Where the Money Comes From

The first step is to be sure about whether you will be treated as a 'Home', 'European' or 'Overseas' student for fee purposes. There are detailed guidelines about this. If you are in any doubt you should refer to the UKCISA website. The Murray Edwards College (New Hall) Admissions office will also help to advise you where the position is unclear.

The Government provides information about the financial costs and support available for home students on their website.

This College is also well aware of the serious concerns that students and their families now share about financing university studies. The attached leaflet outlines some of the ways in which this college is responding to these concerns (pdf leaflet:Student Finance issue2)

A limited number of small bursaries and scholarships are available.

Tuition Fees - Home / EU students

For most UK & EU students, the Tuition Fees will be paid through a loan from Student Finance England (SFE). This is a loan and so must be repaid later, by regular deductions direct from earnings, when (and only if) you are in employment and earning at least £21,000. The Government website provides further information.

Living costs - Home students

For most UK students, the SFE will provide a maintenance loan towards living costs of up to £5,500 per year (2012-13 figures). This is a loan and must be repaid later (in the same way as the Tuition Fee loan). A grant (not repaid later) of up to £3,875 per year will be made to those whose families are on low incomes of less than £25,000 (with a sliding scales for others up to a maximum household income of £42,600). This grant reduces the size of the maintenance loan that you can request. For those on low incomes (less than £25,000) the maximum funding available to support living costs via the grant and the loan is £7,125 per year. The Government website provides further information.

In addition to the Government funding the University of Cambridge is also able to provide financial help to students from the UK taking an undergraduate course. To find out more about the funds available, visit the University website. The University offers a generous Cambridge Bursary Scheme. These bursaries are calculated on the basis of financial need. Many students (currently around one quarter of all students) have found that they are eligible for these bursaries (which operate on a sliding scale covering family incomes from less than £25,000 per year up to around £42,000 per year).

Living costs vary but are usually between £7,000 and £8,500 per year. For many students (particularly those not eligible for a grant or bursary) there is a shortfall between their student loan and their living costs. This is met by a combination of direct support from families and paid employment during the summer vacation, longer at Cambridge than at most Universities.

Living costs - EU students

The Cambridge European Trust is able to make a small annual financial contribution to some students from Europe in financial need. However, the funds are limited and the Trust is only able to help those students who are able to provide a substantial proportion of the funding required through their own families and resources.

Tuition fees, College fees and living costs - overseas students

Overseas students are required to pay tuition fees, college fees and living costs. In total this amounts to at least £80,000 for a three year course. The Cambridge Overseas Trustis able to make a small annual financial contribution to some of these students who are in financial need. However, the funds are limited and the Trust is only able to help those students who are able to provide a substantial proportion of the funding required through their own families or through sponsorship from within their own countries.

Updated April 2012