Fees and funding FAQs
If you're planning to study at university, it's important to know about how much it will cost you. These frequently asked questions (FAQs) provide key information on tuition fees, available funding, and your fee status.
Tution fee increase 2025
Fees will be going up at all universities from 1 August 2025, not just the University of Central Lancashire.
The government made this decision, but it is supported by universities. Tuition fees have stayed largely the same for 12 years, while inflation has risen significantly. This means that the money universities received from fees was effectively worth less each year. This has put some universities at financial risk or in a position where they can’t make necessary improvements.
All UK undergraduate students studying at universities from 1 August 2025 onwards will be affected by the increase. So this will affect current and new UK undergraduate students. UK in this cases applies to UK and EU settled and pre-settled students (home fee status).
From 1 August 2025 fees will rise for UK undergraduate students from £9,250 per year, to £9,535 per year.
If you are a UK/home part-time undergraduate student, your fees will increase pro-rata in line with the annual fees. This also applies to those on an integrated master's course.
If you're an EU/international or part-time master's student your fees will not change for 2025/26 as these have already been confirmed.
EU and international students are not affected by the fee increase in August 2025 as these fees have already been set by the university. They have been published for 2025/26 academic year on our webpage.
Postgraduate taught (master's degree) students are not affected by the government fee increase. These fees have already been set by the university and published for 2025/26 academic year.
However, UK/home integrated masters students will be affected by the fee increase from August 2025. Integrated master's degrees are classed as an undergraduate course with undergraduate fees. From 1 August 2025 fees will rise for UK undergraduate students from £9,250 per year, to £9,535 per year.
If you're a postgraduate research student you will not affected by the fee increase in August 2025. Postgraduate research fees have already been set by the university and published for 2025/26 academic year.
UK/home students’ maintenance loans will rise by around 3.1% in line with inflation in August 2025. This means a maximum of £414 extra funding can be borrowed to support each year starting from academic year 2025/26. The amount students can claim for maintenance loans will continue to be means tested.
The majority of students won't notice the increase, as the Student Loans Company pays your fees directly to your university. However, the amount you owe the Student Loans Company will increase. Student loans aren’t repayable until you reach a certain salary. As of 2024, this is between £24,990 -£31,395, depending on which student loan plan you are on.
If you pay your fees directly (and you don’t have a loan) then the increase will be added to your invoice and you will pay as usual.
The majority of students won't notice the increase, as the Student Loans Company pays your fees directly to your university. The total amount you owe the Student Loans Company will increase. Student loans aren’t repayable until you reach a certain salary. As of 2024, this is between £24,990 -£31,395, depending on which student loan plan you are on.
However, if you pay fees directly and do not have a loan, it means you will need to fund this increase each year.
It is important that fees are paid on time, and you will lose access to your studies if they are not. This could include losing access to systems, not being able to submit assignments, go on placements, or appeal grades.
If you receive a means tested maintenance loan, you'll receive increase in this from 1 August 2025, by around 3.1%. The government says this will provide students with up to £414 extra per year. The amount students can claim for maintenance loans will continue to be means tested.
In addition to the increased maintenance loan coming in from 2025, a range of support is available, including:
- Blackbullion – an online portal that provides money management and budgeting tools. You can sign up using your university email address.
- Careers Service - you can find details of part time jobs that can fit around your studies
- Our Student Support Team can give advice and information about hardship funds, bursaries or short-term loans
General fees and funding
Your tuition fees will depend on which course you choose to study and how. Please check the individual course page that you are interested in for specific details about the fees for that programme. We review our fees every year and you can find more information on our fees and finance webpages:
Tuition fees include:
- Scheduled course tuition, academic, technical and administrative support, use of course equipment and facilities
- Course related induction activities
- Course assessment and awards
- Access to our library and online resources. This includes on-campus Wi-Fi, networked and remote access to our virtual learning environment
- Use of our buildings and resources for scheduled activities and learning support
- Dissertation, project and/or thesis printing and binding where the submission of printed and bound documents is a requirement for assessment of the module
- Use of our technical equipment and materials identified by the course teaching team as essential for the completion of the course
We will not charge additional fees for course costs which are essential for the successful achievement of your course award. The only exceptions to this are research programmes which may carry additional costs such as bench fees (also know as research support fees). If applicable these costs will be outlined in your offer.
Additional costs (essential and optional)
- Additional opportunities may be offered to you as part of course at extra charge. Most of these are optional and are not included within the tuition fees. Please visit our additional costs page for more information.
Part-time courses are charged per 20 credits studied.
Every course is made up of several individual modules or units, with each module being worth a certain number of credits. You will need to take complete a specific number of credits from the modules to successfully complete your course. Modules are usually worth 20, 40 or 60 credits and each module will align to a minimum level on the Regulated Qualification Framework.
If you study part-time you'll be charged per 20 credits studied, with fees calculated per 20 credit module.
How many modules make up an award?
Most standard courses are made up of 20 credit modules, however there are exceptions. The number of modules per course may vary. The total number of credits per course remains the same.
Examples of the number of 20 credit modules that need to be completed to achieve an award
Scroll or swipe on small screens to see all table columns
| Award | Modules required | Total credits |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 1 | 20 |
| Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) | 6 | 120 |
| Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE) | 12 | 240 |
| Foundation degree | 12 | 240 |
| Ordinary degree | 16 | 320 |
| Bachelor's (honours) degree | 18 | 360 |
| Top-up degree | 6 | 120 |
| Integrated master's degree | 24 | 480 |
| Postgraduate certificate (PgCert) | 3 | 60 |
| Postgraduate diploma (PgDip) | 6 | 120 |
| Taught master's degree | 9 | 180 |
Many universities offer additional financial support packages for students from low-income households. Or those experiencing financial hardship. This includes bursaries, which don’t have to be paid back.
For details of other government support available, including Child Tax Credits, NHS bursaries, social work bursaries, and help with costs of travel to UK clinical placements, visit gov.uk/student-finance
Financial support at UCLan
There are a number of financial support options available to students studying at UCLan. We have a team of knowledgeable financial support staff who can help you to access the right support for your circumstances. This includes:
- Support with external funding arrangements
- Accessing monetary support from UCLan
- Referrals to internal and external support services
There are non-repayable grants for some students with additional financial costs. There is short term support available for those who are struggling to cover their basic day to day living costs. You'll also find bespoke support for anyone who has experienced a one off or unexpected financial emergency.
We have a number of financial learning tools available to help you to manage your money as a student. We work closely with Blackbullion who provide an online platform with financial support modules, articles and workshops. These will help you prepare for study, manage your money while studying and then to prepare for your future beyond university. For more information about the support available, please email the Student Support Team. Current students can access more information on the Student Hub.
We have a wide range of scholarships and bursaries available for those who demonstrate academic and personal excellence. Please note, scholarships and bursaries count towards your tuition fees only.
For more information, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page. You can also find country or region specific information on the relevant country or region page.
You should apply for your student loan as soon as you've applied to study at university. The application process varies depending on where you live in the UK.
For full details and to submit an application visit the relevant website below:
A student loan is made up of two parts
- A tuition fee loan, which the government pays directly to the university. This covers the costs of teaching and other services such as student support and the library.
- Students can also apply for an optional maintenance loan to help support them with the everyday costs of student life. such as accommodation, travel, shopping and socialising with friends. This will be paid directly into your child’s bank account each term.
The amount of maintenance loan you receive will depend on your household income and other factors. Such as whether you will be living at home or in student accommodation. When you apply for your student loan you’ll be asked to provide some evidence of your parent or carers earnings. Such as a P60 form, bank statements or proof that you’re receiving benefits.
If you wish to check your eligibility for a student loan or have any issues with the application process, please contact Student Finance England (SFE) directly. We are unable to advise on any student loan applications.
A maintenance loan is a loan from the UK Government to help students with living costs while they are studying at university. It is intended to cover living costs such as accommodation, food, transport, and other personal costs during the academic year.
The amount you can borrow depends on different factors. This could include your household income and where you live during your studies (for example whether you live at home or away). It may also depend on the course you're studying. The loan is repayable, usually after you graduate, and repayment terms are based on your income. You'll usually receive the loan directly in instalments throughout the year. This is different to a tuition fee loan, which is paid directly to your university.
You must meet the following criteria to receive your maintenance loan from Student Finance England (SFE):
- You must have applied and had the application approved by SFE
- You must have successfully enrolled on your chosen course
- You must have had your attendance confirmed by the University (us) to SFE
Typically, we will confirm attendance with SFE from the start of term onwards. This means you can expect to receive your money three to five working days from the start of term if the above criteria has been met.
The amount of tuition fees you pay will depend on your fee status. You will be categorised as either UK/home or EU/international.
UK/home students
UK/home students are charged a standard fee set by the UK government. They are subsidised by the UK government so are lower than EU and international fees.
EU and international
EU and international fees can vary depending on the course and university. They are not subsidised by the UK government. EU and international students may have different eligibility for funding and scholarships compared to UK/home students.
Your fee status is based on your residency and nationality. You will be categorised as either UK/home or EU/international, based on specific criteria including:
-
Residency: this is where you have been living for the three years before you start the course. You need to have been living (not just studying) in the UK, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for at least three years before you enrol.
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Nationality: you may qualify as a UK/home student based on your nationality or citizenship. For example if you have Indefinite Leave to Remain or settled status. If you're from the EU, EEA or Switzerland you may be considered international unless you have UK residency rights.
-
Immigration status: you may be eligible for UK/home fee status depending on your immigration status. For example, if you're a refugee or have leave to remain as a family member of a UK citizen.
The information above is not exhaustive as there are many potential factors that could affect your fee status. Please email the Student Support Team if you're unsure and would like more information.
It's important to mention that the maintenance loan you receive is unlikely to be enough for you to live on. In particular, it may not cover the full costs of your student accommodation. When you apply for a place in a hall of residence you may be asked to pay a deposit and/or a month’s rent upfront. This will be before you've received your student loan.
It may come as a surprise that the government expects your parent or guardian to contribute towards your living costs during your time at university. You might want to sit down and work out how much money they're able to contribute towards your living costs and how much you're going to need each week. If this isn't possible, you could consider getting a part-time job to top up your income while you're at university.
In addition, you may be asked to contribute towards a small number of items which are essential for your course. Such as basic equipment, textbooks and attendance on field trips. You’ll receive details from the university when you apply.
You will need to set up a student bank account for their student loan to be paid into. Many banks offer attractive incentives for students setting up new accounts. From cinema tickets to railcards offering generous discounts on travel – so shop around to find the best deal.
Most students apply for a maintenance loan to help with living costs. The amount you receive will depend on your personal circumstances, such as your household income and whether you live away from home or with your family. You can use the student finance calculator on the Government website to help you work this out.
Costs can vary depending on your lifestyle and spending habits, so it's important to budget carefully and keep track of your expenses.
Some expenses you will need to include on your budget are:
- Accommodation
- Food
- Transport
- Utilities
- Leisure activities
- Textbooks and course materials
Is your parent or carer in a position to support you financially during your time at university? You can help them research how much they need to save. You could also use a contribution calculator to work out what financial support is reasonable for them to provide.