How to afford university is a common concern, but there is financial support for everyone in some way or another. As a parent or carer, you will need to support your child to apply. Here is a quick description of what you can apply for and how it works:
Available to pay tuition fees for your course to your university of up to £9,250 a year. The Student Finance section of the gov.uk website is a helpful starting point.
Available to help with living expenses but dependent on your household income and whether you will be studying at home or in London. The Student Finance section of the gov.uk website has some good information about maintenance loans.
The loans will gather interest but are only repayable once you finish your degree and earn over the threshold of £26,575 a year. This is paid through your income automatically like taxable pay as you only pay 9% of any money earned over the threshold (quite manageable). After 30 years any money owed and outstanding is cleared. The Student Finance section of the gov.uk website has some good information about repaying your student loan.
You may be eligible for more financial support that does not have to be paid back. This may come directly from the government and student finance, or from the university themselves. Always do your research to see if you fall into any category that may be eligible. This can range from studying a subject such as teaching, suffering from hardship or having dependants. The Student Finance section of the gov.uk website has some good information about extra money to pay for university.
To understand student finance in more detail try the Student Finance England Quick Start Guide.
For specific support with care experienced children Propel has some clear guidance around funding and higher education.
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