Student finance information for parents

Keen to find out more about tuition fees and support packages available to help your son or daughter with the cost of study? We're here to help
Student finance information for parents

We understand that the most common concern for parents of prospective students is related to the cost of study – particularly tuition fees and the support packages available to help towards both fees and living costs.

At the University of Plymouth, we believe in giving students from all backgrounds the opportunity to invest in their future. We have dedicated web pages where you'll find explanations of tuition fees and repayment terms. There's also information on methods of funding support available through loans, grants, bursaries and scholarships. 

At our open days and offer holder days there's lots of ways to find out first-hand about the costs of tuition fees and available funding through presentations and the opportunity to talk with staff from our Student Funding Office.

Student jobs

At Plymouth, students need an estimated £200 per week for living expenses. This includes accommodation, food, personal expenses and social life. This works out as around £6,400 for each academic year (most courses at Plymouth finish at the end of May).

Many of our students work a few hours a week to boost their income and support their budget. They need to plan this around lectures and coursework and ensure their job doesn't impact on their studies. Part-time work while at university or in the holidays is a great way for your son or daughter to earn some extra cash and to boost their CV.

The University of Plymouth has a brand new service called Student Jobs. This service allows your son or daughter to register online and receive email alerts with job vacancies to match their interests.

<p>Parent guide student jobs image</p>

Budgeting

It's important to work out a student budget before university begins so your son or daughter has an idea of how much money they'll have to live off. It usually takes a couple of months to settle into a spending routine so they'll need to be careful, especially during those exciting first few weeks.

Costs that need to be budgeted for include:

  • student costs, including text books, course materials and field trips, photocopying and printing
  • accommodation, including rent, gas, electricity, water rates, phone line rental and calls, internet, TV licence, contents insurance (some of these will be included in rent in halls of residence or student house)
  • clothes
  • travel
  • socialising, leisure and activities.

Need more information?

There are many general sources of information available to help explain loans, grants and repayments. We'd recommend starting with our own money pages and Student Finance England.