HEALTHCARE STUDENT FUNDING
IF THIS WILL BE YOUR FIRST TIME STUDYING AT HIGHER EDUCATION LEVEL, PLEASE FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE IN THIS BROCHURE. IF IT IS NOT, PLEASE CONTACT OUR STUDENT MONEY ADVICE TEAM TO FIND OUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF YOUR PREVIOUS STUDY ON FUTURE FUNDING.
FUNDING OPTIONS FOR HEALTHCARE STUDENTS
There are two funding routes available to choose from for USW healthcare students:
• The NHS Wales bursary
• Standard student finance
You will have to choose which funding option is better for you – the NHS Bursary or Standard Student Finance. Which is best will depend on your individual circumstances and factors such as your country of domicile, your chosen course, your household income level, your previous study, etc. If you would like further advice about the funding options and which might be best for you, please contact the Student Money Advice Team (contact details on page 40).
You will need to re-apply for the NHS Wales bursary, or for standard student funding, for each year of study.
Full-Time
• Nursing (Learning Disabilities, Adult, Child, Mental Health)
• Midwifery
• Operating Department Practice (ODP)
Part-Time
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy
FOR MORE INFORMATION
• NHS Wales bursary (see pages 6-13)
• Wales standard student finance (see pages 16-23)
• England standard student finance (see pages 24-31)
DEFINITIONS LOAN
ANYTHING REFERRED TO AS A LOAN MAY BE REPAYABLE AT SOME POINT. GRANT
DOES NOT NEED TO BE REPAID. BURSARY
DOES NOT NEED TO BE REPAID.
MAINTENANCE
FUNDING TO HELP WITH LIVING COSTS. MEANS-TESTED
THE SUPPORT AVAILABLE WILL DEPEND ON FINANCIAL CRITERIA.
COURSE CREDITS
UNITS THAT REPRESENT THE AMOUNT OF ACADEMIC WORK COMPLETED IN A SPECIFIC COURSE, A FULL -TIME UNDERGRADUATE COURSE IS USUALLY 120 CREDITS PER YEAR.
WELSH STUDENT
A STUDENT LIVING IN WALES ON OR BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF THE FIRST ACADEMIC YEAR OF THEIR COURSE. TO SEE THE FULL STUDENT FINANCE WALES ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA VISIT: STUDENTFINANCEWALES.CO.UK
ENGLISH STUDENT
A STUDENT LIVING IN ENGLAND ON OR BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF THE FIRST ACADEMIC YEAR OF THEIR COURSE. TO SEE THE FULL STUDENT FINANCE ENGLAND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA VISIT: GOV.UK/STUDENT-FINANCE/WHO-QUALIFIES
NHS WALES BURSARY
The Student Award Services are responsible for implementing the NHS Wales bursary schemes, which provides funding for healthcare students on NHS-funded courses in Wales.
SCAN THE QR CODE BELOW TO FIND OUT ABOUT ALL THE NHS WALES FUNDING OPTIONS AVAILABLE OR VISIT: NWSSP.NHS.WALES/OURSERVICES/ STUDENT-AWARDS-SERVICES
WHAT IS THE NHS WALES BURSARY?
The NHS Wales bursary provides help for fees and living costs to students who are planning to study
Nursing, Midwifery or an Allied Health Professional course.
The bursary is split into three main parts:
• Tuition fees
• A non-means-tested grant
• A means-tested bursary
You will need to re-apply annually for your NHS bursary to be funded for each year of study. You can apply here: nhsstudents.wales
Eligibility for an NHS Wales bursary is subject to new students committing in advance to work in Wales for two years.
It is highly recommended that you check the NHS Wales bursary terms and conditions.
If you have specific queries about it, please contact the NHS Wales Student Awards Service. For full terms and conditions please visit: nwssp.nhs.wales/ ourservices/student-awardsservices
If you don’t want to commit to working in Wales and you are eligible, you can apply for standard student funding instead.
ELIGIBILITY FOR NHS FUNDING IS SUBJECT TO NEW STUDENTS COMMITTING IN ADVANCE TO WORK IN WALES FOR TWO YEARS.*
NHS WALES BURSARY – FUNDING FOR FULL-TIME COURSES
NHS WALES MEANSTESTED BURSARY (INCOME ASSESSED)
Whether you are eligible and how much of the NHS Wales bursary you receive is based on your household income for the most recent tax year. It also depends on whether you live in your parental home, or elsewhere in the UK.
How Does it Work?
As your household income increases, the amount of bursary available decreases.
Those in the higher income thresholds (earning £55,000 and above) may not receive any bursary.
The amount of bursary you are entitled to is divided into 12 monthly payments and paid directly into your bank account.
Extra Weeks
If your course runs for more than 30 weeks, and depending on where you live, you may also be entitled to the means-tested Extra Weeks Allowance. The maximum amount of bursary available per year for a full-time course at USW (including extra weeks) is £2,879 if you live with your parents or £3,651 if you live outside the parental home.*
Additional Support
Students may also receive assistance with clinical placement costs depending on their circumstances.
To find out more about rates and how much bursary you could receive please visit: southwales.ac.uk/money
TUITION FEE
Course tuition fees are paid by NHS Wales. The bursary fully covers the Tuition Fee charge, and is non-income assessed, but you still need to apply for this as part of the online application.
MAINTENANCE GRANT
There is a non-means-tested grant of £1,000, this does not have to be repaid.
MAINTENANCE LOAN
In addition to the NHS Wales bursary, as a fulltime undergraduate student you can also apply for a Maintenance Loan. The amount you are eligible for each year depends on where you live prior to starting your course (e.g. Wales or England) and where you live while studying your course (e.g. with your parents or elsewhere).
Welsh students who are eligible for funding from Student Finance Wales should receive £9,480 if living in the parental home, or £11,345 if living elsewhere.*
Welsh students may also be entitled to extra weeks of maintenance loan. To apply for the Maintenance Loan, visit: www.studentfinancewales.co.uk
English students who are eligible for funding from Student Finance England should receive £2,066 if living in the parental home, or £2,753 if living elsewhere.* To apply for the Maintenance Loan, visit: www.gov.uk/student-finance
NHS WALES BURSARY –FOR PART-TIME FUNDED COURSES
The following funding information is for the courses listed below:
• BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy
• BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy
These courses are part-time at USW and 4 years in duration. Currently in years 1 and 4 they are 40 weeks duration, in years 2 and 3 they are 38 weeks duration.
For a part-time course you will receive the following funding:
NHS WALES NON-MEANS-TESTED GRANT
Tuition Fee – Course tuition fees are paid by the NHS. Maintenance Grant – A non-means-tested grant of £750, which does not have to be repaid.
NHS WALES MEANS-TESTED BURSARY
There are different rates of bursary depending on whether you plan to live in your parental home while you study, or if you plan to live elsewhere.
You can receive 75% of the full-time bursary and receive support for additional weeks, known as Extra Weeks Allowance. Extra Weeks Allowance is means-tested, the amount of support you'll receive is based on your course duration and household income.
Rates are based on an academic year of 40 weeks for years 1 and 4, and 38 weeks for years 2 and 3.
As this is a means-tested bursary, whether you are eligible and how much you receive is dependant on your household income. Residual income is the household income for the most recent tax year.
The amount of bursary you are entitled to is divided into 12 monthly payments and paid directly into your bank account.
NHS WALES BURSARY –APPLICATION PROCESS
CHECK IF YOU’RE ELIGIBLE
Visit the Student Awards Services –NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership to find out whether you’re eligible for the NHS Wales bursary: nwssp.nhs.wales/ourservices/student -awards-services
As a full-time student, you should check if you are eligible for a Maintenance Loan in addition to your NHS Wales bursary.
CHECK IF YOU CAN GET EXTRA HELP
Student Finance and USW offer a number of different grants, bursaries or scholarships which you may be eligible for. Turn to pages 34-35 or visit the fees and funding page of our website for more details: southwales.ac.uk/money
GETTING YOUR NHS BURSARY
Once you have been assessed by NHS Student Awards Services, they will let USW know the amount of bursary you are eligible for and authorise USW to make payments.
Once USW has received this authorisation, payments will be made into your bank account monthly. The first payment is due at the end of October (if you start your course in September) and at the end of May (if you start your course in April).
GETTING YOUR MAINTENANCE LOAN (FULL-TIME STUDENTS)
Your Maintenance Loan will be paid in three instalments close to the start of each term.
PREPARE FOR YOUR APPLICATION
Check when you can apply, what ID is needed and if you need to give proof of your household income from the past tax year. Once you have everything that you’ll need to hand, it’s time to make your application.
APPLY FOR NHS WALES BURSARY
All students considering this option should ensure that they have read the terms and conditions of the NHS Wales bursary option, including FAQs about fulfilling the work element, terms and conditions are available at: southwales.ac.uk/money
Applications are open all year round. When you should apply for student finance will depend on your course start date. You must apply within 10 weeks of starting the course.
Apply online at: www.nhsstudents.wales
Guidance and information on the application process is available at: nwssp.nhs.wales/ourservices/studentawards-services/how-do-i-apply-for-abursary/
APPLY FOR MAINTENANCE SUPPORT
As a full-time student, you should now apply for your Maintenance Loan.
Students from Wales should apply to www.studentfinancewales.co.uk
Students from England should apply to www.gov.uk/student-finance
INTRODUCTION TO STANDARD STUDENT FUNDING
Funding is available for both English and Welsh students from Student Finance Wales (SFW) or Student Finance England (SFE) to help cover living (maintenance) costs. SFW/SFE also provide an up-front loan to cover tuition fees.
WHAT IS A TUITION FEE LOAN?
A Tuition Fee Loan covers the cost of your undergraduate course fees for the duration of your studies. This funding would be paid directly to your university after you have enrolled.
You will only start to repay this loan when you have finished your studies and are earning more than the threshold (subject to terms and conditions).
WHAT IS MAINTENANCE SUPPORT?
Maintenance support is additional to your Tuition Fee Loan. It’s intended to help out with accommodation costs, travel, groceries, and academic supplies, and the way you allocate this money is your decision.
Maintenance support is means-tested, so the amount you receive will be based on your household income and where you'll live or study, for example:
• At home with your parents/carers.
• Away from your parental home and studying outside London.
It’s paid directly to your bank account in three instalments throughout the year, usually towards the start of each term.
STANDARD FUNDING FOR WELSH STUDENTS
AM I CONSIDERED A WELSH STUDENT?
Welsh students are not just students from Wales. You’re considered a Welsh student if you're any of the following:
• You are a UK national or Irish citizen and have been living in UK and Channel Islands for three years before the first day of the first year of your course.
• You’ve been living in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for three years before the first day of the first academic year of your course. You have also been granted 'settled' or 'pre-settled' status under the EU settlement scheme.
You'll also need to live in Wales on or before the first day of the first academic year of your course.
You can also have an eligible exception residency type such as a refugee, stateless person or humanitarian protection.
To see the full Student Finance Wales eligibility criteria visit: studentfinancewales.co.uk
STANDARD FUNDING FOR FULL-TIME WELSH STUDENTS
TUITION FEE LOAN
The undergraduate fee charge for most USW courses is £9,535 per year for 2025 entrants.
How much tuition fee loan you get does not depend on your household income. Student Finance Wales will pay your Tuition Fee Loan directly to USW.
You’ll receive a ‘notification of entitlement’ letter from Student Finance Wales which will confirm how much support you’re entitled to during the academic year.
You’ll need to let Student Finance Wales know if your circumstances change during your course to ensure you’re receiving the support you are entitled to.
Repayments start once you are earning £27,295 a year.* If you have not repaid the total amount you owe within 30 years, the remaining balance is written off.
Repayments are collected through the tax system and are calculated monthly.
MAINTENANCE SUPPORT
You will be entitled to maintenance support as a combination of grant and loan. This is additional to your Tuition Fee Loan.
The Maintenance Loan element will need to be repaid (when you are earning above the repayment threshold), but the Maintenance Grant does not need to be repaid.
How does this work?
The total amount of maintenance support available to Welsh students is:
• £10,480 per year for those living in the parental home.*
• £12,345 per year for those living outside the parental home and outside London.*
If you have a low household income, you’ll receive less loan and more grant, meaning you’ll have less loan to pay back.
The opposite goes for those with higher household incomes; the higher the income, the higher the loan and less grant.
The weighting of the loan and grant will equal out and you’ll end up with the same overall total of maintenance funding as everyone else.
Every eligible full-time student will receive a grant of at least £1,000 regardless of household income.*
You may also be entitled to extra weeks of maintenance loan as your course is longer than the standard 30 weeks. Your entitlement to extra weeks of loan is means-tested so will depend on the level of your household income. You could get up to an additional £1,728 (if living elsewhere) or £1,152 (if living in parental home).
Student Finance Wales will pay your Maintenance Loan and Grant into your bank account in three instalments, usually at the start of each term.
STANDARD FUNDING FOR PART-TIME WELSH STUDENTS
TUITION FEE LOAN
As a part-time student, you can apply for up to £2,625. How much Tuition Fee Loan you get does not depend on your household income.
You must be studying at a course intensity of at least 25% to get a Tuition Fee Loan.
You can work out your course intensity by comparing your module credits with the number of module credits a full-time student will study. You may be asked how many credits you’ll study when you apply for the loan. You can contact our Enquiries Team if you’re not sure about the number of credits: enquiries@southwales.ac.uk
Part-time fees are charged on a pro-rata basis according to the number of credits being studied in each academic year. In years where more credits are being studied, the Tuition Fee Loan may not cover all the fees charged. Students can set up a payment plan with the University to cover the balance due.
Standard part-time fees are charged at £785 per 20 credits. For example, a student undertaking 66% intensity (80 credits) would be charged £3,140 per year.*
You’ll receive a 'notification of entitlement' letter from Student Finance Wales which will confirm how much support you’re entitled to during the academic year. Student Finance Wales will pay your Tuition Fee Loan directly to your university or college.
Repayments start once you are earning £27,295 a year.* If you have not repaid the total amount you owe within 30 years, the remaining balance is written off.
MAINTENANCE SUPPORT
You will be entitled to maintenance support as a combination of grant and loan. This is additional to your tuition fee loan.
The Maintenance Loan element will need to be repaid (when you are earning above the repayment threshold), but the Maintenance Grant does not need to be repaid.
How does this work?
Maintenance support is means-tested, how much you get depends on your household income and course intensity (25%, 50%, 75%). Different course intensities have different overall values of maintenance support. You must be studying at a course intensity of at least 25% to get a part-time grant and loan for living costs. As an example, the total amount of maintenance support available to Welsh students studying at 66% intensity/80 credits is £6,009 per year.
If you have a low household income, you’ll receive less loan and more grant, meaning you’ll have less loan to pay back.
The opposite goes for those with higher household incomes, the higher the income, the higher the loan and less grant.
The weighting of the loan and grant will equal out and you’ll end up with the same overall total of maintenance funding as everyone else.
Student Finance Wales will pay your Maintenance Loan and Grant into your bank account in three instalments, usually at the start of each term.
STANDARD STUDENT FINANCE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR WELSH STUDENTS
To help you with the application process, here are some brief steps for you to follow. The quickest and easiest way to apply for student finance is online: www.studentfinancewales.co.uk
CHECK IF YOU’RE ELIGIBLE
Visit the Student Finance Wales website to find out whether you are eligible for student finance.
CHECK IF YOU CAN GET EXTRA HELP
You might be able to get extra funding from Student Finance Wales. Make sure to check if any loans, grants, scholarships or bursaries are means-tested or not.
USW also offers a number of different bursaries and scholarships which you may be eligible for. Turn to pages 34-35 or visit the fees and funding page of our website for more details: southwales.ac.uk/money
THINGS TO REMEMBER
• You'll need to reapply for student finance for each year of your course.
• Remember to update your details should your circumstances change. It’s also good to double check your details to make sure you can be paid correctly and promptly.
• When you stop studying, the Student Loans Company (SLC) will create a student loans repayment account for you.
PREPARE
Check when you can apply, what ID is needed and if you need to give proof of your household income.
Once you have everything that you’ll need to hand, it’s time to make your application.
APPLY
Full-time students must apply via a paper PN1 form, to ensure they receive the correct maintenance loan and not one which is part of the NHS Wales bursary package.
You can get a copy of the form by contacting our Student Money Advice Team, or by phoning Student Finance Wales.
GETTING YOUR STUDENT FINANCE
• Once your application is complete, you should receive a ‘notification of entitlement’ letter from Student Finance Wales.
• Your Tuition Fee Loan will be paid directly to your university or college in three instalments, once they have confirmed your attendance.
• Your Maintenance Loan and Grant will be paid directly to you three times a year once your university or college has confirmed your registration.
Students must also register with NHS Wales online to opt out of the bursary, and send a copy of their opt out email to bursary_opt_out_SFW@slc.co.uk
You should include your Student Finance Customer Reference number, your full name and date of birth in this email so Student Finance can match it to your application.
Part-time students can continue to apply online via the Student Finance Wales website.
STANDARD FUNDING FOR ENGLISH STUDENTS
AM I CONSIDERED AN ENGLISH STUDENT?
You can apply for full support from Student Finance England if all the following apply:
• You're a UK national or Irish citizen or have 'settled status' (no restrictions on how long you can stay).
• You normally live in England.
• You’ve been living in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for three years in a row before the first day of the first academic year of your course (apart from temporary absences such as holidays).
To see the full Student Finance England eligibility criteria visit: gov.uk/student-finance/who-qualifies
LOAN REPAYMENTS ONLY
START ONCE YOU ARE EARNING £25,000 PER YEAR*
STANDARD FUNDING FOR FULL-TIME ENGLISH STUDENTS
TUITION FEE LOAN
The Tuition Fee Loan can help students cover the costs of their course.
The undergraduate fee charge for most USW courses is £9,535 per year for 2025 entrants.*
How much Tuition Fee Loan you get does not depend on your household income. Student Finance England will pay your Tuition Fee Loan directly to USW.
You’ll receive a ‘notification of entitlement’ letter from Student Finance England which will confirm how much support you’re entitled to during the academic year.
You’ll need to let Student Finance England know if your circumstances change during your course, to ensure you’re receiving the support you are entitled to.
Repayments start once you are earning £25,000 a year.* If you have not repaid the total amount you owe within 40 years, the remaining balance is written off.
Your repayments will be taken out of your salary at the same time as tax and National Insurance if you’re an employee. Your payslips will show how much has been deducted. You should check your employer has you on the correct repayment plan.
MAINTENANCE LOAN
Eligible first-time undergraduates are able to apply for financial support to help with living costs while studying.
You’ll eventually have to pay your Maintenance Loan back, including interest, once you’ve finished or left your course.
How does this work?
The Maintenance Loan is means-tested and how much you receive is based on your household income and where you live while studying. The minimum and maximum loans available are detailed below.
• Living with your parents (£3,907 - £8,877).*
• Living away from parents outside of London (£4,915 - £10,544).*
You may also be entitled to extra weeks of maintenance loan as your course is longer than the standard 30 weeks. Your entitlement to extra weeks of loan is means-tested so will depend on the level of your household income. You could get up to an additional £1,356 (if living elsewhere) or £900 (if living in parental home).
For more information and to view the Maintenance Loan rates available for a full-time student please visit: www.gov.uk/student-finance/new-fulltimestudents
The Maintenance Loan is paid directly into your bank account at the start of each term.
STANDARD FUNDING FOR PART-TIME ENGLISH STUDENTS
TUITION FEE LOAN
You may be able to get a Tuition Fee Loan if your part-time course has a course intensity of 25% or more.
You can work this out by comparing your module credits with the number of module credits a fulltime student will study. You’ll be asked how many credits you’ll study when you apply for the loan.
Standard part time fees are charged at £785 per 20 credits. So, for example, a student undertaking 66% intensity (80 credits) would be charged £3,140 per year.
You can access a tuition fee loan to cover the full cost.*
You can contact our Enquiries Team if you’re not sure about the number of credits: enquiries@southwales.ac.uk
Repayments start once you are earning £25,000 a year.* If you have not repaid the total amount you owe within 40 years, the remaining balance is written off.
Your repayments will be taken out of your salary at the same time as tax and National Insurance if you’re an employee. Your payslips will show how much has been deducted. You should check your employer has you on the correct repayment plan.
MAINTENANCE LOAN
Eligible first-time undergraduates are able to apply for financial support to help with living costs while studying. You have to pay your Maintenance Loan back, including interest, once you’ve finished or left your course and are earning above the threshold.
A part-time Maintenance Loan is available, but it is subject to the intensity of study.
As an example, a student studying at 66% intensity/80 credits, would be eligible for a maximum loan of £5,912 if living in the parental home or £7,022 if living outside the parental home.
Student Finance England will pay the loan directly into your bank account. Payments will be made close to the start of each term, the exact dates will be listed on the payment schedule you receive from Student Finance England.
*Figures are subject to change, please refer to the Student Finance England website for the most up-to-date costs: www.gov.uk/student-finance
STANDARD FUNDING APPLICATION PROCESS FOR ENGLISH
STUDENTS
To help you with the application process, here are some brief steps for you to follow. The quickest and easiest way to apply for student finance is online: www.gov.uk/student-finance
CHECK IF YOU’RE ELIGIBLE
Visit the Student Finance England website to find out whether you are eligible for student finance.
CHECK IF YOU CAN GET EXTRA HELP
You might be able to get extra funding from Student Finance England. Make sure to check if any loans, grants, scholarships or bursaries are means-tested or not.
USW also offers a number of different bursaries and scholarships which you may be eligible for. Turn to pages 34-35 or visit the fees and funding page of our website for more details: southwales.ac.uk/money
THINGS TO REMEMBER
• You'll need to reapply for student finance for each year of your course.
• Remember to update your details should your circumstances change. It’s also good to double check your details to make sure you can be paid correctly and promptly.
• When you stop studying, the Student Loans Company (SLC) will create a student loans repayment account for you.
PREPARE
Check when you can apply, what ID is needed and if you need to give proof of your household income.
Once you have everything that you’ll need to hand, it’s time to make your application.
APPLY
Full-time students must apply via a paper PN1 form, to ensure they receive the correct maintenance loan and not one which is part of the NHS Wales bursary package.
You can get a copy of the form by contacting our Student Money Advice Team, or by phoning Student Finance England.
GETTING YOUR STUDENT FINANCE
Student Finance England will send you a letter confirming how much funding you’ll get, usually within six weeks.
After you register at your university or college, you'll usually get your maintenance loan paid directly into your bank account at the start of each term.
Students must also register with NHS Wales online to opt out of the bursary, and send a copy of their opt out email to bursary_opt_out_SFE@slc.co.uk. You should include your Student Finance Customer Reference number, your full name and date of birth in this email so Student Finance can match it to your application.
Part-time students can continue to apply online via the Student Finance England website.
EXTRA SUPPORT
Below are extra support options available via Student Finance or NHS Wales. Please refer to the table on page 33 to find out which support options you may be eligible for, depending on your choice of study.
DISABLED STUDENTS’ ALLOWANCE (DSA)
Disabled Students’ Allowance is extra support on top of your other student finance and can be used to pay for study-related costs such as equipment, non-medical help, travel and photocopying and printing.
You can apply for DSA to cover some of the extra costs you have because of a mental health problem, long term illness or any other disability. Whether you are eligible and how much support you can get and what you can spend it on depends on your individual needs, not your household income. You do not need to pay DSA back.
PARENTS’ LEARNING ALLOWANCE (PLA)
This support can go towards some of the extra costs you might have if you’re an undergraduate student who has children. Whether you are eligible and how much you get depends on your household income. You don't have to pay it back.
If you’re a Welsh part-time student, your Parents’ Learning Allowance will be calculated based on your study intensity.
ADULT DEPENDANTS’ GRANT (ADG)
This support can go towards the extra costs you might have if you’re an undergraduate student with an adult who depends on you financially. Whether you are eligible and how much you get will depend on your household income, your dependants’ income and whether or not you have a partner. You do not have to pay this grant back.
If you’re a Welsh part-time student, your ADG will be calculated based on your study intensity.
DEPENDANTS’ ALLOWANCE (DA)
If you choose the NHS bursary study route, you may be eligible for dependants’ allowances for your partner and/or children. How much allowance you may receive will vary according to your circumstances and the level of your household income. This allowance is a grant and does not need to be paid back.
CHILDCARE GRANT (CCG)
This support can go towards your childcare costs if you’re an undergraduate student who has children. Whether you are eligible and how much you get depends on your household income. You don't have to pay the CCG back.
If you’re a Welsh part-time student, you will be assessed for a reduced amount of CCG based on your study intensity.
SPECIAL SUPPORT ELEMENT(SSE)
Some English full-time and part -time students who have an underlying entitlement to certain meanstested benefits may be eligible for the Special Support Element rate of loan instead of the standard Maintenance Loan. This means that you may be entitled to a higher rate of Maintenance Loan and, if you are entitled to benefits, a proportion of the SSE is disregarded by the Department for Work and Pensions.
SPECIAL SUPPORT GRANT (SSG)
A Special Support (SSG) is for Welsh students who claim certain income-related benefits and is intended to help with costs such as books, course equipment and travel. You can apply online as part of your main student finance application.
For full-time students you could receive an enhanced rate of Maintenance Loan which is awarded with the Maintenance Grant. Whether you are eligible and how much you get depends on your household income and where you live and study.
For part-time students, whether you are eligible and how much Special Support Grant and Maintenance Loan you get depends on your household income and course intensity.
If you are entitled to benefits, a proportion of the SSG element is disregarded by the Department for Work and Pensions. You do not have to pay this grant back.
SCHOLARSHIPS AND BURSARIES AT USW
USW wants to support every student so they can reach their potential, regardless of their personal circumstance. This is why we have a range of scholarships and bursaries available to eligible applicants.
ETHNICITY EQUALITY BURSARY
USW is offering 15 bursaries to undergraduate students commencing their studies in the 2025-26 academic year, and have self-identified as one of the ethnic groups on the UK government published list: www.ethnicity-factsfigures.service.gov.uk/style-guide/ethnicgroups.
DIAGNOSTIC TESTING BURSARY
Non-means-tested bursary for students identified as requiring the test for Dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties.
USW TRAVEL
BURSARY
The USW Travel Bursary covers the cost of reasonable expenses associated with visiting the University of South Wales to attend an Applicant Experience Day.
Payments cover train, coach, air or boat fare at the most economical rate available. We are also able to support with the costs of travelling by car.
REFUGEE
SANCTUARY SCHEME
The USW Refugee Sanctuary Scheme is a scheme providing support to a limited number of eligible refugees via free English language tuition prior to starting an undergraduate course at the University.
BLACKBULLION
USW is partnered with Blackbullion, who are the ultimate destination for students to master money management. It’s the place to learn about money, find extra money, and manage your money with confidence.
For more information visit www.blackbullion.com
SANCTUARY SCHOLARSHIP
The Sanctuary Scholarship will support two successful undergraduate applicants with tuition fees waived for the duration of their undergraduate studies, and a scholarship to assist with course related costs. To be eligible for this you would need to:
• Be a person seeking asylum.
• Have limited Leave to Remain (as a result of an Asylum application).
• Be the partner/dependant included on the application of a person of any of the above groups.
CARE LEAVER SUPPORT AND BURSARY
USW is a member of Care Leaver Activities and Student Support (CLASS) Cymru partnership, who share best practice relating to care leavers across higher education institutions in Wales.
STUDENT SUPPORT FUND
This is discretionary help from the University for students who need additional financial assistance. Any assistance given is usually in the form of a grant and you can apply once you have enrolled. The fund may also be able to assist if there are delays with your funding.
SEE ALL OUR USW SCHOLARSHIPS AND BURSARIES HERE: SOUTHWALES.AC.UK/MONEY
MEET OUR STUDENT MONEY ADVICE TEAM
The Student Money Advice Team at USW can assist you with the financial side of your studies.
Get information and advice on:
• Your eligibility for student finance support.
• Student loans, grants, additional allowances, NHS bursaries and discretionary awards.
• Applications to the University's Student Support Fund and related schemes.
• Budgeting, additional sources of financial assistance and basic advice on benefits.
• The financial implications of changing or leaving a course or repeating years of study.
• Payments and administration of most of the University's scholarships and bursaries.
You can contact the Student Money Advice Team here: money@southwales.ac.uk 01443 483 778
Scan here to meet the USW Student Money Advice Team.
Scan here for money tips for new students.
Scan here to find out how our Student Money Advice Team has helped current students.
USW Student Money Advice Team: money@southwales.ac.uk
Fees and Funding: southwales.ac.uk/money
NHS Student Awards Services: nwssp.nhs.wales/ourservices/student-awards-services
Student Finance Wales: www.studentfinancewales.co.uk
Student Finance England: www.gov.uk/contact-student-finance-england
Tuition Fee Payment Queries: revenue@southwales.ac.uk
Enquiries Team: enquiries@southwales.ac.uk
Open Days: www.southwales.ac.uk/open-days
Blackbullion: www.blackbullion.com
