All students who are eligible to pay the home rate of fee have their tuition fee subsidised by public funds in the form of HEFCE funding payable directly to the Higher Education Institution.
Academic year Students 2003-04 1,306,500 2004-05 1,319,700 2005-06 1,348,300 2006-07 1,354,900 2007-08 1,360,000 1 Covers students on both full-time and part time courses. 2 Includes the Open university. Notes: Figures are based on a HESA standard registration population. Source: HESA.
Additionally eligible students may apply for student support:
Students eligible for tuition fee grants
Students who entered higher education before 2006-07 may apply for a means tested tuition fee grant towards the cost of their tuition fees (up to £1,255 in 2008-09). The grant, paid from public funds, is paid direct to HE institutions, with students paying the balance of the tuition fee.
Academic year Full fee support Partial fee support Total2 2005-06 314,900 92,100 407,100 2006-07 190,400 59,000 249,400 2007-08 102,400 30,900 133,300 2008-09 (provisional)3 30,300 8,600 38,800 1 English domiciled students studying in the UK. Data are not readily available for 2004-05. 2 Constituent parts may not add to totals due to rounding, figures are rounded to nearest 100. 3 2008-09 figures are provisional and may increase substantially due to late applications. Source: Student loans company.
Students with tuition fee loans
All students entering higher education since 2006-07 may apply for a non-means tested loan to cover the whole cost of their tuition fees. The loan is repaid after leaving university and when income is above £15,000. A loan is also available to pre-2006-07 entrants if they are required to contribute to their fees.
Academic year Pre-2006-07 entrants Entered from 2006-07 Total2 2006-07 157,900 239,400 397,300 2007-08 99,100 454,500 553,500 2008-09 (provisional)3 31,200 682,500 713,700 1 English domiciled students studying in the UK and EU domiciled students studying in England. 2 Constituent parts may not add to totals due to rounding, figures are rounded to nearest 100. 3 2008-09 figures are provisional and may increase substantially due to late applications. Source: Student loans company.