Applications for Student Finance, Tuition Fee Loans and Tuition Fee Grants Awarded in Wales - Update, Month Ending March 2008

Statistics on applications for student finance, tuition fee loans and tuition fee grants awarded include data for Wales for the period up to the end of March 2008. The latest release updates the statistics previously released on 13 March 2008.

From 2006/07 loans to cover the cost of tuition fees became available for students.  This means that tuition fee payment can be deferred until students have left higher education and are earning over £15,000.  New system Welsh and EU domiciled students studying in Wales (i.e. those entering under the new support arrangements introduced in September 2006) were subject to tuition fees of £1,200.   Welsh domiciled students studying in England were subject to variable tuition fees of up to £3,000.  From 2007/08 fees of up to £3,070 are being introduced in Wales affecting new system students who started their courses from 2006/07 onwards.  New system Welsh domiciled students who choose to study in Wales will be eligible to a tuition fee grant (non-repayable) of up to £1,845 dependent on the institution they attend.

This headline statistics presents the latest Student Loans Company management information on the take-up of both tuition fee loans and grants.

The key points from the latest release are:

• In the 2007/08 academic year to date, a total of 52,040 applications had been received for student support in Wales.
• 32,500 applications had been received for tuition fee loans; 22,670 students had been awarded a tuition fee grant.

Further information can be found on the StatsWales website.

Contact:
Tel: 029 2082 1514
E-mail: he.stats@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Next Update:
May 2008 (provisional - to be confirmed on the Due Out Soon page)