Definition of a ‘Home’ student In order to be considered a ‘Home’ student, you will need to meet the UK residence requirements. This does not relate directly to your nationality. This means that, very broadly, you must have been living legally in the UK, Channel Isles or Isle of Man for the three years prior to the start of the course. You must have settled status within the meaning of the Immigration Act 1971. If you are from outside the EU, then the residence must have been for purposes other than education. There are specific rules for Asylum Seekers and members of the Armed Forces. The decision about whether you are eligible for student support is made by Student Finance England, not Leeds College of Music. If there is any doubt, we will make the decision about whether a student is charged the ‘Home’ or International fee rate. This will be based upon the same criteria as that used for student support.
Payment of Tuition Fees – Full-time students The following information does not apply to full cost courses (Accelerated Degree/Foundation Certificate), which are not eligible for student funding. Most students will not have to pay their Tuition Fees before or whilst they are studying. All eligible full time Home and EU students may apply for a Tuition Fee Loan from the Student Loan Company. The fee will then be paid directly to Leeds College of Music on behalf of the student. For information about repayment of Tuition Fee Loans, please see page 182. Students who choose not to take a Tuition Fee Loan will be invoiced for the full amount, with payment due in full before 1st December. Residents of other EU countries outside the UK can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, but are not eligible for any of the support for living costs. Fees, loans and grants are subject to annual inflationary increases.
Payment of Tuition Fees – Part-time students For those opting to study on the Foundation Degree on a part-time basis (i.e. 50% of full-time, taking four years to complete) the arrangements for fees are not yet determined at the time of writing. Help with living costs (Full-time Home students only) Maintenance grants Non-repayable grants are available to students with a household income of up to around £42,600 to help pay for essential costs such as accommodation, food, books and travel. The maximum grant payable is £3,250 for students with household incomes under £25,000 in the previous tax year. Partial grants, determined on a sliding scale, are available to students with household incomes between around £25,000 and £42,600. For an illustration of how much you might receive please see page 184. Students who have an underlying entitlement to certain means tested benefits i.e. Income Support for those with dependent children, may receive a Special Support Grant instead of a Maintenance Grant. This is not taken into account when being assessed for benefits.
Maintenance Loans Loans for living costs are available to full-time students. The maximum loan for a student living away from home is £5,500. 72% of this amount is available to all students, whilst the remaining 28% is subject to the household income assessment. For students who receive the Maintenance Grant, the loan is reduced accordingly, i.e. the lower the household income, the lower the amount of funding available which has to be repaid. Additional help may be available for students with specific circumstances: – Students with dependent children can apply for a Parents Learning Allowance and a Childcare Grant. – Students with an adult dependant can apply for an Adult Dependants Grant. – Students with a disability or a specific learning difficulty can apply for the Disabled Students Allowance, to help with any extra costs incurred whilst studying as a direct result of a disability. – Students who get into financial difficulty whilst studying may be eligible for some extra help from the Access to Learning Fund, a hardship fund administered directly by Leeds College of Music. Further information is available from www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance
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Undergraduate Prospectus 2012/13