Coming to

Ravensbourne
Financial Help
Tuition fees, loans, grants
and bursaries
 Foreward
We recognise that your decision to enter higher education is a significant
commitment both for your future career and financially.

The purpose of this booklet is to provide you with some basic information on the
financial help which is available to you.

This comes in a variety of forms which include grants, loans and – from September
2006 – bursaries from Ravensbourne College.

The booklet also provides information on where to find further information,

including in our website – www.ravensbourne.ac.uk

Our Student Finance and Bursary Advisor is also available by e-mail, ‘phone, or in
person on Open Days and by appointment to help and advise you on financial
matters.

We look forward to welcoming you to the College.

Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication

March 2006

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Contents
1. Information on tuition fees, loans, grants and bursaries 4

2. Tuition fees for courses at Ravensbourne College 2006/7 5

3. Loans and grants 6

4. Where to find more information 8

5. Bursaries at Ravensbourne College 9

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1. Information on tuition fees, loans, grants
and bursaries

The system of tuition fees for courses, and for grants and loans for students,
changes in September 2006.

Financial help is available to eligible students in the form of:

• a loan to cover tuition fees

• a loan to help with living expenses
• a non-repayable grant of up to £2,700 for students from lower income
households
• non-repayable bursaries from Ravensbourne College.

This booklet gives information on:

• loans and grants

• tuition fees for courses at Ravensbourne College from September 2006
• bursaries which are available from Ravensbourne College from
September 2006 to help you to study at the College.

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2. Tuition fees for courses at Ravensbourne
College 2006/7

The table below shows the fees that Ravensbourne College will charge to
students from the UK and EU from September 2006.

Course Type Fees per Year Total Fees for Whole Course

Two Year BA £3000 £6000

Three Year BA or BSc £3000 £9000

Two Year Foundation Degree £2600 £5200

One Year ‘Top Up’ BA or BSc £3000 £8200

One Year Certificate in Higher £2600 £2600

Education

Postgraduate courses* Full time fees Part time fees

MA Interactive Digital Media £4700 £2350

MA Networked Media £3600 £1800

Environments

*subject to ratification

Financial help to pay tuition fees is available in the form of a loan and bursaries.
Please read the relevant sections of this booklet.

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3. Loans and grants
Two loans are available: one to cover your tuition fees, the other to help with
your living costs.

Tuition fee loan

From 1 September 2006 a new loan is available to eligible full time students to
cover tuition fees.

This loan is available to all new students from the UK and the EU and is in
addition to the Student Loan for living costs (see below).

Loan to help with living costs

In addition to the Tuition Fee Loan you can apply for a loan to help with your
living costs.

The following table shows the maximum amount you could borrow to help
with your living expenses.

2006/07 Students Students living Student living

living at home away from home, away from home,
in London outside of London

Maximum Loan Rate for

Full Year Student (£) 3415 6170 4405

Maximum Loan Rate for

Final Year Students (£) 3085 5620 4080

The amount of the loan is based on your personal circumstances. 75% of the
loan is not means tested. The other 25% is means tested on your household
income.

The tuition fee loan and the loan for living costs are added together.

You can apply for the loan to cover your tuition fess and the loan to help with
your living costs on the same application form.

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You do not repay your loans until you have left your course and are earning
over £15,000. The interest on a student loan is much lower than commercial
rates.

You can find more information on loans – including how to apply - at the
websites listed on page 8.

EU Students need to meet certain eligibility criteria in order to receive a loan.

You can find more information at www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport

Grant to help with living expenses (‘Maintenance Grant’)

If you are from a lower income household you could be eligible for a non
repayable grant of up to £2,700 a year.

This grant is paid in addition to any loans or bursaries that you apply for.

The table below shows how much grant you may be eligible for according to
your household income.

Household Income Grant Amount

Up to £17,500 Full grant of £2700
Between £17,501 and £37,425 Partial Grant between £50 and £2699
Above £37,426 No Grant Payable

Contact your local education authority for further information, including on how
to apply. You can find their contact details at: www.studentsupportdirect.co.uk

Special Support Grant

The Special Support Grant is paid to certain students instead of the

‘Maintenance Grant’. If you have an underlying eligibility for means-tested
benefits you may qualify for this grant instead of the Maintenance Grant. The
income thresholds for this grant are the same as for the Maintenance Grant.

Contact your local education authority for further information.

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4. Where to find more information
You can find more information on:

• loans for tuition fees

• loans to help with living expenses
• non repayable grants
• how to apply

-in these websites:

www.studentsupportdirect.co.uk
www.slc.co.uk
www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport
http://studentfinance.direct.gov.uk/index.htm
http://www.aimhigher.ac.uk/student_finance/2006_onwards.cfm

The DfES website also has information for students from the European Union
(EU).

Student Finance and Bursary Advisor

Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication
Walden Road
Chislehurst
Kent
BR7 5SN

Tel: 020 8289 4900

Email: j.fry@rave.ac.uk

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5. Bursaries at Ravensbourne College
Ravensbourne College offers a range of bursaries for students from the UK and
the EU*.

These include:

• help with tuition fees

• bursaries for talented and gifted students
• special awards by the College’s Governors
• help with study aids, travel costs and child support.

Bursaries have different eligibility criteria. Detailed information is in the

following pages together with guidance on how to apply.

Please note that you are not eligible to apply for a Ravensbourne bursary if you
are:

• categorised as an ‘international’ or ‘overseas’ student for tuition fee

purposes (i.e. you are not a UK or EU national)
or
• a student who has taken up your offer of a place deferred from 2005.

You should ensure that you meet the criteria before you apply. If you have any
queries you can check with the College’s Student Finance and Bursary Advisor.

You can find further information about our bursaries at:

www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/bursaries

An application form is enclosed. You can also download a form at:

www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/bursaries/application.htm

*subject to legal clarification

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Tuition Fee Bursary - £300
A bursary of £300 will be given to students who are eligible for the full local
authority Maintenance Grant of £2700 and who are on courses with fees of
£3,000 or more per year.

How to apply
You do not need to apply. The bursary will be given to you
automatically if you qualify.

‘Thames Gateway’* Bursary – up to £300 per year

A bursary of up to £300 per year is available to eligible students from
specific schools and colleges.
The sum given will vary according to the number of applicants and the
funds available.

How to apply
If you wish to apply for this bursary you will need to submit the
application form by 6 November 2006.

*Ravensbourne College definition

Talented and Gifted Undergraduate Bursary

– £500 per year (maximum of three payments)
Up to 60 Undergraduate students who are considered to be talented and
gifted will be awarded a bursary of £500 for each year of study.

How to apply
If you wish to apply for this bursary you will need to submit the
application form by 15 September 2006.
You must be recommended by your Admissions Tutor to apply
for this bursary.
When you apply you must complete the Supporting Statement
section of the application form. In your Supporting Statement
you should:

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 • demonstrate your potential professional ability in design
or communication
• give evidence of intellectual curiosity
• demonstrate personal commitment
• explain your personal enthusiasms.
We will need an academic reference - normally from your
previous institution. We will take this reference from your
original course application form.
Your application will be considered by an Academic Panel.
If your application is successful you will receive payment after
you have enrolled on your course.

Talented and Gifted Postgraduate Bursary

- £1,000 – one off payment
Up to 10 Postgraduate students who are considered to be talented and
gifted will be awarded a one-off bursary of £1,000.

How to apply
The deadline for applications for this bursary is: 15th
September 2006.
In addition to the application form you should submit:
• a portfolio (as a CD, DVD or on-line)
• information about your technical skills
• a business proposal
• a project proposal for the MA programme for which you
are applying (PGCERT/PGDIP/MA Interactive Digital
Media or PGCERT/PGDIP/MA Networked Media
Environments).
We will need an academic reference - normally from your
previous institution. We will take this reference from your
original course application form.
Your application will be considered by an Academic Panel.
If your application is successful you will receive payment after
you have enrolled on your course.

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Governors’ Award- £500
Up to 20 Students will receive a one-off bursary of £500 to enable them to
take up an opportunity for work experience in industry at home or abroad.
You must be able to prove financial or personal difficulty to be granted this
bursary.

How to apply
If you wish to apply for this bursary you will need to submit the
application form by 15 December 2006 or 21st June 2007.
In order to apply, you must be enrolled on your chosen course.
Remember to complete the Supporting Statement section of
the application form.
You must provide evidence of:
• a work experience opportunity which is available to you
in the creative industries at home or abroad
• financial or personal difficulty.
Your application will be considered by the Board of Governors.
If your application is successful you will receive payment
normally within six weeks of the deadline.

Study Aid – 25% discount on laptops

If you are eligible for a full local authority Maintenance Grant you can apply
for a 25% discount on the purchase of a laptop through the College.

How to apply
The deadline for applications for this bursary is: 15 December
2006.
The specification of the laptop will be made by the College.
Repayment will be every term by agreement.
If your application is successful you will be advised how to
purchase your laptop.

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Travel Bursary – reimbursement of fares
This bursary reimburses your travel fares to and from the College.
It is available to students whose permanent residence is in the London
Borough of Greenwich.
This bursary will be available until 31 July 2007

How to apply
The deadline for applications for this bursary is: 6 October
2006.
If you are permanently resident in the London Borough of
Greenwich in the year you apply to the College, you are eligible
to have your full return travel fares paid between your home
and the College. Your postcode will be identified from your
UCAS application.
Full fares will be paid for the most direct public transport route.
If your application is successful the College will confirm to you
the direct route of travel for which you may make a claim.
You will need to submit a claim form every month and attach
the original travel receipts or tickets to the form. Your expenses
will be reimbursed to you by cheque each term.

Child care support – 10% discount

Up to 20 students with children under the age of five will be granted a
discount on childcare of 10% per child under an arrangement with a crèche
in Greenwich.
This support will be available from 1 October 2008.

How to apply
If you wish to register your interest please complete and return
the application form.
Write ‘Child care support’ in the box which asks which
bursary(ies) you are applying for.

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Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication
Walden Road
Chislehurst
Kent
BR7 5SN
United Kingdom

telephone +44 (0)20 8289 4900

facsimile +44 (0)20 8325 8320
info@rave.ac.uk

www.ravensbourne.ac.uk