Student Finance 2012/13

Tuition Fees

St Mary's will charge £3,465 per annum to students who are resident in Northern Ireland for all of its full-time courses.

Student Contributions

Students can avail of a Tuition Fee loan to cover the cost of their Tuition Fees. This means that students will not have to pay up-front tuition fees before or during their higher education course. Instead students will be able to defer payment of tuition fees by taking out a Fee Loan to cover the cost of Tuition Fees.

Students who do not avail of the Student Loan for Tuition Fees will be invoiced for the full £3,465 by the Finance Office.

Students who have not applied for the Fee Loan can still do so. This can be done by contacting your local branch of Student Finance NI. To check whether you have applied for the Fee Loan go to www.studentfinanceni.co.uk

Students experiencing financial hardship should contact Student Services.

A student who fails to fulfil his or her financial obligations to the College shall be liable to be suspended from the College. The power to suspend includes the power to defer the award of a degree, diploma or certificate.

PGCE Students

Tuition fees for PGCE students will be £3,465. Students however, can avail of the Tuition Fee Loan. Students who do not avail of this will be invoiced as above.

Payment Methods

Students who do not avail of the fee loan can pay their fees in one of two ways:

Direct Debit – students can complete a direct debit authorisation which spreads the fee due over six months from December 2012 to May 2013.

Cash or Cheque – students who do not complete a direct debit authorisation will receive one invoice in November 2012 for the full amount, which will be payable within 30 days.

Tuition Fee Regulations

Any student who has not paid an account for fees to the College will not receive the certificate for any degree, diploma or other qualification awarded by the College until all outstanding debts have been cleared.

For debts over 90 days a letter warning students that disciplinary action will be taken within 7 days if payment is not made will be issued. Where payment is not made within this period, disciplinary action which may lead to suspension will be initiated.

Continuing students who have not cleared their fee account will be prevented from re-enrolling at the College and from using any of the College facilities.

Where tuition fees have not been paid by the end of the academic year a file will be passed to the College solicitor. The College solicitor will be instructed to take appropriate action to recover the outstanding fees. Where fees remain unpaid three months after an individual has ceased to be a registered student of the College, legal action will normally be initiated.

Student Withdrawals

The College policy on tuition fee liability is as follows:

• Students withdrawing on or before 30th November will have their fees cancelled and a refund issued if appropriate.
• Students withdrawing between 1st December and 28th February are liable to 50% of the full fee.
• Students withdrawing from 1st March must pay the full fee for the year.

For students who withdraw from the College, an official withdrawal form which is available from the Admission's Office, should be completed. Only on receipt of an official withdrawal form can the above policy be applied to students withdrawing from their course.

Please note that the College's policy on tuition fee liability is currently under review and may be subject to change.

Tuition Fee Loans

Students entering St Mary's in September 2012 will be charged fees of £3,465 per year for all of its full-time courses.

All eligible students can apply for a Student Loan for Fees to cover the cost of any assessed contribution. This means that students will not have to pay up-front tuition fees before or during your higher education course. Instead students will be able to defer payment of tuition fees by taking out a Tuition Fee Loan to cover the cost of any assessed contribution.

To apply for the Tuition Fee Loan students should contact their local branch of Student Finance NI as soon as possible.

Students who decide not to take out the Tuition Fee Loan will be invoiced for the full £3,465 by the Finance Office.

Maintenance Grant

Students who start their course in September 2012 may be eligible for an income assessed non-repayable maintenance grant of up to £3,475.

This is usually paid in three instalments, one at the start of each term along with any other support you may be entitled to. Please note that although students may have part of their living costs met through a Maintenance Grant, their entitlement to support through a Maintenance Loan will bereduced to reflect this.

To apply for the Maintenance Grant students should contact their local branch of Student Finance NI as soon as possible or go online at www.studentfinanceni.co.uk.

Special Support Grant

For students who are in receipt of Income Support or other means tested benefits such as Housing Benefit a new Special Support Grant is available.

It will cover additional course costs such as books, equipment and travel that results from attending a course. The amount of support, the income assessment arrangements and the payment arrangements are the same as for the new Maintenance Grant.

To apply for the Special Support Grant students should contact there local branch of Student Finance NI.

Maintenance Loan

New and existing students can apply for a student loan through their local branch of Student Finance NI. Students should complete application and financial forms and return them to their local Student Finance NI branch. They will then send the student a Financial Assessment Notification telling the student how much support they can get and a Loan Request Form. Students should complete this form and send it to the Student Loan Company (SLC). The Student Loan will be paid to the student in three instalments by credit transfer directly into the student's bank account after the student has registered on their course at the start of term.

St Mary's Bursaries

St Mary's will provide additional financial support, based on assessed household income, in the form of a non-repayable annual College Bursary. The amount of the College Bursary will be dependent on the level of assessed household income.

Students who are entering St Mary's as first year students with assessed household income of less than or equal to £19,203 will be entitled to a College Bursary as set out below.

Household Income                               College Bursary

Less than or equal to £19,203                     £   800

Existing students, that is students who entered St Mary's prior to 2012, will be entitled to a College Bursary based on assessed household income as set out in the table below;

Household Income                               College Bursary

Less than or equal to £19,203                      £ 1,385

Between £19,204 and £41,065                      £    585

Maximum bursaries include the standard £319 bursary. College bursaries will be increased annually to take account of inflation.

Student Withdrawals

The amount of College Bursary paid to an eligible student, who withdraws from his/her course, is consistent with the College's policy on tuition fee liability;

• Students withdrawing on or before 30th November will have their fees cancelled and a refund issued if appropriate.
• Students withdrawing between 1st December and 28th February are liable to 50% of the full fee.
• Students withdrawing from 1st March must pay the full fee for the year.

Please note that the College's policy on tuition fee liability is currently under review and may be subject to change.

Applying for Financial Assistance

To apply for any element of financial support detailed above, students should contact their local branch of Student Finance NI at www.studentfinanceni.co.uk as soon as possible after applying for their course.

Don't wait until you have a firm offer of a place.

Students from the Republic of Ireland and other non-UK EU Countries

From 2012 St Mary's will charge £3,465 to students who normally live in the Republic of Ireland or other non-UK EU countries, for all of its full-time courses. Students will not normally have to pay up front for tuition fees. Eligible students can defer their fees by applying for a fee loan up to a maximum of £3,475. Students also have the option of part-deferring their fees or they can choose to pay the full amount up front if they wish.

EU students should apply to the Student Finance Services European Team for further information.

Students from from England, Scotland and Wales