Advice for students receiving sponsorship or student loans

If you receive an undergraduate tuition fee loan

The Student Loans Company will pay the fees direct to the University in three instalments:

• 25% in term one
• 25% in term two
• 50% in term three

It’s your responsibility to make sure you apply for funding as early as possible. When you apply, make sure you include the correct details for:

• the amount you’re requesting for your Tuition Fees Loan
• your programme and stage of study
• your institution (i.e. University of Plymouth).

Until your tuition fee loan is approved, you will be classed as a self-fee payer and could ultimately be expected to pay the tuition fee yourself if approval is not obtained, or subsequently revoked. It is important to check your eligibility each year before enrolling, particularly if you have undertaken any previous study at higher education level.

If you receive a postgraduate loan

Students who receive a postgraduate loan are treated as self fee payers. It is important to check your eligibility before enrolling. Eligibility can depend on your age, course, existing funding, previous study, nationality or residency status. 

Find out more about postgraduate finance and funding

If you are a self fee payer

If you’re not receiving sponsorship or a tuition fee loan, you’ll need to pay your fee in full when you enrol. If it is not possible for you to pay your tuition fee in full on enrolment, you are able to pay it in three instalments; please read more about paying your fees for full details and deadline dates.

If you receive sponsorship

You may have arranged sponsorship towards your tuition fee (or other fees such as bench fees) from, for example, an employer, overseas university or government department. In most cases the sponsor will require an invoice from the University before they're able to pay. In order for the University to be able to issue this invoice, you must obtain and forward confirmation from your sponsor to the University.

You can obtain a letter on headed paper to include the following:

• Your name
• Your university reference number
• The full name of your programme of study
• The amount of funding to be provided for the relevant academic year
• A contact name, full postal address, telephone number and email address of the sponsor
• Any purchase order number or a specific reference required by the sponsor.

Or you can download and complete our sponsor form.

The letter/completed form should be emailed as soon as possible to sponsors.studentrecords@plymouth.ac.uk.

(If you have ELCAS funding, please e-mail your Claim Authorisation Note (CAN) to ELCAS@plymouth.ac.uk).

Unless Student Records receive confirmation from your sponsor, you will be classed as a self-fee payer and expected to pay the tuition fee yourself.

Please note that you remain liable for your tuition fee until your sponsor has fully paid.