Undergraduate
Fees, Finance and Funding
Investing in your education is a wise decision and it's important to understand the student finance support available. From tuition fees to maintenance loans and bursaries to cash scholarships — we're here to help you plan your finances.
<p>For new students joining us in the academic year 2026/27, the Government has announced that tuition fees for undergraduate home students will increase. Subject to parliamentary approval, the fees for our CertHE, BA (Hons) and Extended BA (Hons) degrees for <strong>UK students</strong> will be <strong>£9,790</strong> per year. The fees for part-time undergraduate programmes will be £4,895.</p>
<p>For <strong>EU and </strong><strong>I</strong><strong>nternational students</strong> joining the university in 2026/27, fees for our BA (Hons) degrees are <strong>£17,500 </strong>per year. <strong>Scholarships</strong> <strong>of up to £2,000</strong> per year may be available for international students, subject to eligibility and availability.<br /></p>
<p>The university typically raises undergraduate tuition fees annually, for new and current students, in line with tuition fee caps announced by Government. The tuition fee loan available will match the new fee cap each year.<br /><br />Fees outlined are correct at time of publishing and provide an indication of current costs. For more information please email <a href="mailto:admissions@aup.ac.uk">admissions@aup.ac.uk</a>.</p>
<p>As part of the University’s commitment to access and participation, there is a package of financial support available to provide targeted support to students with the greatest additional needs or to those experiencing specific financial burden. This will help enable students to fully partake in university life and have the same opportunities as others to complete their course and progress to graduate employment or further study.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This bursary will be available to students commencing their studies in the 2025/26 academic year, and is designed to assist students in buying materials to support their studies. Eligibility for the Materials Bursary is as follows:<br /></p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Home students only (noting no franchise students included)</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Based on annual household income of £25k or less</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Assessed via Student Finance England (SfE) for those in receipt of student finance; self-funded fee payers apply via <a href="https://aup.paymystudent.com/portal/">the University’s online system</a> and are assessed</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Minimum of 80% attendance at the start of February (including explained absence)</p></li></ul>
<p dir="ltr">Materials Bursary amounts:<br /></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p dir="ltr">Extended BA</p></td><td><p dir="ltr">£100</p></td></tr><tr><td><p dir="ltr">Level 4</p></td><td><p dir="ltr">£100</p></td></tr><tr><td><p dir="ltr">Level 5</p></td><td><p dir="ltr">£200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p dir="ltr">Level 6</p></td><td><p dir="ltr">£300</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p><br />Eligible students will receive their bursary payment in one instalment, in March each year.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The University is also offering an additional bursary to students who are identified as care leavers or care experienced, to provide additional support.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Eligibility for the Care Leavers & Care Experienced Bursary is as follows:<br /></p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Home students, who at enrolment declare that they are a care leaver or care experienced (no franchise students included)</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Assessed via Student Finance England (SfE) for those in receipt of student finance; self-funded fee payers apply via <a href="https://aup.paymystudent.com/portal/">the University’s online system</a> and are assessed</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Minimum of 80% attendance at the start of February (including explained absence)</p></li></ul>
<p dir="ltr">Amount: £1,000</p>
<p dir="ltr">Eligible students will receive their bursary payment in one instalment, in March each year. <br /><br />Care Leavers may be eligible for additional support from the Local Authority. <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/fees-financing-and-funding#local-authority-support-for-care-leavers">Click here to find out more.</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">The HE Hardship Fund is a cash award from the University which does not need to be paid back. It is only available to those HE students experiencing unforeseen and severe financial hardship.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The purpose of the fund is to support cases of severe financial hardship, which affect a student continuing with their studies, which could not have been planned for such as:<br /></p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Being made redundant</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">The end of a relationship</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Needing to move to a new home due to domestic violence or being the victim of theft</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Significant change in travel or childcare costs or increased care responsibilities</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Travel costs related to bereavement, or to visit a sick relative, or in connection with your own medical treatment</p></li></ul>
<p dir="ltr">The fund is open to all Undergraduate and Postgraduate students (not franchise students) who are experiencing hardship and are:</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">enrolled and attending timetabled sessions</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">up to date with tuition fee payments</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">able to provide evidence to support their claim, including bank statements</p></li></ul>
<p dir="ltr">Before applying for Hardship Funds you are expected to have applied for all funding available to you, for example the maintenance loan, tuition fee loan and any additional grants or benefits/tax credits. You’re also expected to have taken advantage of any alternative sources of funding available to you including an interest free overdraft.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Details on the amount available to claim will be published on the Student Portal at the start of each academic year, and the fund is limited so we may not be able to meet your needs in full or guarantee that funds will be available, especially towards the end of the academic year.</p>
<h4>We offer a range of awards and discounts to applicants who have previously studied at Arts University Plymouth:</h4><ul><li><strong>Pre-Degree Progression Award* </strong><strong><strong> — </strong></strong>A £300 bursary which doesn't have to be paid back, given to any Arts University Plymouth pre-degree student who progresses onto undergraduate study at the university.</li><li><strong>Alumni Progression Award — </strong>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.</li></ul>
<p><strong>*</strong>Students must achieve 80% attendance or higher in their first and second semester to be awarded the £300 scholarship.<br /></p>
CertHE (UK Students)
Full Time: £9,790 per year (1 year course)
BA (Hons) Degrees (UK students)
Full Time: £9,790 per year
Part Time: £4,895 per year
BA (Hons) Degrees (EU & International students)
Full Time: £17,500 per year
CertHE (EU & International students)
£17,500 per year (1 year course)
Extended BA (UK students)
£9,790 per year
Extended BA (EU & International students)
£17,500 per year
CertHE (UK students)
Full Time: £10,050 per year (1 year course)
BA (Hons) Degrees (UK students)
Full Time: £10,050 per year
Part Time: £5,025 per year
CertHE (EU & International students)
£17,500 per year (1 year course)
BA (Hons) Degrees (EU & International students)
Full Time: £17,500 per year
Extended BA (UK students)
£10,050 per year
Extended BA (EU & International students)
£17,500 per year
<p>*Subject to parliamentary approval</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Undergraduate loan applications for 2026/2027 are now open through <a href="https://www.gov.uk/student-finance" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Student Finance England</a>.</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Eligible full-time and part-time UK students can apply for Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans. Tuition fees are paid directly to the university whereas maintenance loans are paid into the student’s bank account at the start of each term to support living expenses. Students from outside of the UK may be able to get help with tuition fees and living costs depending on their nationality and residency status (see section below).</p>
<p dir="ltr">Full-time students may be eligible for additional financial support which does not have to be paid back such as:</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Childcare Grants</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Parents’ Learning Allowance</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Adult Dependants’ Grants</p></li></ul>
<p dir="ltr">Students with a disability, long-term health condition, mental health condition or specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) can also apply for <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/disability-support-and-reasonable-adjustments" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Disabled Students’ Allowance</a> which does not need to be paid back.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The <a href="https://www.gov.uk/repaying-your-student-loan/which-repayment-plan-you-are-on" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">repayment plan</a> for student loans depends on when you started your course and what type of course you studied. </p>
<p dir="ltr">For more information and full eligibility criteria, visit the <a href="http://www.gov.uk/student-finance" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Student Finance England website</a> or call their helpline on 0300 100 0607. <br /></p>
<p>Additional costs throughout your degree will vary depending on the course you are doing, the materials you use, or the visits you go on. Below we have put together some typical costs for a three-year undergraduate degree.</p><ul><li><strong>Materials & equipment</strong><br />Materials and equipment needs vary between courses - for example, painting/drawing/sculpture materials (Art), fabrics and dyes (Fashion & Textiles), external hard drive (Media). The indicative cost range per year is £50-200 for Year 1, £50-300 for Year 2, £50-400 for Year 3. A typical student cost is estimated at £150 for Year 1, £200 for Year 2 and £300 for Year 3.<br /> <strong><br /></strong></li><li><strong>Printing & Photocopying</strong><br />Rates/average costs:<br />Black & white - 5p A4, 10p A3. <br />Colour - 15p A4, 30p A3.<br />Not subsidised but provided at cost. The range of annual student spend is £1-£125, with an average spend per student of £11 per year.<br /><br /></li><li><strong>Educational visits</strong><br />Educational visits are optional and are subsidised by Arts University Plymouth, and the range of costs per year are as follows: In general, the highest cost applies for the most expensive single overseas trip offered, and the lower part of the range represents costs for a number of different visits offered across each year of a programme and generally but not always within the UK. Cost range per year: £50-350 in Year 1, £50-400 in Year 2, £50-400 in Year 3. A typical student cost excluding subsistence is estimated at £100 in Year 1, £200 in Year 2 and £300 in Year 3.</li></ul>
<p>We want to retain the best creative talent that we can in Plymouth and know that creative study at pre-degree level at Arts University Plymouth offers an excellent preparation to succeed at one of our undergraduate degrees. <br /></p>
<p dir="ltr">That’s why we offer a one-off <strong>£300 cash scholarship to students who progress directly from one of our UAL Extended Diplomas or a UAL Foundation Diploma in Art & Design</strong> onto a three or four-year undergraduate degree starting in Autumn 2026 at Arts University Plymouth.<br /></p>
<p>You must also achieve the minimum attendance requirement in your first and second semester to be awarded the £300 scholarship. There is no application process for this scholarship and it is not based on home household income. The scholarship will be paid automatically to all qualifying students in one instalment in your second semester of study.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Students from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland may be entitled to loans for tuition fees from the Student Loans Company.<br /></p>
<p>Students from the EU may also be entitled to help with living costs if you have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme.</p>
<p>For existing students from the EU and those who submitted their application for student finance before 25 March 2016, the residency in the UK is only three years.</p>
<p>For more information for current and new EU students, visit the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/eu-students" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Student Finance England web page for EU nationals.</a><br /></p>
<p dir="ltr">We also welcome applicants who are resident outside of the EU, however, you will need to cover the costs of your tuition fees and living expenses yourself as you will not be entitled to student finance.</p>
<p dir="ltr">For more information and guidance for International students, please see our <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/international" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Students page</a>.</p>
<p>If you're a care leaver entering higher education before your 25th birthday, <a href="https://www.gov.uk/leaving-foster-or-local-authority-care" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">you may be entitled to a non-taxable £2,000 bursary from your local authority</a>.<br /></p>
<p>To apply, you should contact your pathway planner at your local authority. You should ask about the bursary and also whether there is any additional support for care leavers from your local authority. If you're eligible, make sure you have this agreed in writing as soon as possible. We can help if you need support with this.</p>
<p>For more information about care leavers progressing to higher education take a look at <a href="https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/universities/applying-to-university-as-a-care-leaver" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Complete University Guide </a>and this <a href="http://www.careleavers.com/what-we-do/young-peoples-project/entitlements/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">flowchart </a>from the National Care Leavers Association is useful to check whether you are eligible.</p>
<p dir="ltr">To find out more information about the additional support available to Care Leavers from Plymouth City Council, please visit their website by clicking the link below.<br /></p>
<p>Arts University Plymouth has been accepted onto the OfS Register of English higher education providers. That means we meet the OfS conditions of registration for course quality, academic standards, student support, student protection and more. For more information visit <a href="http://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/the-register" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.officeforstudents.org.uk/the-register</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://aup.lon1.digitaloceanspaces.com/production/files/Footer/Access_and_Participation_Plan_2020-25.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click here to read about our Access Participation Plan with the OfS.</a></p>
<p>Additional support can be available for students with learning difficulties or disabilities, including mental health conditions. For further information, take a look at the <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/student-life/health-wellbeing">Disabled Students’ Allowance web page.</a> Contact our <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/disability-support-and-reasonable-adjustments">Student Support team</a> for assistance.</p>
<p>There is also additional support available for students with children or dependent adults. <a href="https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/extra-help" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Find out more about extra financial help on the Student Finance England website.</a></p>
<p>Child Trust Funds or CTFs are tax-free savings accounts for children born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011. </p>
<p>Child Trust Funds were introduced by the UK government with the aim of giving all children a financial nest egg by the time they reached 18. The government paid more than £2 billion into CTFs for 6.3 million children born during the period. Children can access this money when they turn 18, but many have lost track of them.<br /></p>
<p>The scheme was ended in 2011, and parents/guardians were able to switch CTF accounts into a Junior ISA. However, a report by the National Audit Office found that despite this, there are still about 6.3 million CTFs in existence, with the average account holding £1,911.<br /></p>
<p>If you were born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011, and your parents received Child Benefit, you most likely have a Child Trust Fund account. You can find out more online about how to access this account and claim the funds at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/child-trust-funds" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.gov.uk/child-trust-funds</a></p><ul><li>Read more about Child Trust Funds on <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/money-mentor/isas/child-trust-funds" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">thetimes.co.uk</a></li><li><a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/money-mentor/isas/child-trust-funds" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>Read <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5f3ff0818fa8f55dedc64a16/10_things_you_need_to_know_about_Child_Trust_Funds.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HMRC's guide, 10 Things to Know About Child Trust Funds</a></li></ul>
