Fees, Finance and Funding
Investing in your education is a wise decision and it's important to understand the student funding and support that may be available to you. From bursaries to scholarships — we're here to help you plan.
For further information about our course fees and the financial support we can offer, please look through the relevant sections below.
If you're under 19 years old and a permanent UK resident, our pre-degree courses are completely free of charge.
Pre-Degree students aged 19 years or over are no longer eligible for free study on our Pre-Degree study programmes and fees may apply for non-permanent UK residents. Financial support may be available.
For further information about our course fees and the financial support we can offer, please look through the relevant sections below.
Fees outlined are correct at time of publishing and provide an indication of current costs. For more information please email admissions@aup.ac.uk
Extended Diploma and Foundation Diploma in Art & Design
If you're under 19 years
Pre-degree courses at Arts University Plymouth are completely free of charge for permanent UK residents who are under 19 years of age, and who have met the entry conditions i.e. hold a complete Level 3 qualification for the Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, and have met the GCSE entry requirements for the UAL Extended Diplomas.
If you're over 19 years
Pre-degree study at Arts University Plymouth requires a tuition fee for students over the age of 19 years old. Extended Diplomas for the entry year 23/24 are charged at £4,291 per year for UK(home) residents and £11,500 per year for EU and International students. whilst Foundation Diploma fees are charged at £5,421 for UK (home) residents and £11,500 for EU and International students.
Advanced Learner Loans are available to help with the cost of tuition fees for our Foundation Diploma. Our Admissions team will provide students with the relevant learning and funding information letter in support of Advanced Learner Loans applications.
Under 19 - Free
Over 19 - £4,291
£11,500
Under 19 - Free
Over 19 - £5,421
£11,500
International fees (all categories) exclude costs for any pre-sessional English course and ongoing in-year English language support.
The university is committed to ensuring Further Education is accessible and affordable for all, therefore we offer a variety of bursaries to help Pre-Degree students with their study costs. If your net annual household income is £30,000 or less, or you have any exceptional circumstances, then you may be eligible for one of our Pre-Degree bursaries. Students are assessed on an individual basis and evidence of household income must be provided in support of your application.
For more information about the financial support available for academic year 2023/24 and the evidence required to support your bursary application, please click here. We recommend reading this before completing your application for a better understanding of the support available and eligibility criteria.
Funding is limited and applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. However, our aim is to prioritise those students with the greatest financial need, so we recommend all students apply as early as possible.
If you will be a second year student, or returning to Palace Court to continue your Pre-Degree studies in the academic year 2023/24 you must reapply to the bursary scheme to be assessed. Your bursary will not roll over from the 2022/23 academic year.
Any financial support awarded is subject to students complying with the Code of Conduct as set out in the Student Handbook, and maintaining a sufficient level of attendance and engagement, with absences reported correctly.
Please note: this bursary scheme is not for Higher Education students studying at Undergraduate or Postgraduate level.
If you have any questions relating to bursaries or student finance please contact the Registry team at any time (prior to or after enrolling) by emailing studentfinance@aup.ac.uk.
16-18 Bursary Funding is provided by the Education & Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) for students studying at Further Education level, who are aged 16 or over but under 19 on 31 August 2023*.
*Students aged 19 or over can receive bursaries if they are continuing on a study programme they began aged 16-18 (19+ continuers) or have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
In line with ESFA rules and regulations, we are able to support students in the following ways:
Students may be eligible for a financial contribution towards the cost of travel to and from Arts University Plymouth. We prioritise those students with an annual household income of less than £30,000. However, applications are assessed individually and based on actual financial need.
For students in Plymouth, concessions are available on both Plymouth Citybus and Stagecoach buses. Stagecoach also have options for those students located in the South-West but outside of Plymouth. Students from Devon (excluding Plymouth) can contact Devon County Council on 0345 155 1019 or visit their website https://www.devon.gov.uk/educationandfamilies/guide/post-16-transport/ for advice and information. Students from Cornwall should contact Cornwall County Council on 0300 1234 222 or visit their website www.cornwall.gov.uk/post16transport . For students travelling by train, railcards are available through Trainline such as the 16-17 Saver and the 16-25 Railcard.
An award of £12 per week to students who are (or whose parents/guardians are) in receipt of specific benefits, as listed in the bursary guidance notes.
Any student allocated 16-18 bursary funding will automatically receive a £100 material bursary to contribute towards course costs.
Up to £1200 for the academic year, paid to students aged 18 and under who:
are currently in care or are care leavers
are in receipt of Income Support or Universal Credit in their own right
are in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) / Universal Credit as well as Disability Living Allowance (DLA) / Personal Independence Payments (PIP)
A contribution towards the cost of accommodation for students who have to relocate to Plymouth in order to study on one of our further education courses. Payments are made directly to the accommodation provider. Arts University Plymouth can not pay deposits or act as a guarantor. Students are required to make accommodation arrangements independently through external agencies.
Students aged 20 and under who need help with the costs of childcare can apply for the Government's Care to Learn scheme.
A bursary for those students who are using an Advanced Leaner Loan to cover their tuition fees. Bursary payments to contribute towards essential costs, such as travel, accommodation and/or childcare.
A bursary for those students who are not continuers but aged 19 and over before 31 August 2023, and do not have an EHCP or an Advanced Learner Loan. Bursary payments can contribute to essential costs, such as travel, accommodation and/or childcare.
Students aged 20 and under who need help with the costs of childcare can apply for the Government's Care to Learn scheme.
We offer a range of awards and discounts to applicants who have previously studied at Arts University Plymouth:
Pre-Degree Progression Bursary £300 Cash Scholarship — Available to eligible* students who progress directly from one of our UAL Extended Diplomas or a UAL Foundation Diploma in Art & Design onto a three or four-year undergraduate degree at Arts University Plymouth.
Alumni Progression Award — 15% discount on MA or MFA fees for Undergraduate, Pre-Degree and Foundation Diploma in Art & Design graduates, who go on to postgraduate study with us.
Short Course Progression Award — 10% discount on MA or MFA fees for anyone who has completed a Short Course with us.**
*To be eligible students must achieve a Merit or Distinction in their pre-degree study, or those with a Pass must have been awarded a Green Traffic Light for their final Academic and Skills Project progress checks. Students must also achieve a minimum attendance requirement in their first and second semester 2022/23 to be awarded the £300 scholarship.
=**Does not include Short Courses that are free, such as Making Change or Build Your Portfolio
The purpose of this statement is to set out how Arts University Plymouth will use its 16 to 19 tuition fund allocation. This fund is designed to facilitate support for students who have been disadvantaged due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).
The 16 to 19 tuition fund will be used to provide small group tuition for students aged 16 to 19 who have not yet achieved a grade 4 or above in English and/or Maths. We will invest in an Academic Skills Coach who will be tasked with focusing on English and Maths catch up in which we hope to inspire students to engage in academic skills with bespoke support strategies.
The provision will not be limited to tuition for English and Maths, we will also be allocating some additional funding within the Pre-Degree department to our learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) by supporting them more broadly within their individual study programmes by employing a Pre-Degree Inclusion Champion.
Tuition groups will consist of no more than five students (but can be extended to seven students where appropriate). The tuition sessions will be embedded within the planned learning and also scheduled in addition to the planned programme of study hours already timetabled for the academic year 2023/24.
Please contact our Admissions team (admissions@aup.ac.uk) or our Registry team (studentfinance@aup.ac.uk) for further advice.