Life as a student is not all about managing course work, preparing for exams and enjoying an exciting social scene. Nowadays it is vital to manage your finances and avoid getting into a situation that could take years to repay any outstanding debts.

In doing this you must ensure you get the financial help that you are entitled to. This normally depends on your course, where you live while studying and your individual circumstances. However, the main types of help for new full-time higher education students in the UK include:

• Tuition fee loans to cover the full cost of tuition fees
• Maintenance loans to cover the cost of living expenses
• Grants to cover the cost of living expenses
• Bursaries and scholarships from universities and colleges

For the majority of students in the UK, a loan will comprise of the tuition fee loan plus a maintenance loan, and this will be paid directly at the start of each academic term. Everyone on an eligible course qualifies for 75% of the maximum loan, regardless of income, and the rest is income-assessed. The repayment of loans is repaid through the tax system, and only begins after the student has left higher education and is earning over £15,000.

So that you are fully aware of all the issues involved here, listed below is a selection of websites crammed with helpful information and links to other relevant sites. Have a look through one or two of them and you will feel much better informed of what’s involved here.

1) The Official Government Site – Sounds really official but worth looking at. It’s easy to navigate and is kept well up to date. To access Click Here .
2) UCAS – Another useful site which has a particularly good section on managing and saving money. To access Click Here .
3) Student Loan Company – The SLC provides and administers loans and grants to over 1m students annually across the UK. Their site provides useful personal finance information including good summaries of the four types of help mentioned above. To access Click Here .
4) The Guardian – It may not be your daily read but it has included a good site on its website covering student finance so have a look by Clicking Here .In particular have a look at their 10 saving tips to stretching your student budget.

Good luck and hopefully by following some of the guidance provided in the sources above you will be more financially secure on Graduation Day!

Finally, if there is anything that you feel needs more explanation after reviewing the sites highlighted please let us know and we will aim to respond.