8 sources of finance for University study.

As an adviser I’m often asked about what financial help is available for students wishing to study at University. Although the main resource is Student Finance England there are other sources which are often missed. So in the best tradition of top ten lists, (even though there are only 8 in this case), here are the top 8 sources of finance.

1. Loan for Maintenance
2. Maintenance Grant
3. Bursary
4. Scholarship
5. Job (both before you begin study and part-time whilst studying)
6. Family (often known as the Bank of Mum and Dad but can include other people)
7. Savings/Borrowings
8. Sponsorship


Even if you are aware of some of these resources it is always work checking how much you can get and the costs of paying any loan back. In recent research people commonly underestimate the maximum value of loan and overestimate future repayments. Bursarys and Scholarships are another area where many people are unaware of what is available. To find out what you could get go to http://www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinancecalculator where you can find out what each University could offer you.  However Sponsorships can be difficult to obtain and some companies now prefer to offer them to students after their first year of Uni study.  They also tend to be in certain areas, such as the Military, or in occupation fields such as Engineering. Packages on offer can be excellent and not just focused on money, (management training and career exploration can also be part of the package),  but do check out the committment involved and ensure you are happy with what will be required as your side of the deal. Check out http://www.everythingyouwantedtoknow.com/student-finance/sponsorship for more info on Sponsorships