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Fees and finances

• Tuition fees
• Maintenance and living costs

It is important to consider very carefully the financial implications of studying in the United Kingdom. Fees for non-European students are charged at a higher rate because the University does not receive any funding for their teaching from the UK Government. You must also take into account accommodation and living expenses for the duration of your course.

Although it may be possible to obtain limited work while you are studying in the UK, students from outside the European Economic Area do not have an automatic right to do so. Therefore, you should not count on being able to finance part of your studies in this way. Financial assistance is available, however, in the form of a number of Scholarships and Bursaries.

You should consider very carefully how much it will cost to complete your course at the University. The following sections will help you in your financial planning.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees for the year 2008/09 are as follows.

For 2009/10 the international fees are :

The tuition fee includes all teaching and examination costs, and membership of the Union of Students.

Payment of tuition fees is made on a semester basis with equal instalments payable at the beginning of each semester. Fees must be paid in Pounds Sterling. If you pay your tuition fee in full during enrolment at the start of your course, you will be entitled to a 5% discount.

Tuition Fee Payment Options

Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course and are due at or before enrolment. The University offers a number
of payment options:

a) Payment in Full
If you pay the course tuition fee in full at or before enrolment you qualify for a 5% prompt payment discount. This discount will apply to the amount you owe after any scholarships or bursaries have been deducted from your tuition fee.

b) Payment in Two Equal Instalments
The University allows payment of tuition fees in two equal instalments: 50% is payable at enrolment and an invoice is subsequently issued for the balance. For students joining courses in September the balance is due by 31st January 2009. Students joining the University in January 2009 must pay the balance by 30th April 2009.

c) Payment in Three Equal Instalments by Direct Debit
To use this method of payment you or the person paying your fees must have a UK bank account.

You should pay one third of your tuition fee by cash, bankers draft, cheque or credit card at enrolment and then
complete a direct debit form.

For students starting in September 2008 the second payment will be automatically deducted from your bank account in January 2009. For students joining the University in January 2009 the second instalment will be deducted from your bank account in April 2009.

Provided that the second payment has been made successfully, the third payment will be automatically deducted from your bank account in April 2009 for September starters or June 2009 for January starters.

Please be aware that if the second instalment payment
should fail, the direct debit mandate will be cancelled by
the University and the total balance remaining will be payable in full.

d) Payment in Six Equal Instalments by Direct Debit
To use this method of payment you or the person paying your fees must have a UK bank account.

You should pay a minimum of £750 towards your tuition fee at enrolment by bankers draft, cheque or credit card and then
complete a direct debit form.

The 6 direct debit payments will be taken at the beginning of the following months:

December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009

You will be provided with exact dates when you set up the direct debit.

e) Payment by a Sponsor
If your tuition fees are being paid by a sponsor (e.g. a
company, organisation or Government department) you
will need to provide an original letter on headed paper
confirming the amount of tuition fees they will pay.

The sponsorship letter must be provided at enrolment
and must include the following information:

• your full name and university application number
• the title of your course of study
• the address we should send an invoice to
• the exact amount your sponsor will be paying towards
• your tuition fees
• the sponsor's official order number

Your sponsor will be invoiced direct for the full amount
of tuition fees due. A copy of Birmingham City University's standard sponsor
agreement letter is available from the International Office upon request. You can refer this to your sponsor for
completion to ensure the relevant information is
recorded for invoicing purposes.

Please note that the tuition fee must be paid in full on invoice and cannot be paid in instalments. You should also be aware that the University will charge you directly if your sponsor subsequently fails to pay the tuition fee.

FEE STATUS

The adoption of policies such as the British Council Scholarship Scheme to offer scholarships to students from countries deemed to be in economic crisis is determined by the Vice-Chancellor. For further details please contact the International Office .

Overseas Student Fee Status

A student can be exempted from the higher rate International Fee by showing a 'relevant connection' with the United Kingdom (UK) or the European Union (EU). To demonstrate a relevant connection you must meet all of the following requirements:

• you have settled status in the UK/EU - that is, you must be ordinarily resident in the UK/EU without being subject, under the immigration laws, to any time restrictions. For example, you must be a British Citizen or have been granted Indefinite Leave to Enter, Indefinite Leave to Remain, or Right of Abode, by the UK Government;
• you have been ordinarily resident in the UK/EU throughout the three-year period before the start of your course. For courses starting in September 2006 the relevant date is 1 September 2003;
• at no time during the relevant period must your residency in the UK/EU have been wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education.

You may also be exempted from the higher rate International Fee if:

• you are recognised by the UK Government as a refugee and have been ordinarily resident in the UK since being recognised as a refugee;
• you have been informed in writing by the UK Government that you have been granted Exceptional Leave to Remain, Discretionary Leave to Remain or Humanitarian Leave to Remain in the United Kingdom;
• you are a European Economic Area (EEA) migrant worker, or the child of an EEA migrant worker;
• you are an exchange student.

If you are unsure whether you would be classified as a 'home' or 'overseas' student for fee payment purposes and would like clarification before submitting an application, you should contact International Admissions to request a Prospective Student Status Questionnaire.

Maintenance and living costs

In addition to your tuition fees, we estimate that you will require approximately £6,000 - £7,000 per year to cover the cost of accommodation, heating, food, books, stationery, travel and other basic expenses. You must ensure that you will have sufficient funds available to pay the tuition fee and your living costs, as non-European students are not eligible for welfare benefits from the UK Government.

The following figures are a guide to the costs of following a course for a full academic year at the University. Actual expenditure will depend on your lifestyle and standard of living. Some students are able to live more cheaply than these estimates, while others find that the figures are too low in some areas. Any estimates for subsequent years will need to take account of future inflation at approximately 3%.

All the above amounts are for a single student. If you have a family, your expenditure will be increased significantly. You should consider carefully the costs involved for housing and maintaining your family if they will be accompanying you while you are studying in the UK.