Student Finance

Student Finance is the student support package offered by the Government and is available to most full-time and part-time first degree students who are studying on our undergraduate courses.

On this page, we cover the basics of Student Finance, and go through some of the key information you will need when putting your application in.

If you require any support with your Student Finance application, you can reach out to us via email on info@uces.ac.uk.

Starting Your Application:

Before you start your application for Student Finance, you must gather some specific information to help you through the process.

You will need to hand:

- The preferred course you have applied for.

- Personal contact information.

- Contact information for whoever you live with (Generally a Parent or Guardian)

Your first step is to create an account with Student Finance England, and login to begin the main application.

You will be asked to input the specific course you have applied for, and institution where you plan to study. For students coming to the University Campus of Esports, it is vital that you put the institution as the ‘Health Sciences University’.

HSU is our validation partner, so all of the Student Finance applications for students attending the University Campus of Esports will go through them initially. Putting them down as your institution does not affect your space with us.

Once you have selected your course, you will be asked to provide your personal contact information and current address.

Moreover, you will have to select which loans you want to apply for (Tuition and Maintenance), and input the appropriate information for each of these loans.

Your Maintenance Loan is determined by your household income, and details of your parents or guardians will be required to process this aspect of the application.

These are the basics needed to start your application, and can help you get started in the Student Finance process.

Loan Types:

There are two types of loans students can apply for annually whilst they study:

🎓 – Tuition Fee Loan – Covering course costs

🏘️ – Maintenance Loan – Covering basic living costs

Every student who attends university in the UK is eligible to apply for these loans, with Tuition Fees being readily available to make sure they can attend university without worry.

Maintenance Loans are dependent on your household income at the time of application, and will be used for accommodation, travel, food, and any other necessities throughout their studies.

It is vital for students to start this process as soon as possible to ensure they can gather all of the information needed to accurately fill out the application form.

After graduation, you will have to begin paying these loans back when you start earning more than £25,000 a year in a job. Payments will be taken out automatically from your monthly wages, and will be taken for a maximum of 30 years.

After 30 years, the loan will be dissolved – even if you have not paid it all off.

What to expect from us:

You will have access to a wide range of support and services:

Microsoft 365 and its associated Apps.
Materials for real-world settings and teaching activities.
A range of student support services.
Our Online Library & Learning Resources are free for students.
Open access study spaces and WiFi.
Disability and additional learning support.

Cost of living & Expenses:

We know that living in London while studying at university may seem expensive, but careful planning and budgeting can make managing your money much simpler.

The cost of living in London can vary hugely depending on students’ individual lifestyle choices, and although it tends to be more expensive than in other UK cities, that does not make it unaffordable. There are lots of opportunities for part-time work, lots of different ways to travel, plenty of activities to enjoy for free, a greater range of shops allowing you to find the best deals, and lots of student discounts and promotions to take advantage of in London.

There are also some useful online tools, such as the UCAS budget calculator or the Which? University website to help you manage your money throughout the year. Additionally, the Living Wage is higher in London and the Student Finance Maintenance Loan is paid at a higher rate for students living in London.

You will need to consider budgeting for:

Accommodation and living costs.
General stationery and other supplies such as presentation materials.
Photocopying and printing.
Inter-Library Loans service.
Optional field trips and educational visits.
If you require a Diagnostic Assessment for a Specific Learning Difficulty such as dyslexia, UCES may be able to assist you in arranging this.
Graduation is free for the student to attend the ceremony itself, and Graduates must wear academic dress. Academic dress, guest tickets and photography are additional costs payable by the student.

DSA - Disabled Students Allowance:

Disability Students Allowance (DSA) – payments provided to you to support any difficulties you may have during your studies.

DSA is support that you do not need to pay back, and comes in many forms depending on what help you may need.

For the 2025-26 academic year, eligible students can receive up to £27,783 of support through DSA.

DSA can help to cover:

The costs of specialist equipment – for example a laptop or computer if your disability means you need one.
British Sign Language Interpreters or specialist note takers.
Travel costs to attend your course if your disability makes this difficult.
Disability-related study support costs – for example a printer or audio recorder for recording lectures.

If you feel as though you have a disability that requires extra support at university, you can apply for DSA and undertake a ‘Needs Assessment’ – where you will go to a local centre and be assessed for any support or equipment you may need.

Your assessor will write a report and send it to Student Finance to determine how much support you need, and provide any equipment as appropriate.

More information about DSA is available on the UK Gov website.