Finances

Before coming to enrol at the University you will need to apply for student funding towards tuition fees and living costs through Student Finance England or your regional funding body (please note that eligibility criteria apply). If you have already applied for funding but you were offered your university place through Clearing, you are advised to contact Student Finance England (or regional funding body) to update your application.

Please be aware that you will not receive your first instalment of student funding immediately after you enrol so it would be advisable to bring some money to university with you to cover your essential costs for the first week of term at least. Maintenance loans may take up to five working days to reach your bank account after enrolment.

Students have the opportunity to apply for bursaries, scholarships and awards which can help with living and course costs. There are also employment options that you can explore at the University, such as becoming a Student Ambassador or getting part-time work.

If you have financial problems while you are at the university, or if your Maintenance loan payment is delayed at the start of term, the Financial Guidance Team may be able to offer you financial assistance. You could be eligible to apply for the following:

• Bridging loan – to assist students whose first instalment of Maintenance loan is delayed
• Financial Assistance Fund – for students who are experiencing ongoing financial difficulties.
• Diagnostic Assessment Award –  support towards a diagnostic assessment for dyslexia or other learning difficulty before applying for Disabled Students Allowance (DSA).
• Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) Top-Up Award – which offers support towards the cost of the first £200 towards computer and/or software as part of a DSA application.
• Care Leaver/Foyer/Estranged Student Award – financial support for those who have left a care background, lived in a foyer or other homeless project or those who are estranged from their parents.
• Carers Award – for students who are responsible for the care of a relative due to disability, chronic/terminal illness, mental health problem or similar.
• Emergency Loan – may be offered to students who experience unexpected, temporary financial difficulties.

The Financial Guidance team are available to help if you have any queries about the type of funding that may be available to you, are having difficulty managing your money or have any financial concerns. The team also have a partnership with Northampton Citizens Advice, if you have a more complex debt or benefit query, to ensure that you are given the best guidance possible. For useful budgeting guidance, please see the Financial Guidance Teams Budgeting Learning Module.

Paying your own fees

If you intend to pay your own fees, you should ensure that you have the means to make the appropriate payment on the payment due dates.

To pay any of the fees required from you, or for information on accepted forms of payments, please visit our Finance Payment Portal.

If you are an international student and need more information you can also visit International Tuition Fees page.

If you are a UK student and require more information about undergraduate fees please see Undergraduate Tuition Fees page.

Support for student care leavers

We understand that most new students may feel a bit uneasy or overwhelmed when they first arrive at university, regardless of their background. We have put in place a range of support services to support your transition to university and also to specifically address the needs of care leavers. If you have any queries, please contact the Student Information Desk in the Learning Hub.

Visit our Support for student care leavers page for more information.