Sort your money and finance

UK STUDENTS 

Fees for UK full-time undergraduates starting their course in 2024/25 are £9,250. You may be able to take out a tuition fee loan from your Student Finance authority. 

If you or your parent / guardian are paying some (or all) of your tuition fees, payments can be made in one lump sum on enrolment or in two instalments directly to the University. 

• If you are starting your course in September: Instalments in September and January 
• If you are starting your course in January: Instalments in January and May 

There is government funding for UK students. Depending on where you live, you can apply to Student Finance England, Student Finance Wales, the SAAS or Student Finance Northern Ireland for loans to cover the cost of tuition fees and contribute to your living costs. Most applications are made online and require you to return a signed declaration form. You will find this on the homepage of your Student Finance account or within your “Notification of Entitlement” letter which is located under ‘Letters and Emails’. 

You will only make loan repayments after you have left University and are earning over the repayment threshold, which is currently £25,000 per year for student loans through Student Finance England (for students who have started their course after August 2023). Please note that the repayment threshold is updated each year, so remember to check the official websites for the latest information, such as gov.uk. Interest on the loan is variable and linked to inflation. 

Please see the following links for more information:

• English students: www.gov.uk/student-finance
• Welsh students: www.studentfinancewales.co.uk
• Northern Irish students: www.studentfinanceni.co.uk
• Scottish students: www.saas.gov.uk
• For general information: www.gov.uk

Additional info for international students

If you have a sponsor for all or part of your fees: You must provide written confirmation from your sponsor, including their full name and address, with the details of the payments they will make. This can be sent via email to finance.income@keele.ac.uk.

If you are responsible for payment of your fees: Payments can be made in one lump sum shortly after enrolment or in two instalments directly to the University. If you are attending on a modular basis, you will be invoiced as you enrol for each module. 

Details of your tuition fees for 2024/25 are included in your offer letter. All international students will receive an invoice which will be sent to your Keele email account. The University no longer accepts cash payments from students, so please ensure you have made appropriate arrangements for payment before you begin your course. Most credit and debit cards are accepted for payment. Find out more about online payment methods.

Please remember that you must have all your funding in place before you arrive in the UK.

If you have applied for a student maintenance loan (sometimes called a living cost loan), your first instalment will be paid into your bank account only after you have formally enrolled at Keele (don’t worry, you'll receive an email about how to enrol). 

To get the loan, you'll need to inform your Student Finance authority of your bank details. It can take approximately one week from enrolment for your loan to be paid into your bank account (by BACS transfer), so you should make sure you have money available to cover your living costs in the first week or so of term, particularly if you will be living away from home for the first time. The first two weeks of the academic year can be expensive and you may need money for food, travel, household goods, books, joining societies and entertainment. 

If you experience any issues receiving your student maintenance loan, please contact your Student Finance authority in the first instance or get in touch with our Financial Support Team at student.services@keele.ac.uk.

Keele has a range of bursaries and scholarships. You can find out more here.

If you have any queries about the range of bursaries and scholarships available, please contact our Financial Support Team at student.services@keele.ac.uk where a member of the team will be happy to help.

Creating a budget may not be one of the most exciting things you do before joining Keele, but it should be one of the most important items on your to-do list. Student income can fluctuate across the year, so having a budget plan is crucial for making sure your money lasts across the academic year.

Download our free budget planner here.

If you need any help creating your budget, our Financial Support team can support you and advise on handy budgeting techniques to help you stay on track throughout the year.

Keele has also partnered with Blackbullion to give all students access to free personal financial education. Blackbullion is an online learning platform created to help you get to grips with all things money related. You can find online tutorials, quizzes and videos on a wide range of topics including:

• Starting university
• Fees and funding
• Budgeting
• Savings
• Credit cards
• Digital banks
• Debt
• Rent

Register for free at blackbullion.com with your Keele email address.

If you'll be living in campus accommodation, you'll need to pay your accommodation fees in instalments. You'll also need to make an advance payment of £450 to secure your room before you arrive. This £450 payment is split between a £150 room deposit, which is refundable when you vacate your room (less any damages or outstanding debts), and £300 payable towards the first instalment of your accommodation fees. 

For more information about accommodation fees, please visit our accommodation web pages.

We'll send your accommodation offer and room details by email. This will explain how to view your contract and terms and conditions before you accept the offer. We'll also send an invoice to your Keele email address detailing the amount and due dates of each payment and you'll receive reminders about paying your accommodation fees throughout the year.

If you have concerns about being able to meet the payment deadlines, including the deposit and advance payment deadline, please contact the Income Office as soon as possible at finance.income@keele.ac.uk.

Please note that in accepting your accommodation offer, you are entering into a contract with the University for the period specified in the offer. It is not possible to end this contract except in exceptional circumstances.

Find out how to pay for your accommodation fees.

If you'll be living in on-campus accommodation or will be paying for your own tuition, you need to know how to pay your fees.

See full details of our payment methods here: https://www.keele.ac.uk/payments/

If you have any queries about paying your fees, please contact the Income Office at finance.income@keele.ac.uk.

If you wish to pay by bank transfer, please contact the Income Office to request details. Please visit the Income Office web pages for further information.

UK students

If you don't have a bank account or are considering switching accounts, you'll need to open one as soon as possible so that any Student Loan can be paid to you. It's a good idea to look at a range of different banks to see the accounts they offer and the benefits of them. 
 
If you decide to open a new bank account, please ensure that you update your Student Finance authority to let them know your new bank details. 

International students

It is essential that you open a UK bank account once you have arrived in the UK and enrolled at Keele, but it may take a week or more before you will be able to use the account. We therefore recommend that you bring around £400 in cash with you to cover your general living expenses for the first few weeks you are in the UK. 

Many international students now choose to open an online-only UK bank account before departing their home country. The advantage of this is that the account is ready to use once you reach the UK and your debit card will be delivered to you on or just after your arrival. Banks such as Starling and Monzo are increasing in popularity, but care should be taken before selecting a bank to be sure it can offer the goods and services you need.

To open a bank account in the UK you will need:

• Passport and visa/BRP
• Your University letter of acceptance, which you can find as an attachment on your offer email (the bank need evidence that the University has corresponded with you at your place of residence)
• Proof of your term-time address (a letter for this purpose is available from eVision or from Student Services in the Tawney Building after you have enrolled; students living off campus should take their rental contract)
• A recent bank statement or credit card statement from your home bank, translated into English and containing your residential address (the statement must be less than three months old)

It's a good idea to look at the international student accounts available from a range of different banks to see the accounts they offer, the benefits available and to compare the fees for transferring money.

Tuition fees for postgraduate courses are variable and were stated in your offer letter. For more information on specific courses, please look at our comprehensive fees list.

UK students

If your Masters course starts between Thursday 1st August 2024 - Thursday 31st July 2025, you can get up to £12,167 as a student loan. The loan is paid directly to you and can be used for your course fees and living costs. Funding for postgraduate loans is different if you normally live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. 

Please see the relevant funding body websites below for more information:

• English Students: www.gov.uk/student-finance
• Welsh Students: www.studentfinancewales.co.uk
• Northern Irish Students: www.studentfinanceni.co.uk
• Scottish Students: www.saas.gov.uk
• For general information: www.gov.uk

If you have applied for a postgraduate student loan, your first instalment will be paid into your bank account only after you have formally enrolled at Keele (don’t worry, you'll receive an email about how to enrol). 

To get the loan, you'll need to confirm your bank details with your Student Finance authority. It can take approximately one week from enrolment for your loan to be paid into your bank account (by BACS transfer), so you should make sure you have money available to cover your living costs in the first week or so of term. The first few weeks of the academic year can be expensive and you may need money for food, travel, household goods, books, joining societies and entertainment. 

Additional info for international students

If you have a sponsor for all or part of your fees: You must provide written confirmation from your sponsor, including their full name and address, with the details of the payments they will make. This can be sent via email to finance.income@keele.ac.uk.

If you are responsible for payment of your fees: Payments can be made in one lump sum directly to the University shortly after enrolment or in two instalments in October and January. If you are attending on a modular basis, you will be invoiced as you enrol for each module. 

Details of your tuition fees for 2024/25 are included in your offer letter. All international students will receive an invoice which will be sent to your Keele email account. The University no longer accepts cash payments from students, so please ensure you have made appropriate arrangements for payment before you begin your course. Most credit and debit cards are accepted for payment. Find out more about online payment methods.

Please remember that you must have all your funding in place before you arrive in the UK.

Keele has a range of bursaries and scholarships. You can find out more here.

If you have any queries about the range of bursaries and scholarships available, please contact the Financial Support Team at student.services@keele.ac.uk where a member of the team will be happy to help.

Creating a budget may not be one of the most exciting things you do before joining Keele, but it should be one of the most important items on your to-do list. Student income can fluctuate across the year, so having a budget plan is crucial for making sure your money lasts across the academic year.

Download our free budget planner here.

If you need any help creating your budget, our Financial Support team can support you and advise on handy budgeting techniques to help you stay on track throughout the year.

Keele has also partnered with Blackbullion to give all students access to free personal financial education. Blackbullion is an online learning platform created to help you get to grips with all things money related. You can find online tutorials, quizzes and videos on a wide range of topics including:

• Fees and funding
• Budgeting
• Savings
• Credit cards
• Digital banks
• Debt
• Rent

Register for free at blackbullion.com with your Keele email address.

If you'll be living in campus accommodation, you'll need to pay your accommodation fees in three instalments. You'll also need to make an advance payment of £450 to secure your room before you arrive. This £450 payment is split between a £150 room deposit, which is refundable when you vacate your room (less any damages or outstanding debts), and £300 payable towards the first instalment of your accommodation fees. 

For more information about accommodation fees, please visit our accommodation web pages.

We'll send your accommodation offer and room details by email. This will explain how to view your contract and terms and conditions before you accept the offer. We'll also send an invoice to your Keele email address detailing the amount and due dates of each payment and you'll receive reminders about paying your accommodation fees throughout the year.

If you have concerns about being able to meet the payment deadlines, including the deposit and advance payment deadline, please contact the Income Office as soon as possible at finance.income@keele.ac.uk.

Please note that in accepting your accommodation offer, you are entering into a contract with the University for the period specified in the offer. It is not possible to end this contract except in exceptional circumstances.

UK students

If you don't have a bank account or are considering switching accounts, you'll need to open one as soon as possible so that any Student Finance can be paid to you. It's a good idea to look at a range of different banks to see the accounts they offer and the benefits of them. 
 
If you decide to open a new bank account, please ensure that you update your Student Finance authority to let them know your new bank details. 

International students

It is essential that you open a UK bank account once you have arrived in the UK and enrolled at Keele, but it may take a week or more before you will be able to use the account. We therefore recommend that you bring around £400 in cash with you to cover your general living expenses for the first few weeks you are in the UK. 

Many international students now choose to open an online-only UK bank account before departing. The advantage of this is that the account is ready to use once you reach the UK and your debit card will be delivered to you on or just after your arrival. Banks such as Starling and Monzo are increasing in popularity, but care should be taken before selecting a bank to be sure it can offer the goods and services you need.

To open a bank account in the UK you will need:

• Passport and visa/BRP
• Your University letter of acceptance, which you can find as an attachment on your offer email (the bank need evidence that the University has corresponded with you at your place of residence)
• Proof of your term-time address (a letter for this purpose is available from eVision or from Student Services in the Tawney Building after you have enrolled; students living off campus should take their rental contract)
• A recent bank statement or credit card statement from your home bank, translated into English and containing your residential address (the statement must be less than three months old)

It's a good idea to look at the international student accounts available from a range of different banks to see the accounts they offer, the benefits available and to compare the fees for transferring money.