Undergraduate student finance

If you’re applying to ARU to study an undergraduate degree course, this information is for you.

If you have any questions about fees and funding, our Money Advice Service offers specialist advice about all aspects of student finance. We also run finance talks at our undergraduate Open Days.

UK students

If you're applying to university for the first time, you don't have to pay for your course upfront. You can get a Government loan to help cover the costs.

The following information applies to students from the UK and Ireland. It also applies to EU, EEA and Swiss nationals who have citizens' rights following Brexit.

Student loans

The two main loans are:

  • a Tuition Fee Loan to cover the cost of your course
  • a Maintenance Loan to help pay for living costs (full-time students only).

There's more information about the loans below.

You can apply for both these loans online. Log in to Student Finance England* to get started.

You won't start repaying your Maintenance and Tuition Fee loans until you're earning more than £27,295 a year (£25,000 for new borrowers from September 2023 onwards).

Tuition Fee Loan

Maintenance Loan

ARU undergraduate fees



Alternatively, you can choose to pay your annual tuition fees upfront, either in full or in instalments. Find out more about paying your fees upfront.

Grants and allowances

If you get funding from Student Finance England* you may be able to apply for some additional grants and allowances. Some of these are income assessed.

Adult Dependent Grant

Childcare Grant

Parents’ Learning Allowance

Disabled Students’ Allowance

Learning Support Fund for NHS students

Training Grant

Social Work Bursary




*If you live in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, you can apply through Student Finance NI, Student Awards Agency for Scotland or Student Finance Wales.

This information was last updated in July 2024, and is subject to change.

International students

You can pay your tuition fees and University accommodation costs easily and securely online.

You'll find details of fees on individual course pages, though you can check our tuition fees page for a general guide.

As well as tuition fees, there may be some extra, course-specific costs. You'll find details on individual course pages.

How to pay

We ask you to pay a deposit towards tuition fees before you receive an unconditional offer or Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). This will be listed as a condition on your offer letter.

If you’re a government-sponsored student, we'll ask to see a copy of your official letter of sponsorship/financial guarantee.

You'll find full details of how to pay your deposit, fees and other costs in your offer letter. We recommend that you pay online using our University's secure online payment system.

You can choose to pay the rest of your annual tuition fee in full, or in instalments. You may be eligible for an early payment discount if you pay your full annual tuition fee.

If you choose to pay in instalments, you’ll pay a £4,000 deposit then instalments as follows.

  • Students starting in September: 60% of the full fees at registration, a further 40% in January.
  • Students starting in January: 60% of the full fees at registration, a further 40% in May.

If you choose to pay your tuition fees in instalments, the payment will be taken from your account automatically on the 15th of the month.

Visit our fee payments page for full details.

Information and advice

If you have any questions about student finance, including tuition fees, living costs or budgeting, our Money Advice Service can help.

We offer free, confidential information and advice. Email us on [email protected].

Scholarships and support funds

We’re committed to supporting students who are keen to succeed in their studies. We offer a number of scholarships and bursaries to UK and international students. Take a look at what's on offer.

Once you've joined ARU, there are a number of support funds that can help you financially, depending on your needs and circumstances. Eligibility criteria apply. These funds include:

  • bursaries for specific student groups
  • hardship funds for students who may find themselves in financial difficulty
  • the GO! International Fund which can help with the costs of overseas experiences linked to your study.

Our Money Advice Service can tell you more about support funds for ARU students.

Cost of living

We understand it’s a difficult time with the cost of living increasing, so we offer a range of discounts and free resources to our students. 

Read more about cost of living support at ARU.