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Student money advice

Meet face to face with our Student Advice Team to discuss your queries Browse FAQs
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Our Student Advice Team are here to offer advice to students on issues such as:

  • Money management and budgeting
  • Student finance entitlement and assistance if funding is rejected
  • Maximising income
  • The financial implications of changing study
  • Welfare benefits
  • Referrals to specialist debt advice
  • Guidance on university hardship funds and bursaries

The  Student Advice Team have one-to-one appointments available either in person or on the telephone throughout the week.

Current LSBU students have a MyAccount that you can use to make appointments with an advisor or ask us a question. See the help guides: How to use MyAccount as a student and How to book an appointment in MyAccount. Can’t log in to MyAccount? See this help guide.

Tuition fees

You can use your  MyAccount to quickly find answers to commonly asked questions, as well as sending us enquiries. If you’re unsure of how to use MyAccount, please see the help guides how to use MyAccount as a student, how to use MyAccount as an Offer Holder and How to book an appointment with support teams in MyAccount. Can’t log in to MyAccount? Please take a look at this help guide.

Additional funding

If you are a student who falls into a category below you may be eligible for some extra help with finances.

Childcare Grant

The Childcare Grant is awarded by Student Finance England to eligible full-time students in low-income households. To qualify, you must have a dependent child or children in registered or approved childcare. On qualifying you can receive up to 85% of your childcare costs, which you do not have to repay. How much you get depends on:

  • your level of income and household income
  • how many children you have in childcare
  • your actual childcare costs

For information on eligibility and how to apply for the grant please visit the government's Childcare Grant page. The Government also provides general information on covering the costs of childcare.

Parents' Learning Allowance

The Parents' Learning Allowance (PLA) is awarded by Student Finance England and is available to full-time undergraduate students receiving the Childcare Grant. It's also available to other full-time students from low-income backgrounds with children. The PLA does not have to be repaid. The allowance helps towards course-related costs such as books, materials and travel. You apply for this grant when you make your application for Student Finance for the tuition fee loan.

For information on eligibility please visit the government's Parents’ Learning Allowance page.

Tax credits

Students with dependent children may also be entitled to claim Child Tax Credit from HM Revenue & Customs. The amount you receive depends on your circumstances and income. You may also be able to claim Working Tax Credit. (Please note that if you get the childcare element of Working Tax Credit, you won't be able to claim the Childcare Grant).

Students with adult dependants

If you are a full-time student with an adult who depends on you financially, you could be entitled to the Adult Dependants' Grant that you don't have to repay.

An adult dependant can include a partner (of either sex) or another adult, usually a member of your family, who depends on you financially. However, you can't count your grown-up children as adult dependants.

The amount of your grant will depend on your income and the income of your adult dependants.

Visit the government's Adult Dependants' Grant page.

Students with disabilities

Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) are grants to help you pay for the extra essential costs that you may have as a direct result of your disability, including a mental health condition, or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia or dyspraxia. You don’t have to pay these back. We recommend that prospective students apply for DSAs as soon as possible to make sure that support is in place for the start of their course.For more information and how to apply visit the government's Disabled Students' Allowances page.DSAs are not provided by LSBU or its Disability and Dyslexia Support team, but we can help you with your application.You can’t get DSAs from Student Finance England if you’re an EU or overseas/international student. However, LSBU is still committed to ensuring you receive necessary support for your studies. For more information, contact LSBU's Disability and Dyslexia Support team – disability@lsbu.ac.uk or 0207 815 6454

Claiming benefits

The rules concerning students and benefits are complicated and depend on individual circumstances. There are also different rules for claiming benefits during term-time and holiday periods. We therefore advise that all students receiving benefits, or who believe they may be eligible for certain benefits or tax credits, seek advice from their local Benefits Office, Citizen's Advice Bureau or a Student Services' Advisor.

Useful links

Welfare benefits and debt advice:

Budgeting and money management:

Student discounts:

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