Student finance for undergraduate study

Going to a conservatoire is one of the biggest investments you can make. Do you know how much it is going to cost you and what help is available? The links below will help you find the information you need.

Most students do not need to pay any tuition fees up-front, as you could be eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan. There are also grants and loans to help with living costs, such as rent, food, books, transport and entertainment. Further information can be found on Directgov. Musicians and other performers will also need to budget for instrument-related or specialist clothing costs, such as insurance, repair and maintenance, and consumables such as reeds and strings or shoes. Charges vary between courses, as well as between conservatoires, so check these before you apply.

Full-time students in England can apply online now for 2012 entry financial support at www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance. You should apply online now to make sure your money is in place at the start of your course. It's quick and easy and you don't need to have a confirmed place - just use your first choice of course and change it online at a later date if you need to. View more information.

Students in Wales and Northern Ireland can apply from March 2012 for 2012 entry support.

For an independent view of what it costs and what the new student finance arrangements mean for you, visit www.moneysavingexpert.com.

The cost of studying in the UK for 2012 entry

Recent changes to policy on student finance arrangements and higher education funding mean conservatoires may be delayed in planning and confirming the courses they will be offering for 2012 entry and the fees they will charge.

For those home and EU students wishing to enter UK conservatoires from 1 September 2012, CUKAS Course Search is now live. Fee information for all English and Welsh conservatoires is available on Course Search - any questions about fees should be directed to the conservatoires themselves. Fee information for the Scottish conservatoire has not yet been confirmed by the Scottish government and will not appear on Course Search until such confirmation has been received.

It is likely that different conservatoires will charge different fees for similarly titled courses. Therefore it is important thatyou are clear on exactly what you will be paying for your studies as well as the course you wish to apply for, prior to submitting your application.

These timescales are all based on the information we have available to date. While we are not anticipating any significant alterations, we should make you aware they are subject to change.

Maximum annual tuition charges for 2012 entry to a typical undergraduate degree

Table 1: Based on current knowledge

Domicile of student Location of institution

 England Scotland Wales NI
England Up to £9k Up to £9k Up to £9k Up to £9k
Scotland Up to £9k No fee Up to £9k Up to £9k
Wales Up to £9k* Up to £9k* Up to £9k* Up to £9k*
NI Up to £9k Up to £9k Up to £9k Up to £3,465
EU Up to £9k No fee Up to £9k* Up to £3,465
Other international Variable Variable Variable Variable

Notes:

The table above represents the maximum fee information at the current time. This table will be updated as and when further information becomes available.

*The Welsh Government will allow Welsh students a maximum fee loan of £3,465 plus a new fee grant to account for the balance of the actual fee charged (up to £9k) wherever they study in the UK and for EU students planning to study in Wales only. This means that the subsidy will vary dependent on what the institution charges. For example, if an institution charges £7k, the fee grant will be £3,535. Welsh domiciled students will therefore pay the same fees as other students for the course at their chosen institution, but will receive assistance from the Welsh Government towards the costs.

For more information on student finance in England, particularly around the type of financial support available, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills has launched a dedicated website: www.direct.gov.uk/yourfuture. A feature of this website is a repayment calculator which can provide you with an estimated monthly repayment figure, based on your eventual career. There are also published information sheets for full-time and part-time applicants, as well as answers to frequently asked questions.

For more information on student finance in Wales, visit Student Finance Wales

National Scholarship Programme (NSP)

The National Scholarship Programme (NSP) starts in September 2012. It gives financial help to students studying in higher education in England. The scheme is designed to help students whose families' income is £25,000 or less. NSP awards are in addition to any other loans or grants students might apply for.

Awards might include help with tuition fees, subsidised accommodation, a cash bursary or other help. Awards are paid by the conservatoires. Each conservatoire has its own rules about eligibility, and what types of awards are available.

Applicants should make sure they fully understand and meet the eligibility criteria of their chosen conservatoire before they apply. NSP awards will not be available to individuals who are ordinarily resident in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Other EU nationals will only be eligible for certain types of awards.

DirectGov provides information on the funding offered by each conservatoire.

As more detail becomes available, we will publish the information on this page.

UCAS making things clearer

UCAS is going to be working closely with many in the sector, and moneysavingexpert.com, to ensure changes to student finance arrangements for 2012 entry are understood by those applying this year. For more information on the new independent taskforce for student finance communication or for an alternative source of information on student finance changes, visit www.moneysavingexpert.com/students2012.

International and EU students

If you are planning to study in the United Kingdom and want to attend a publicly funded conservatoire, your fee status (whether you pay full-cost fees or a subsidised fee rate) will be determined by the UK conservatoire you plan to attend. See the International and EU students page for more information.

Student finance

For more detail on the types of finance and financial support available for students, the following websites provide the most up-to-date information available.

England: Student Finance England

Wales: Student Finance Wales

Scotland: Student Awards Agency for Scotland

Northern Ireland: Student Finance Northern Ireland

You can also follow Student Finance England at twitter.com/sf_england and facebook.com/SFEngland. Student Finance England also runs regular student finance surgeries on Facebook and Twitter and provides a range of help tools to help walk you through what to do and when to do it. These resources include 'Key dates checklists' for applying and Disabled Students Allowances (DSAs), a range of 'How to' films, Facebook apps and a Student Finance Calculator. View more details.

There is help for students with disabilities known as the Disabled Students' Allowances DSAs) - see the students with disabilities page on this site.

Take a look at our online bookstore - we have a specific section about student finance where you can learn more about what's available and how to manage your money. Go to the UCAS bookstore to find out more.

Managing your money

Learning to manage your money at a conservatoire requires planning. You'll need to learn to budget and live within your means - this way you'll find it much easier to support yourself without leaving with a huge debt. Read through our Managing money section for tips and advice.