover fee up to maximum of £9,000
Students from Great Britain - tuition fee Higher Education Institutions and Regional Further Education Colleges to determine fees.

Tuition fees for part-time students

There are no regulations stating how much universities can charge in tuition fees for part-time courses. Students should check with their university or college for details on the fees for part-time courses.

Grants

A maximum maintenance grant of £3,475 is payable to Northern Ireland full-time undergraduate students where the household income is less than £19,203. Where the household income exceeds £41,065, students are not entitled to any grant.

Eligible students on part-time undergraduate courses may be entitled to means-tested grants for fee and courses costs.

A means tested grant for living costs of up to £2,000 is available for eligible students studying in the Republic of Ireland..

Loans

A loan for living costs is available to eligible full-time students under the age of 60. The maximum amount you can receive depends on where you live during your course of study.

  • Northern Ireland - £3,750
  • elsewhere in the UK - £4,840
  • London - £6,780
  • Republic of Ireland - £4,840

No loans will be available for part-time courses.

Access bursary

Amounts of bursary and eligibility criteria will differ between Higher Education Institutions.

Repayment

If you go to University in September 2012, you will begin repaying your student loans from the April following the completion of your course if your annual earnings exceed the relevant earnings threshold. This threshold in 2012 will be £15,795 and this figure will increase in line with inflation each year.

Repayments end after 25 years irrespective of level of any remaining debt.

Indicative fees for students commencing higher education in 2012/13

This table gives you an indication of the fees you are liable to pay depending on your country of residency and where you are going to study.

Country of residence Studying in Northern Ireland Studying in England Studying in Scotland Studying in Wales Studying in Republic of Ireland (ROI)
Northern Ireland £3,465 up to £9,000 up to £9,000 up to £9,000 €2,250*
England or Wales Unlimited will not exceed £9,000 up to £9,000 up to £9,000 up to £9,000 €2,250*
Scotland up to £9,000 up to £9,000 No fee up to £9,000 €2,250*
European Union for example, ROI, France £3,465 up to £9,000 No fee up to £9,000 €2,250*

*Tuition fees are not charged in the ROI. All students pay a registration fee. From September 2012 this is €2,250

Key dates for course and student finance applications

For the vast majority of courses, the final date for most applications to UCAS is 15 January 2012.

However, final applications to UCAS for all courses at Oxford and Cambridge or for all courses to study medicine, dentistry or veterinary science should be received by 15 October 2011.

The deadline for art and design courses is slightly later 24 March 2012.

The student finance application system will go live around Easter 2012. You can get up to date information by contacting Student Finance NI: